All I've Never Wanted(49)

My dad’s eyes were pained. “I swear, I didn’t mean to lie to you or your mom. I just…” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “It gets hard sometimes, you know? I’m always traveling for work, and as wonderful as your mother is, sometimes she doesn’t necessarily get how much stress I’m under…Lexi, though, she does. She works for the same company I do—“


“Are you in love with her?” I interrupted, my voice rather shaky.

“What? No!” My father’s eyes widened as he shook his head. “No! Of course not. Maya, your mother’s the one I love, but it gets so damn lonely on the road—“

And you just couldn’t keep it in your pants. God, men were such jerks. Even the ones whom I thought were one of the few good ones left.

“—especially since we always end up on the same projects together. Honestly, though, yesterday was our first date.” My dad looked at me. “All the other times I’ve said I’ve been on business, I really was!”

“With her.”

He flushed slightly. “Sometimes. But it never went beyond flirting until…until recently. I know it was wrong of me. I swear, it’ll never happen again. Just…just don’t tell your mom, ok?”

I couldn’t believe it. “You want me to keep this from her?” I hissed.

I mean, I had thought about it, but it just seems so slimy for him to be the one to ask me to do it.

“Maya! Just look at it from another perspective,” my dad pleaded. “Look, I promise, I won’t ever see or talk to Lexi again unless it’s for professional purposes. Your mom doesn’t need to know, it’ll destroy the entire family. It was just a mistake.”

I swallowed. Maybe he had a point. I didn’t want my parents to divorce, even though my dad had made a major dick move. Most of all, though, I don’t think I could stand to see my mom in the pain I knew she’d be in if she found out.

“Did you sleep with her?”

“No,” my dad immediately said. “No, it never got that far. And it won’t. I promise.”

I sighed, feeling exhausted. My brain hurt. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was just a mistake, and everything didn’t have to change.

“How could you have even afforded that date anyway?” I muttered.

“I got a new credit card your mom doesn’t know about,” my dad answered somewhat sheepishly.

I snorted. How clever. Using a new card so my mom couldn’t see the charges. For someone who insisted it was a one-time thing, he certainly knew how to go about it.

“And I guess that’s why I suggested the two week trip,” my dad added. “To help us… rekindle that spark, I guess. Actually spend some time together.”

I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t even want to know what “rekindle that spark” meant.

“And you promise it’ll never happen again?” I demanded.

He nodded eagerly. “I promise.” He stared at me hopefully. “So, can we just keep this to ourselves? Please?”

After some hesitation, I finally, reluctantly nodded. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. I had to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Not for him, or me, but for my mom and my family’s future.

CHAPTER 13

At school the next day, I was practically a zombie. I hadn’t gotten any sleep last night, and as a result, had slept through all of my morning classes. I was so distracted by my family drama that I wasn’t even freaking out about the fact that I was probably screwed for next week’s tests.

“Maybe you should go home early today,” Venice suggested as we walked slowly to our next class. “You look like you’re about to collapse.”

“I concur.”

I whipped my heard around, and saw Adriana leaning against the wall outside the Scions’ private classroom. I hadn’t even noticed we were in this part of the school.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled. “I can’t just skip school.”

“Don’t be silly,” the leggy blonde said, sounding exasperated. “You obviously need some serious R&R after yesterday. And if I’m right—which I usually am—you couldn’t sleep last night, hence why you’re walking around like a card-carrying member of the undead.”

“Thanks. Do I look that horrible?” I asked dryly.

“You’re getting there.”

Adriana pushed herself off the wall and tossed her shining golden hair over her shoulder. As usual, she looked impeccable in a fitted suede jacket over a beaded tank and a pair of low-slung, perfectly faded Seven jeans that made her legs look miles long.

“Anyway, I’ve already secured permission from the school to take you two out for a girls’ day. Or afternoon, really.”

“Wait. You mean, I get to come too?”Venice asked excitedly, her green eyes even bigger than usual.

“Why not? You’re Maya’s best friend, and she needs as many friends around her as possible.” Adriana gazed at me with a hint of sympathy in her aqua eyes.


I shook my head. “Thanks for the offer but—“ Yawn. “I’ll be—“ Another yawn. “Fine.”

“Do I need to kidnap you?”

My face fell. If this kept up, I was going to break a world record for most kidnappings in a month. And I had no doubt Adriana would do it too.