Page 80 of Foolish Games

“That’s when you like to watch,” I point out.

“Oh right,” he says. “And you like people to watch you. Or maybe you just like them to know you’re mine.”

“After the racket we made in here today, I don’t think anyone will have any doubts.”

“Good,” he says. “When you stop having any doubts, we’ll be set.”

He opens the door, and we emerge into the library to all the whispers, knowing looks, and stifled laughter I dreaded and then some.

Sebastian takes my hand and leads me toward our table. On the way, he tips his chin at Chad. “She won’t be coming over tonight after all,” he says with a cool look. “And if your fights ended with a breakup instead of that, you never deserved her in the first place.”

twenty-three

#1 at the Box Office: Titanic

Vivienne Delacroix

“Mom?”

“Yeah, honey?” Mom asks, glancing up at me from her desk. It’s dark out, but she’s still in her office, the newspaper spread open across the heavy walnut desk. Nothing but rows upon rows of numbers and letters, like some kind of code from Dad’s secret society. But this isn’t a hidden message from the Midnight Swans. It’s the stock market.

I glance behind me and pull the door closed. “Can I ask you for something, and you promise not to tell anyone? Even Dad?”

She straightens, sitting back and taking off her reading glasses. “You can tell me anything. What’s up?”

I sink into the leather chair across from her desk. “Okay, but you can’t tell anyone else. Not Nana, not Robert, not anyone.”

She nods, her lips tightening. “Of course. What is it, honey?”

“I—I was wondering if I could get on the pill,” I say, my skin prickling with heat at the discomfort of having to ask this. Chaz was always overly cautious about condom usage, so I never worried about it before. But Sebastian is obviously as reckless with his sperm as he is everything else in his life.

“Thank god,” Mom bursts out, laughing and sitting back in her chair, laying a hand over her heart. “I thought you were going to tell me you were pregnant.”

I might be, but I’m not about to tell her that now. I’ll just have to pray like hell that it’s not the right time of the month for that to happen—and get on birth control before risking it again. Because from what Sebastian said today, he’s not planning to stop this anytime soon.

My heart swells with elation and my tummy flips at the same time. God, I’m so screwed. But the thought that he wants to keep doing this, even if we have to sneak around, makes me want to get up and dance. In fact, the sneaking around even holds a certain appeal. I’m not sure what that says about me.

It probably means I’m not the perfect Delacroix daughter to the perfect Delacroix family, which only makes me want to make sure I look like it to my parents. And that means not taking this kind of chance again.

“So… Can I?” I ask.

“Of course, honey,” she says. “Although… Did you and Chaz work things out?”

“No,” I say, holding up a hand to stop the questions. “And I’m not seeing anyone else. I just want to be safe and prepared when I start to. I mean, I’ll be at college next year anyway. Having a prescription ahead of time is probably a good idea, right?”

“Of course, darling,” she says. “I’m sure whatever you’re doing, it’s best not to make a baby out of it.” I stand to leave, but when I reach the door, she calls out. “Just remember, there are other things that can ruin your future besides a baby.”

“I know, Mom.”

“I know you do,” she says. “But it never hurts to have a reminder.”

She goes back to work, and I hesitate at the door, watching her for a moment before pulling the door closed. Both my parents are complete workaholics. Most of the other wives stay home or spend their time doing church events or charity functions, but Mom says she’d go out of her mind with boredom if she didn’t have a job. More likely, they’re both burying themselves in their time consuming, stressful jobs to ignore the problems in their marriage.

On top of work, Mom still has to keep up appearances for the other families, being put together and flawless at all times. It’s exhausting just watching her do it all. Maybe that’s why it’s such a relief to be with a guy like Sebastian, who doesn’t seem interested in my family name. Chaz’s family is very driven to achieve the highest status possible in this town without being founders. While I haven’t met Sebastian’s parents, from his lack of probing questions about my family’s finances, my mother’s heritage, and our standing with the other families, I’m guessing it’s not a priority for the Swifts. His mom probably has more pressing issues on her mind, what with her husband having disappeared.

It’s nice to be with someone with no pressure to uphold the perfect image of a Delacroix, and since we’re not actually dating, that makes it even more relaxed. Ironically, I feel like he’s genuinely interested in me, even though there’s nothing genuine about our relationship. Still, when we’re hanging out, I don’t have to worry about ulterior motives. In fact, since we’re not dating, there’s no reason he would even tell his mom about me, just like I didn’t tell mine. There’s no pressure to introduce each other to parents, impress our families, or anything other than simple, uncomplicated fun.

Funny how the easiest relationship to be in is one that’s not a relationship at all.

---