Page 1 of Dirty Little Mistake

Prologue

Camryn

18th Birthday...

Sitting on a deck chair around my best friend Kaia's pool, I snuck a glance up to the second-floor terrace, hoping to get a glimpse of him. The mysteriously beautiful creature, also known as Trystan West.

The second-floor balcony to his room was dark, indicating he wasn't home. That wasn't a surprise, considering he was rarely home, and when he was, it usually wasn't for long.

Sucking in a deep breath, I slowly exhaled, releasing my disappointment.

That first glimpse of him at the Kaia’s dads wedding still burned in my memory - the way his black tux stretched across broad shoulders, how the corner of his mouth quirked up when he caught me staring. I'd spent six years collecting these moments like precious stones, while he looked through me like glass.

I was only a girl, and he was already a man, but it didn't matter to me. I just had to figure out how to get him to stop seeing me as his stepsister's annoying little friend and more as the woman I was now. Not that it mattered if he was never here.

Kaia emerged from the house, her bare feet padding across the warm deck, wearing a pair of blue jean cutoff shorts and a yellow bikini top, long blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun on her head.

Her shadow fell across my lounger. "If you stare any harder at his window, it might actually shatter." Her words dripped with six years of sisterly exasperation.

I traced invisible patterns on my armrest, refusing to give her the satisfaction of catching me mid-obsession. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She dropped into the chair beside me. "Right. Because I haven't spent the last six years listening to you analyze every time he says 'pass the salt' at dinner."

"That was one time." My lips twitched traitorously as I met her knowing look. "And you have to admit, the way he says 'salt' is?—"

Kaia's fingers curled around my arm. "If you finish that sentence, I'm pushing you in the pool." We both laughed.

She flashed a look up to the second floor. "He's not home. He had practice tonight, but he did say he would try to stop by to wish you a happy birthday."

"No biggie." I shrugged, playing it cool.

She laughed, and I knew I wasn't fooling her.

"Come on." She waved for me to follow her. "Jax and Owen brought beer."

Jaxtyn West was Trystan's younger brother, and Owen was Jaxtyn's best friend. Jaxtyn, Owen, Kaia, and I had practically all grown up together.

Pushing to my feet, I followed Kaia into the house. "So where is your dad and step-mommy?"

"France," she answered, shoving the sliding glass door open. "They leave tomorrow and head to someplace else."

"Business or pleasure?"

"Both, probably."

Kaia, Jaxtyn, Owen, and I spent the next two hours celebrating my entry into adulthood, but by midnight, I was drunk, tired, and sure Trystan wasn't going to make it home tonight.

Jaxtyn and Owen left for a college party, and Kaia and I settled into bed.

"Sorry Trystan, Syn, and Harlow didn't make it to your party." Kaia yawned, curling into her side of the bed.

I wasn't surprised Syn and Harlow hadn’t made it. Even though we'd all practically grown up like a family for the past six years, Syn and Harlow were pretty self-absorbed and were almost never home now that they had cars. Trystan, though, I actually thought he'd show up, and I don't know why.

"Good night." I yawned.

"Good night."

Kaia was asleep within seconds of her head hitting the pillow, but after forty-five minutes of tossing and turning, I gave up.

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