Page 5 of Cinder & Secrets (Ink & Ashes #2)

We make the mile walk back to her parents’ house on foot.

Growing up, I would have given anything to live this close to the ocean.

My parents live on the western side of Virginia and the closest beach is over two hours away, so when I was a child, we only visited it a couple of times a year if we were lucky.

I can’t imagine just walking out my front door and being able to smell the sea.

“There they are,” Lyric’s mom, Heather, greets us the instant we walk through the front door of their small, ranch-style home, a plate of sandwiches in her hand that she quickly sets on the breakfast bar that separates the living room from the kitchen. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Told you,” Lyric murmurs under her breath just loud enough that I can hear her. “Thanks, Mom. We’re actually starving.”

“I thought you would be. I know how being out in the sun makes you hungry.” She smiles at the daughter who looks so much like her, it’s uncanny. Though, after meeting her dad, Mike, I can see a little of him in her too.

I refuse to think about who else looks like Mike. A certain second-born son who I’ve tried really hard not to think about, which is damn near impossible when I’m surrounded by the people who made him, in the house where he was raised, with pictures of him as a kid everywhere I look.

Taking the seat at the bar next to Lyric, I grab a sandwich wedge and tear off a big bite, hungrier than I had realized while we were on the beach.

“Don’t eat too much, though. We’re having your brothers and the girls over for dinner tonight,” Heather says just as I start to swallow the bite, which ends up getting stuck halfway down, causing me to break out into a fit of coughing.

“Are you okay?” Lyric smacks my back gently, like that’s going to help the food go down.

“Yeah,” I croak, reaching for the bottle of water Heather extends to me. “Wrong hole.” I clear my throat and take a long pull of water. “Sorry, go on,” I say, completely aware that I’ve interrupted what she was saying.

“Oh, that was all.” She waves a hand through the air.

“Char and I were going to go to Ziggy’s tonight,” Lyric tells her mom with a pout.

“Well, too bad. You can go tomorrow. I haven’t had all my children in the same room since Christmas. You can give me one dinner. We have yet to celebrate River’s new job, so it’ll give us the opportunity to do that as well. Besides, it’ll give you a chance to introduce Charlotte to your brothers.”

“She’s already met River.” Lyric is quick to tell her. “At family weekend, remember?”

I certainly remember ...

“Oh, that’s right. Well, Dalton and the girls then.”

“Dalton who? The only people I care about are my nieces.” Lyric knocks her shoulder against mine. “You’re going to love the girls. They are the absolute cutest, sweetest little things.”

“I’ve heard so much about them; I feel like I already know them.” I force a smile.

“Are you okay if we go to Ziggy’s tomorrow?”

“Of course,” I’m quick to agree, because really, what am I supposed to say, no?

“Then it’s settled.” Heather claps her hands together. “Dinner is at six. Don’t be late.”

“Where are you going?” Lyric asks her mom as she collects her purse, sliding the strap over her shoulder.

“To the store to buy what I need for dinner.”

“Can you pick me up some pineapple while you’re there?”

“Sure. Anything for you, Charlotte?” It takes me longer than it should to realize she’s talking to me, my brain still trying to digest the fact that in just five short hours, I will be sitting in the same room as River for the first time since the night we met.

So much for not seeing him while I was here, though I’d be lying if I said a part of me wasn’t excited.

He’s probably going to lose his shit when he walks in and sees me.

That I’m aware of, he has no idea I’m here.

Then again, he and Lyric are pretty close.

It’s not out of the question that she would have mentioned it.

I’m not sure which I’d prefer—him knowing what he’s walking into, or being completely caught off guard instead.

“Oh, no, I’m good. Thank you.” I take another bite of my sandwich, my mind already off to the races.

What do I wear?

What do I say?

Do I act like I don’t know him at all?

Do I act like I do?

A million and one questions plague my brain over the course of the next few hours.

When it comes time to get ready, I take extra care in my appearance. If I’m going to be forced to endure the company of a man who’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with me, the least I can do is make him regret that decision, even if just a little bit.

“Char!” Lyric gives me a catcall whistle as I exit the guest room Heather was nice enough to make up for me for the week.

It sits directly across from Lyric’s room, so she has a perfect view of me from where she’s sitting in front of her vanity.

