Everything I Desire (Lupine Valley #3)

11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Adelaide

I haven’t spoken to Porter since that night in my kitchen. It kills me whenever I see him come and go from his house, but never to mine. It seems he's taking his vow to keep me out seriously this time.

He deserves so much out of life, but refuses to let himself have any of it, including me. I can’t force him to see it, I’ve tried. He needs to see it for himself. He needs to realize he deserves everything. I just don’t know how else I can show him that.

This feeling is just the same heartbreak from that night all over again, only this time I still have to see him. And hear about him.

I’ve been driving Kayla home everyday, and luckily we haven’t seen Maura, but she wastes no time in telling me how miserable Porter has been at home since the day we told her about her mother. She wants to know what happened, and I get it. She’s worried it’s about her own situation.

I have done all I can to assure her that it isn’t, while not overstepping into Porter’s business .

But I’m done avoiding him. Tonight after the dance all the kids are going to a party which means that Kayla won’t be home. I’m going to go over there and demand he listen to me. He can’t avoid me when there are no excuses around.

For now though, I need to plaster on a happy smile for my sisters, my mom, and most importantly, Kayla. She is coming over here to get ready with everyone doting on her, doing her hair and makeup for the Spring Fling.

The doorbell rings, pulling me from my thoughts. I put my own dress down on my bed and head downstairs to open the door.

On the other side, I find my sisters and Mom with Willow already on Facetime.

“I’m so glad you guys are here!” I hug each of them on their way in and blow a kiss to Willow. Mom hands me the phone so I can talk to her.

“Hey, you big Nashville star!” I say to the phone as I walk back up to my room while the rest of them prep the snacks for the day in my kitchen.

Willow sent me a video last night from her show at a local bar in Nashville. Her manager has been promising bigger and better things for years. While she’s scrounging up gigs and working three waitressing jobs to make rent, he’s living the high life in his mansion. She makes barely anything from the gigs she does book, and somehow he doesn’t seem to be struggling at all. Needless to say, I’m not a fan .

“Oh please, it was the same bar I always play at,” she says shyly. “But listen, I have something to tell you, are you alone?”

I close my bedroom door and flip the lock. “Now I am.”

“Addy, I’m so screwed,” Willow says, hanging her head.

“What? Why?” I ask.

“I was talking to another singer that was at the gig last night, one who doesn’t have my manager. Do you know how much she’s making from those gigs?” I can see the anger on her face so I know this isn’t going anywhere good. “A whole hell of a lot more than me! I asked the bar manager why the difference, and get this, he told me there is no difference!”

“What an asshole! I hope he had a good explanation for screwing you over,” I whisper shout.

“My manager is stealing my money,” She pauses. “That isn’t all, he’s doing. . . ” her voice drops. “Other shady shit.”

“Seriously? Willow, what is going on down there?” I exclaim.

She looks away from the phone and starts typing something, I assume on her computer. I squint at the phone, is that a tear running down her cheek? She never cries so whatever it is, it’s serious.

“I will, but I’m trying to gather all the evidence I can on it. He’s a powerful man in Nashville, Ade.” She blinks slowly, and then looks up at the ceiling, willing the tears to stay .

She turns back to face me, the tears still welling in her eyes. “Oh Willow. I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

“No. Just don’t tell anyone else. Especially Mom. I want to make sure I have this figured out before telling her. But I have to go, one of the other bar managers is calling me back.” She blows me a kiss and hangs up before I can answer, or question her more.

Poor Willow. I wish I could help her more, but she’s so far away. I make a mental note to call her tomorrow and check on her. I need to know what this shady shit is that she’s talking about. I don’t like her being down there alone right now.

My door handle jiggles, and Kayla meekly speaks from the other side, “Addy, I just wanted you to know I am here.”

I get up quickly to open the door, but I find her retreating back to the stairs when I open it. “Hey! Come on in, sorry I was talking to Willow.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I interrupted you. I’ll go back downstairs.” She points her thumb over her shoulder to the staircase.

“No, please don’t worry about it. Come in. Mom brought your dress by a few days ago, it’s in my closet!” I walk over and open the door, going in to find the bag with her dress.

I pull it out and hang it on the door frame. She unzips the bag and runs her fingers gently down the silky soft fabric. I see a lone tear run down her cheek .

Running over, I squeeze her shoulders. “Kayla, what’s wrong?”

Between her and Willow, each crying in the last few minutes, I’m feeling totally helpless.

“I just, I mean, I know my mom sucks. But I kind of always hoped she would be here doing stuff like this with me.” She turns and goes to sit on my bed.

