Page 89 of The Charade

I leaned against the counter beside her and shoved my hands into the pockets of my sweatpants as I tried to figure out how to answer her question. I didn't want to say that Ava and I had broken up, since we hadn't really done that. I also didn't want to say anything about why things were so up in the air between us, since I had no idea if Mr. Aarden had gotten hold of my dad, or if my dad had said anything to Dawn yet. So I simply settled with, "We're just taking a little break right now."

"Is there anything I can do to help?” Dawn asked, setting the bowl on a towel to dry. “Anything you'd like advice on?"

"No." I shook my head and looked down at my bare feet for a moment before meeting her worried brown eyes again. "We just needed to cool things a little, that's all."

Dawn studied my face, looking like she wasn't quite sure she believed me, but then she patted my arm and said, "Well, I hope we'll be seeing more of her again soon. It was nice seeing you so happy again."

I nodded, swallowing hard because Dawn was right. I’d been really happy with Ava—possibly the happiest I'd ever been in my life because she was the first person with whom I could truly be myself.

But instead of admitting any of that, I simply said, "I'm sure she'll be back again soon."

I just hoped it was as my girlfriend and not because she was my sister.

37

Ava

Elyseand I still hadn't heard anything from our mom by the time the soirée rolled around on Saturday night. She'd said she'd explain everything this weekend, but so far all we'd gotten was radio silence.

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if she'd just jumped on a plane and headed to Paris so she wouldn't have to face this situation. I had that little faith in her at the moment.

Since there was nothing I could do besides move forward as best I could, I headed over to the Hastings's estate with my sister and Scarlett and tried to mentally prepare myself for the evening ahead.

"I know it's probably a little over the top," Cambrielle said with excitement in her bright blue eyes as she led us up the stairs to her bedroom where we'd be getting ready for the party. "But my mom and I hired a glam squad to help us get ready for tonight."

"A what squad?" Elyse asked when we made it to the top of the landing.

"A glam squad," Cambrielle repeated. "Meaning, we have people here to help us with our hair and makeup."

"Really?" Elyse asked, sounding more excited than expected since she wasn't as into dressing up as I was.

Cambrielle nodded. "They're setting everything up in my room already."

And that seemed to be all the explanation Elyse and Scarlett needed to pick up their pace and hurry down the hall toward Cambrielle's room with her.

As they curved around a corner, I slowed my pace to come to a stop in front of the family portrait I'd looked at my first day in the Hastings’s house. But this time, instead of admiring their clothes and the contented vibe the family exuded, I focused on the face of Mr. Hastings.

I looked at his blond hair. His high cheekbones. His aqua-blue eyes that matched the rest of his children's eyes. I tried to see something in his face or his expression that would remind me of what I saw every time I looked in the mirror or in the face of my identical twin sister. But aside from him having a similar hairline and coloring and being tall, I didn't see anything that would necessarily persuade me to think we were related.

But maybe that was because I didn'twantto see any similarities in this man and myself.

I sighed, looking at the rest of the family who was smiling down at me. They did seem like a happy family. I knew they weren't perfect, since no family was, but as I studied them, I did feel my heart softening to the idea of being one of them. I had always wanted to have both a mom and a dad who loved me. Wanted brothers and even another sister, too. I could probably be very happy as a member of this family someday…once I got over Carter, that is.

Even though it was just a photograph, Carter’s eyes seemed to see straight into me, and it almost felt as if the real Carter was looking at me.

Was it crazy that I wanted to be a part of Carter's family, but also be his girlfriend?

To wish for a world where I could have the kind of guy I'd always dreamed of falling in love with want me back, but also be part of his family at the same time.

I guess that was how it ended up working for most people. When you married a person, you married into their family.

The universe just wanted to make things more complicated for me than it did for the typical teen girl.

I was just giving my possible family one last glance before heading down the hall to Cambrielle's room when a door down the hall opened and Carter stepped out, looking halfway dressed for the evening.

He wore his gray suit pants and black socks. His white button-up shirt was on but still currently unbuttoned, and he held two ties in his hands—one navy, the other pink—almost like he'd been on his way to ask someone which tie he should wear for tonight.

His hair was still tousled in the way that I loved, and I had the urge to run my fingers through it just to see if it was as soft as I remembered. Or if it too had changed this week like his apparent feelings for me had.

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