Page 14 of Undeniably

“Why did you stay then?”

My mind flashes to Keaton. Had we left on good terms, would I have stayed?

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“Why did you come back?”

I shrug, not giving an answer.

Changing the subject, I ask, “Does Sage know your brother is a man whore?”

“She knows he has a past, but she ignores it. Can’t blame him for something he did before he knew her.”

“I don’t know. All the rumors I’ve heard are fairly recent.” After parking the car, I turn to give Tinsley my full attention.

She looks confused. “He would never cheat on her. He’s so madly in love with her, he doesn’t even see other women.”

“Keaton?” I laugh. “He flirts with girls every day at school.”

Her mouth makes an O before she bursts out laughing. “You thought Sage was with Keaton?” She slaps her knee. “Reed’s going to hate hearing that. Sage has been dating Reed since the end of last year. Before that really, if you count the little cat-and-mouse game they played for most of the school year. Keaton doesn’t date. Like at all.”

A weight that I didn’t know was there lifts off my chest at the recent development. Then I chastise myself for being happy about that when I’m not supposed to care about him.

“Well, I read that all wrong then.”

She wipes tears away from her eyes as her laughter subsides., “They are close, so I can see how you were confused. Sage is more like a mom to Keaton and me since ours is absent. She takes care of us, reminds us to do our homework, cooks us dinner. Normal stuff our Mom should be doing but doesn’t. She’s family.”

The casual way she says it reminds me that I used to be family too. For a moment, I let myself feel that loss. The one I have pushed down since the day I left Yates Manor three years ago.

“Screw this. You said something about a party. Is that a no-go since your ‘mom’”—I make the air quotes around the word—“said no?”

Tinsley gives me a devious smile. “I’m only allowed to go to parties with Keaton or Finley there, but,” she winks, “what ‘Mom’ doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

Putting the car back into gear, I smile. “Let’s find us a party.”

Fifteen minutes later, we pull up to a large gated house. It’s as luxurious as my house but not as intricate as Yates Manor.

“Whose house is this again?” I ask as the gate opens to let us in.

“Rachel Simmons. She’s in your grade. She has a huge crush on Keaton, so she invites me to all of her parties, hoping he comes. He never does, and usually neither do I, but you only live once, right?”

I park the car, smiling. “Right.”

Linking arms, we make our way up to the door. It opens before we get up the steps, a man waiting inside the door for us.

“Welcome. The gathering is on the back deck. Please follow me.” He leads the way, opening the sliding glass door to direct us outside.

My eyes widen at the sight before me.

When Tinsley said it was a party, I thought there would be ten, maybe twenty, people here. The crowd before me looks to be the entire Brighton Academy senior class, which is roughly one hundred fifty students, if I had to guess. The deck is decorated with hanging lights and some fabric draped to make elegant streamers.

Surrounding the deck are chairs and tables with people hanging around each set—some occupied by couples not scared of showing their PDA. I avert my eyes at one particular couple dry humping on the table to my right. We make our way to the table across the deck where it looks like the drinks are all arranged. Halfway there, I get jostled, losing grip of Tinsley. She’s swallowed up in the crowd immediately.

“Sorry,” I yell as I make my way forward.

My arm is jerked back, and for a moment I panic. I turn to face my attacker, breathing a sigh of relief when I see Rachel.

“What are you doing here?” she yells over the music.

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