“I’m so sorry, honey.” I sit beside her. “I wish it were her here with us, but I’m glad that you’ve allowed me and my family to be here with you. We are all so excited. Getting ready for the Spring Fling was always a big deal in my house with four girls, and I’m just happy we get to do it again with you.”

She wipes her cheeks, “Thanks, I’m happy too. Even though I’m crying.” She lets out a half-hearted laugh.

“Hey! Get down here! We have food to eat, then we need to get going on makeup!” Scarlett yells from the kitchen.

Laughing, the two of us go downstairs and find Lacey and Mom in a debate about lipstick colors yet again, and Scarlett sneaking cookies from Mom’s bag.

Scarlett hears us first and shoves the rest of the cookie in her mouth, holding a finger to her lips to tell us to keep her secret.

I smile at Kayla, who walks over to the kitchen table to settle the lipstick debate.

“I don’t think I want anything too bright. I like this nude pink, she says handing them a third option. Apparently she has picked up on being neutral when it comes to Harper disagreements.

Both Lacey and Mom look at her with smiles on their faces. I’m glad that she spoke up instead of letting them do whatever they want. Judging by the looks on their faces, I think they are too. She’s really coming out of her shell with all of us now.

Another social and emotional milestone for Kayla.

I’ve noticed her standing up for herself more at school too. My favorite was when she put the popular mean girl in her place for trying to get Eric’s attention. When Kayla walked into class the girl was sitting on the edge of Eric's desk, laughing a very high pitched squeal type of laugh. To Eric's credit he was cringing when she sat down. He didn't want anything to do with her. Kayla saw her and told her to stop trying to get what belongs to someone else. The girl slunk back to her own desk and shot daggers at Kayla and Eric the rest of the class.

I had to walk away to hide my snicker at the scene to keep my professionalism in order. I had text Porter about it, and all I got was a that’s great text after. He’s really taking this avoiding me thing too far.

Before I know it, the chaos of five women getting ready for a dance takes over my home. It makes me smile at the thought of my home being filled with a teenager getting ready for her first dance. Something I always thought that Porter and I would do together .

In a way, I guess we are. But why does it hurt so much that he isn’t here doing it with me?

Eric and Porter are sitting in my living room waiting for Kayla to come down.

She looks so beautiful and Mom’s alterations made the dress even more gorgeous on her. The emerald green color brings out her eyes, and Lacey added some highlighter to her shoulders and collarbone to accentuate the neckline of the dress.

Porter, however, is firmly still in the camp of ignoring me. I put on my best little black dress that is sexy as hell, but still appropriate since I’m a chaperone at a high school dance. I can feel his eyes burning a hole into my back, but as soon as I turn he averts his eyes like he wasn’t just staring.

“I’m ready!” Kayla yells from the top of the stairs.

Porter goes to the stairs first, and Eric, smartly, follows behind him, giving up the first view of Kayla.

She descends the stairs like a princess. Her dress flowing out behind her, her hair perfectly curled and cascading down her back.

“Wow, you look h-” Eric stops himself from answering when Porter looks at him, eyes furrowed, like he better not finish that statement. “Beautiful. You look beautiful.”

Porter might have made him stop the statement he was going to make, but he didn’t stop Eric from staring at her. The blush spreads quickly down Kayla’s cheeks to her chest.

“Kayla, you look stunning. Much better than the hot pink dress.” Porter winks at me, and Kayla looks confused but walks over to her date, choosing to ignore his comment.

We all walk Kayla and Eric outside to his car after getting some pictures of them. The tension between Porter and I is palpable.

He is still avoiding me directly, but I’ve made sure to make myself known. A casual brush of my fingers on his, my gaze lingering a little longer on how good he fills out a dark pair of jeans with his open flannel, a tight tee underneath showcasing the muscles earned in the gym. My fingers are desperate to feel them.

He thinks he is avoiding me, but I didn’t miss the accidental brush of his hand across my ass during pictures. My sisters and mom didn’t either. No one can miss the way his eyes have been tracking my every move since he got to my house.

They excuse themselves back into my house to go clean up so I can get to the dance. And now I’m left with just myself and Porter in my driveway.

“Porter -”

“Thank you for giving this to Kayla. I’m going to head to the shop. I’ve got a restoration to finish but I wanted to be here for Kayla.” He nods and starts walking back to his truck in the driveway next door.

That’s it I pout to myself. After this dance, he’s done ignoring me. I’m done with him thinking he isn’t good enough and that he needs to leave me alone. I’m taking this into my own hands.