Page 59 of Sweet Temptation

Cress, Anna, and I said our goodbyes to everyone getting on the bus back to Weybridge before we took a cab to Cress’s house. The journey only took a few minutes before the cab stopped in front of a beautiful old brownstone townhouse with tall arched windows that looked out onto the street. It was in a pretty neighborhood with gorgeous tall trees that had truly embraced the golden hues of autumn. Leaves softly fluttered down as we got out of the car, and the sidewalk was covered in a carpet of reds and yellows that crunched pleasantly underfoot as we walked to the front door.

Cress had a big smile on her face as she led us up the front steps. She looked so happy to be home, and I felt a hint of envy. I would have given anything to be walking through the front door of my apartment in Rapid Bay.

I was surprised as I entered the townhouse. I wasn’t sure exactly what I expected the interior to look like, but it certainly wasn’t something so bohemian. The tiles were all patterned, giving off a Moroccan feel, and large wrought iron lanterns hung from the ceiling dispersing shards of light in pretty patterns. The home was colorful and bright, and the furnishings were completely eclectic. I’d never seen a place quite like it before.

“My parents aren’t home,” Cress said, as she threw her keys down on the entrance table. “I think they’re in Istanbul this weekend.”

“They're not here?” I felt sure my mom wouldn’t be comfortable with me staying here if she knew there were no adults looking after us. She probably wouldn’t force me to head back to school or anything, but I imagined she’d be up all night worrying if she knew.

Cress must have sensed my concern because she waved a hand, dismissing it. “Our housekeeper lives here, so you don’t have to worry, we’re nottotallyunsupervised.”

That didn’t make me feel much better, but I guessed that one adult on the premises was better than none. It was probably best I didn’t let my mom know all the same. There was no need to freak her out unnecessarily. We were all capable of looking after ourselves.

Cress gave us a tour, starting with the courtyard out back where she introduced us to two massive koi fish she’d named Crabbe and Goyle—because apparently she didn’t like fish and she thought they looked a little thuggish. She then quickly flitted past the massive kitchen that housed no less than three ovens, perfect for the many parties her parents apparently threw when they were in town. I barely got a look at the living and dining rooms as Cress only gave them a passing wave as she headed for the stairs.

The place was enormous. I’d spent most of my time in New York gawking at sparkling glass skyscrapers and towering brick apartment buildings. I’d never really imagined the city had such beautiful family homes. I lost count of the number of rooms we passed as we climbed up the floors, and it was only steps from the park. It must have cost a fortune. Cress was so down to earth I often forgot she came from just as much wealth as everyone else at Weybridge Academy.

When we finally reached the top of the house, Cress waved us into her bedroom. It was completely different from the rest of the home with none of the bold and unconventional furnishings I’d seen in the other rooms. Her walls were painted a subtle shade of pink and plastered in posters of bands and pictures of models plucked from fashion magazines. She had fairy lights twined around the posts of her bed and LED strips along the edges of her ceiling. It was much more suited to Cress than the rest of the place.

Cress put her bag down on her bed and slowly picked up the stuffed bear sitting in the center of the pillows. She frowned as she glanced down at it.

“That’s cute,” I said.

“My ex gave it to me,” she replied, still considering the bear. “I should probably get rid of it.” She walked over to her desk and dumped the bear in the trash can.

“Brutal.” Anna chuckled.

“What?” Cress shrugged. “It’s about time I put him in the past. Fluffy toys and all.”

It was time I did the same with Noah. Any lingering hope I might have had that the rift between our families was something that could be repaired had been stamped out when I spoke to him last night. I hoped my conversation with Matthew at dinner would only help me accept that fact.

“Speaking of time, you should probably get ready for dinner with your dad,” Cress said as she glanced at her watch.

I checked the time on my phone and was surprised to find she was right. The car would be picking me up here in just twenty minutes.

“I was going to wear this,” I said, gesturing at the clothes I’d been in all day. “It’s just dinner at his place.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s fine then,” Cress replied.

“I might run a brush through my hair though,” I said. “And maybe clean my teeth.” Even now, my mouth still felt gross from being sick at the theater.

Cress gestured toward her door. “There’s a bathroom across the hall.” I nodded and gathered my things to freshen up. It was hard to concentrate on simple things like brushing my teeth when all I could think about was the difficult conversation I had ahead with my father. It hadn’t been easy talking it through with Noah last night, and I felt sure it would be just as hard to hear my dad’s side of the story, especially when it came to my aunt. At least I could be thankful I wasn’t going into it completely clueless.

When I was done in the bathroom, I came back to Cress’s room and found both girls on her bed.

“What are you guys going to do tonight?” I asked.

“The twins want to go for sushi,” Anna said.

My eyes widened with surprise. “Sawyer wants to go for sushi? Didn’t he have food poisoning too?”

“No one ever said he was smart.” Anna shrugged.

“The place is just around the corner from here though,” Cress explained. “Give me a call when you’re on your way back, and depending on the time, you can meet us at the restaurant, or we can come back home.”

“Sounds good.”

My phone buzzed, and when I checked the screen, I saw a message letting me know the car had arrived to pick me up.

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