I pressed my lips together. “You told them you wanted to marry me?”
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell your dad the same. I know that’s one of his rules. To always make my intentions clear.”
Yeah, it probably was, but I hadn’t read the freaking contract.
“I’ll talk to him today,” he said. “So yeah…wear the ring. You’re mine. And I want everyone to know it.”
Matt calling me his always made my stomach fill with butterflies. “As a promise ring, right? That’s what you said it was?”
“You can call it whatever you want.” He placed a soft kiss against my lips.
“Because that’s what it is.”
“Whatever you say, Brooklyn. Engagement ring, promise ring, either way…”
I laughed. “But you didn’t propose.”
“Hmm.” He climbed off the bed. “Didn’t I?”
“No, you did not.”
“I think we remember that differently.”
“We’re not engaged, Matt.”
“The ring says otherwise. And don’t you dare take it off. You’re mine.”
I wouldn’t dream of taking it off. “Okay.”
“Okay then.” He adjusted his tie. “Text me if you need anything.” He leaned over and placed a kiss against my lips. “Make yourself at home.”
I smiled as he left the room. Home. I looked around at the dark red walls. I never would have imagined this place feeling like a home. But it was already starting to. I lifted up a piece of bacon and took a bite. Yeah, I could get used to this.
***
It didn’t take long for me to get antsy. If Matt expected me to wear this ring everywhere, there were two people I needed to talk to. Class had already started, so Felix had to wait. But Miller was here somewhere. I had to find him.
I wandered out in the hall, avoiding looking at the chandelier. I was a little surprised that Donnelley wasn’t standing somewhere with a machete and instructions from Isabella to lop my head off. But he was nowhere in sight. My feet echoed on the stairs. The Caldwell mansion was still scary. But I knew one room that wasn’t. I walked into the kitchen and was disappointed that Mrs. Caldwell wasn’t standing at the stove humming like last night.
There was a TV hanging under one of the cabinets, just like Matt had said. But I didn’t really want to watch anything. The TV reminded me of movies which reminded me of Uncle Jim. And I didn’t want to sit in the kitchen and cry. I needed to talk to Miller. What had Mr. Caldwell said about the security last night? That they needed to stay outside?
I turned to the back door and almost screamed when I saw someone there. But it was just…wait, Rob? Rob was standing there, smiling at me through the glass. He lifted his hand and waved.
What was he doing here? He was fighting with Matt. And he should have been in class.
But his smiling face made it seem like he did belong here. Had they all made up and I just didn’t realize it? I walked over and opened the door. “What are you doing here?”
“Me?” Rob said with a laugh. “What are you doing here?”
“Matt invited me?” I wasn’t sure why it came out as a question.
Rob smiled. “Yeah, I heard a rumor you were camping out here. I thought I’d come over and see for myself. Wanna hang out?”
“Oh. Um.” So they had made up? Or not? It didn’t matter, I didn’t have time to hang out with him. “I was actually just about to…”
“Come on, Sanders. There’s nothing to do in this big house. Besides, there’s so many rumors floating around, I’m dying to know the truth. Did you really sleep with James?”
“What? No.”
“Then you should probably come and fill me in.”
“Come where?”
“To my house. We live just down the street.”
I looked down at my squirrel pajamas and slippers. I wasn’t dressed to go anywhere. “I can’t.”
“Why?”
I didn’t really care how I looked. It wasn’t the slippers or the pajamas. Or even the fact that Matt was fighting with him. Matt only cared if I hung out with James, not Rob. “I can’t walk that far.” My feet still hurt.
He laughed. “Such a diva.” He turned around, leaned over, and patted his back. “Hop on then.”
“Rob…”
“Come on, Sanders. You gotta fill me in on what happened so I can stop all those rumors. We can even plan that Isabella prank I promised you. Plus you get a piggyback ride out of it.”