Beg You to Trust Me (Lindon U #2)(54)

“You don’t want to miss your flight,” I rasp, pulling my hand away from her head and putting distance between us even though I’d rather she stays right here.

She blinks, biting down on her bottom lip before nodding once. We watch each other as she pulls her bag out of the backseat and drapes it over her arm. I can read the confusion on her face even from the feet that separate us as she heads toward the building.

She looks back once.

I wave.

She clenches her bag tighter in her hand and disappears past the sliding doors.





CHAPTER NINETEEN





SKYLAR





I’ve been in California for an hour and a half, and I’ve already got a migraine. I could blame the altitude from the flight, the significant weather change, or the conversation I walked away from at the airport, but it’s really the people surrounding me that’s causing the not-so-subtle knocking in my skull.

And that kiss.

Our second kiss. The stress of figuring out what it means consumed me the second I stepped into the airport. I almost missed final call for boarding because I’d been sitting and staring at the grubby floor while touching my lips that still buzzed from the contact.

You’re a mess, that pesky inner voice chides as I close my eyes.

“We already had Starbucks three times this week,” Serena complains from the passenger seat. Her bare feet are perched on the dashboard of Sienna’s Lexus, her toes painted a sparkly pink that fits her bright personality.

When my two sisters pulled up at the airport in the bright red convertible, I wasn’t shocked that Serenity wasn’t with them. She sent at least twenty texts to the group chat freaking out about various problems with her event tonight. The caterers messed up the menu, there wouldn’t be enough drinks, they were one table short. It went on and on and on until I stopped reading them and put my phone on silent.

The problem with being the youngest sibling is that I’m usually ignored by the older ones in every situation. Like the one unraveling from the front. My twin sisters are currently going back and forth on how much they need to be caffeinated as if they were the ones that had to crawl out of bed and onto a plane before the sun was even up.

Rubbing my temples, I glance down at my phone. I turned off airplane mode as soon as we landed, but there were only messages from my family asking if I’d arrived yet beyond the panicked texts Serenity sent. And when an hour went by and still nothing from the boy who played guard dog for me all night, then kissed me goodbye, I couldn’t help but feel a hollowness take over my chest.

When he leaned in, I moved on instinct. The pull was there, tugging me toward him, to the comfort of his closeness and firm, genuine words. I have fun hanging out with Danny no matter what we’re doing—more than I thought I would considering our rocky beginning. It doesn’t matter if we’re studying in silence and kicking each other underneath the library table, or teasing each other while watching movies, he never makes the moment dull.

He has no expectations, and I like that.

Need it.

So, the blank screen in my hand taunts me as my temples throb harder, making the pressure behind my eyes intolerable.

I set my head against the headrest carefully and close my eyes again. “Can you guys please stop? I’ve got a horrible headache and your arguing isn’t helping.”

It’s Serena who says, “I have Motrin in my bag. Want a couple tablets?”

Out of the whole family, Serena has always been the most nurturing to me. Anytime I was sick, it was her checking up on me when Mom was too busy. If I was sad, she’d do something dumb to try making me laugh. Once, she even suffered through an entire marathon of all the Star Wars movies because she knows how much I love the franchise.

“Yes, please.” I hold out my hand as she passes me two tablets and the bottle of water she’s been drinking from. “Thanks, Rena.”

It’s Sienna who turns on the blinker and slows the car down. “You know what also helps with headaches?” She turns into the busy Starbucks parking lot. “Coffee. I’ll even pay.”

The passenger occupant scoffs. “We all know Dad is paying since you lost your job at Nordstrom.”

My eyes go to the girl behind the wheel as she pulls up behind the long line of cars in the drive thru. “When did you lose your job? Last I heard you were up for some sort of promotion.”

“Yeah, and when she didn’t get it, she threw a fit and the manager had to let her go,” Rena cackles, taking her water back and dodging the hand that Sienna flies toward her.

“They all knew I deserved that position!”

“You weren’t working there for as long as the woman who got it,” Serena points out. “I don’t think you can blame them for giving it to someone who has more experience. Plus, the fit you threw was in front of the customers. You looked like a psycho.”

“You were there?” I question.

Serena bobs her head excitedly. “Sky, I thought Sienna was going to tackle her new boss. The one that got the promotion. What’s her name, Si? Gladys. Yeah, Gladys. The poor woman looked like she was about to pee herself in the middle of the store.”

I gape at the driver of the car. “Were you really going to fight her?”

“No! Rena likes to overexaggerate.” The line of cars starts moving, so she inches forward and releases a sigh. “I have a degree in business and Gladys doesn’t. It doesn’t make any sense why she’d get it simply because she was there longer. It was only by a year. Eleven months, to be exact! I think it’s because she’s older than me and looks more professional. But Gladys doesn’t know the kind of marketing and business tactics that I do. Our store’s demographics needs to be targeted specifically to gain the most profit. I had a presentation and everything for the assholes who canned me.”