Page 47 of The Perils of Pretending
Sadie lets go of my hand, putting one arm around my waist, and resting her other palm flat on my chest. She blinks up at me. “I can’t stand to be away from him. He’s really good at keeping nightmares away.”
Nightmares like her grandma and Dorian, for sure.
“Sadie,” Alice admonishes.
Wow. This family is way too involved in every aspect of Sadie’s life. The best part of all of this is I’ve chosen not to sleep with anyone before and I most certainly don’t plan to anytime soon. Sadie’s safe from me. I’ll never tell Alice that. She can think what she wants. I’ll let Sadie know I will keep to my bed as well or sleep on the couch if she prefers.
I grin, now finding this tiny situation all too humorous. If only they knew the truth. “Come on, Princess. Let’s go.”
“Do not disgrace this family!” Alice adds as a parting shot.
Sadie shakes her head, letting out a tired sigh. “Bye, Grandma. We’ll see you at dinner.”
Sadie and I leave the dining room. I wait for Sadie to let go of my hand, but she doesn’t. I’m in no rush to sever our connection. Until Sadie pulls away, I’m hanging on.
“That went well,” I say as we descend the stairs.
Sadie chuckles. “You were brilliant.”
I bow my head, rolling my hand in the air like a performer finishing my set. “You weren’t too shabby yourself.”
Sadie smiles at me. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go check out these bunk beds.”
“Can’t wait.”
Chapter 19
Sadie
We’restandinginthelobby of the lodge, waiting for the last few stragglers to show up for berry picking. I’m in leggings and a tank top, my favorite burnt-orange hoodie is tied around my waist, and I’ve got on all of Poppy’s charms. We’re going into the mountains and I’m not sure how cold it will be, but I’m ready just in case. I also have snacks, water, and a first aid kit in my backpack.
I chose to leave the bear spray behind because Max is here.
I don’t love that a lot of the items on my bucket list are activities the entire family wants to participate in. It takes away the intimacy of completing my list and connecting with Dad. But again, I wouldn't have been able to do this without Grandma paying for it, so I’m stuck dealing with dozens of other people joining me on each adventure.
Miraculously, Grandma and her sisters aren’t here. But it isn’t too surprising, since we’re hiking to get to the berries. Dorian hovers at the edge of the group. My hope that Max’s arrival would help him get the message evaporates. Why doesn’t he leave already?
“All right, folks, listen up!” our guide says. He’s wearing khaki hiking pants, a light-weight blue button-down, and a large-brim hat. “You each will get two baskets to fill. It’s a thirty-minute drive to the trailhead. The hike takes two hours. I highly recommend going to the restroom now.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I point in the direction of the bathrooms. “I’m going to take his advice. Will you walk with me?” It’s ridiculous that I have to ask for an escort, but it’s necessary.
“Yeah. I’ll go too.”
We walk down the hall to the restrooms. I use the facilities, wash my hands, then check my reflection in the mirror. Ugh, why does this one hair refuse to stay in my braid? Reaching up to tuck the loose strand back in, the door swings open.
I look to my right, seeing who came in.
My heart painfully thuds against my ribs. It’s not one of my female family members like I expect. It’s Dorian.
“What are you doing in here?” I shout. “Get out! Now!”
He closes the door, standing in front of it, blocking anyone else from entering. “Hear me out. Please.”
I shake my head. “No. There’s absolutely nothing you need to say to me. I have a boyfriend and am not interested in you. Why can’t you understand that and leave me alone?”
“There’s more at play here, but I promise it’s worth it. Just give me five minutes.”
