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Bailey’s face falls. Blake places one elbow on the table and snickers. “What, Grandmother? It’s our right to know.”
“Enough.” At Kaden’s gravelly tone, silence descends.
I stare at the grandfather clock, wishing time to pass faster.
Right after dessert, Grandmother says to Celine, “You can tell them about your stay abroad.”
“How was it at Preston?” Bailey asks.
“Intense. The school has a tough learning program, but there were a few recreational activities. And once in a while I could visit London, which were the highlights of my stay abroad.”
“Did you make friends?” I ask, genuinely interested.
“Yes, Mia and Hunter.” Celine draws out his name, and I peek at Kaden, whose thumb freezes on the screen of his phone.
“Hunter?” Grandmother asks.
“Hunter Lockwood. His father founded the school.”
“Lockwood… Yes. They’ve done very well for themselves in England. They’re well respected and are quite influential. Are you close with the Lockwoods?” Grandmother asks, sounding interested.
Way to go, Celine. I’m pretty sure Grandmother is planning a wedding in her head if the alliance would be beneficial for the Family.
“Very. Hunter and his twin sister, Mia, have been accepted to study at Eagleton College. They’ll be staying on campus.”
“I’d like to meet them soon.”
“Of course, Grandmother.”
“But for now, I am tired. I believe it is time to retire.”
With that, she stands up, signaling that dinner is over. We all go to kiss her hand.
Kaden and I are the first to leave. Kaden leans against his BMW, his head shaking as if he doesn’t know if her return is a hallucination or reality. I put my hand on his shoulder. We can’t show anything. He should know that.
“Kaden, pull yourself together.”
“I’ll meet you later at the house.”
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
I get into my car, following Bailey and Blake closely before they turn right toward campus. I drive toward a place I have told myself a million times to stop visiting. Yet, I always end up here.
The old mansion was sold and fully restored just as I pictured it. The classical-style mansion combines architectural elegance and natural beauty. The limestone entrance and oval windows give it a timeless appearance. The terrace at the back of the house leads to the small lake. The ground with its white oaks, rolling pasture, and small rose garden, complements the nature surrounding the mansion.
I hope whoever moves in will be happy. I imagine that behind those walls, it’s me and Dane. A dream. The most melancholic what-if of my life.
I speed away, going back to my bleak reality.
“She seems… different,” Bailey says the moment I walk inside the college house.
I nod. It’s in the way Celine carries herself, a self-confidence she never had before.
Blake rakes a hand through his black hair. “Fuck. Just what we needed… If Grandmother accepted her back, that means she’s here to test Kaden.”
“Yes, let’s point out the obvious,” I sigh.
“He has to be stronger than that,” Bailey says.