“You look amazing,” she tells me as I step into her doorway, leaning my shoulder against the frame.

“Figured if I was going to meet your whole family, I should look semi-decent.” I look down at the black, pleated miniskirt that I paired with a fitted blue top with sleeves that come to my elbows.

It’s modest but sexy. Sleek but casual. And just the right type of outfit that will have River Parker unable to keep his eyes off me tonight. Or at least, that’s the plan.

I know what you’re thinking—I thought you were done with him—and maybe I am. Or maybe I’m just waiting for him to realize his mistake. Hopefully, this outfit will help me out a little in that department.

I tied my auburn hair up in a loose pony with tendrils falling down around my face and kept my makeup soft and natural, with the exception of my red-painted lips. If I’m going to put on my best metaphorical face, it doesn’t hurt if my actual face looks good too.

“Decent? You look incredible.” Lyric gives me a full once-over. “Not that that’s out of the norm for you. You always look good.”

“I wouldn’t say always ,” I disagree. “And I’m not sure if you’ve actually looked in that mirror in front of you, but you don’t look so bad yourself.”

I gesture to the light pink sundress she’s wearing, her hair left down, falling in soft curls down her back.

“Kai’s coming,” she tells me, her feet bouncing up and down in excitement.

“He is?” I arch a brow, surprised that I’m just now hearing this.

“He called while you were in the shower. Apparently, my mom invited him and he said yes. I told him he didn’t need to drive almost three hours for dinner, but he said it’s the first time he’s been formally invited by my parents and there’s no way he’s not coming. You don’t mind, right?”

“Why would I mind?” I shake my head.

“I just don’t want you to think I’m neglecting you for him. He’s leaving in the morning.”

“Is he staying here?”

“My mom lets him stay in Dalton’s old room when he comes to visit.”

“I thought this was Dalton’s room.” I hitch a thumb behind me toward the room I’m staying in.

She shakes her head. “That was River’s room.”

“Oh.” I try to mask my reaction.

“Not that you could tell. He took everything with him when he moved out and then my parents repainted, so it doesn’t look anything like it did when he lived here. My room is the only one that’s still the same, though it won’t be for long.”

“What do you mean?”

“Kai has asked me to move in with him permanently. Like not just for the school year.”

“Seriously? When?”

“Last week.”

“And I’m just now hearing about it?” I gape at her.

“I hadn’t made up my mind yet. I mean, I love him, obviously. And I want to be with him all the time. But I’m also only nineteen and moving in with someone seems like a really big step.”

“Because it is a big step. But I hate to break it to you, Lyric; living with him during school is still living with him. The only difference is you won’t come home for the summer. At least, not the full summer.”

“I know. It’s just... a lot.”

“It is. And if you’re not ready to give him an answer, I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“I told him yes an hour ago.” Her smile widens.

“And you’re sure about it? Because you didn’t sound sure just now.”

“I am. I’m just not sure how I’m going to break the news to my parents. I told Kai I wanted to wait until we’re back in school. Maybe tell them toward the end of next year. At least that way we’ll have been together for a while and they’ll hopefully have fewer objections about it.”

“But they know you’re living together in an off-campus apartment during the school year, right?”

“Yes, but if they ask, we’re sleeping in separate rooms.”

“Do you really expect them to believe that?”

“No, but it’s what I tell them to make them feel better, even if they know it isn’t true.”

“Um. Okay.” I let out a soft laugh. “What time is he going to be here?”

She glances at the clock on her bedside table.

“Probably soon. He was only ninety minutes out last we spoke and that was over an hour ago.”

“Should we go down and see if your mom needs any help?”

“She’d probably appreciate that.” She slaps on a quick coat of lip gloss before standing. “I hope you’re ready for tonight. Things can get a bit interesting when all of us kids are together.”

“You forget I visited Maisie two weeks ago. You can’t get much crazier than her house. I swear every neighborhood kid takes up a second residence there.” I knock my hip into hers as she passes me in the doorway.

“That is very true. I guess in comparison, this will probably be a very boring evening.”

“I highly doubt that,” I murmur under my breath as she heads down the hall with me following a few feet behind.

I highly doubt that indeed...