“Are you nervous, kiddo?”

I shot Dad a terse glare. With no sunglasses to protect him from my 'are you for real' face this time, his head shook with laughter. “Too much?”

“Just a little.” I helped myself to another bagel, picking off a tiny chunk with my fingers. “And I'm not sure nervous sums up how I feel about all of this.”

Since realising just who Maverick Prince was, I’d felt nothing but a tight knot in my stomach. I popped the pastry flakes into my mouth and glanced around the kitchen. It was almost seven-thirty and no one else had surfaced yet. I'd wanted to eat in the pool house, but after a strained weekend Dad insisted we eat with the rest of the family. 

“It'll get easier. It's just new, for all of us.” He gave me a pointed look, one that told me he'd also picked up on the serious vibes between Uncle Gentry and Maverick. 

After the less than stellar introductions on Friday, Macey disappeared after her brother. It was clear he wasn’t the boy I’d gotten to know that night last summer, but then maybe he was. Maybe the Maverick I’d spent hours talking to was an illusion? An attempt to seduce the awkward, shy girl. But that made no sense either.

Whatever.

It was done. And everything that had happened since then put that night into perspective.

Maverick Prince was no one to me. He might have been family, but that didn’t mean I had to interact with him.

Ever.

Kyle and Summer had stuck around for a while but eventually went off to do their own thing, and I retreated to the pool house. In two days, it had fast become my sanctuary, and I only left if necessary. Unfortunately, for me, the first day at a new school required leaving my room and facing reality.

“Ahh, Robert, Miss Eloise; good morning, it’s so good to see you again.” A short plump woman hurried into the kitchen, arms full of bags. “I'm Loretta, remember, si? The housekeeper.”

“As if we could forget your cooking,” Dad said around a wide smile.

“Oh.” Her crow-lined eyes widened in my direction. “So pretty, Miss Eloise, I see what Gentry meant now.”

My ears perked up, and I arched an eyebrow at Dad. He shrugged, continuing to eat his French toast. 

“Where is everyone?” Good question, I thought to myself, relieved I wasn’t the only person who wondered. “It's back to school today, no?” 

“Loretta, thank God, we’ve missed you.” Rebecca breezed into the kitchen like a Greek goddess. The woman didn't walk, she glided on air. “Robert, Eloise, you're up. Excellent.” She air-kissed Dad and squeezed my arm on the way to the coffee maker. “Nervous, honey?”

It was my turn to shrug. “Not really.” Liar.

“You'll be fine. You'll have Summer and Kyle, and I'm sure Macey will help you get settled.”

I very much doubted that. But whatever. I didn't need or want their help if they didn't want to give it. It was just school; how hard could it be?

“Is Kyle—”

“Is Kyle what?” He breezed into the room looking as fresh as a daisy and I had to wonder where they all were. Was there another kitchen they hung out in before joining us, because they sure didn't look like people who had just climbed out of bed. Two coffees in, I was still slouched over my plate trying to kick-start my body into action.

“Are you giving Summer and Eloise a ride into school?”

“No can do, Momma P, first day back and I have to make a good impression with Coach.”

Rebecca's eyes narrowed with a hint of frustration and I stifled a laugh. “Kyle, what have I told you?”

He pulled open the refrigerator and stuck his head inside. It was one of those huge American types with a built-in ice dispenser. When he reappeared, juice in hand, he grinned. “I think you said, 'please don't call me Momma P’.”

“So...” Hand planted on her hip she glowered at him, and I stifled a snigger again. Kyle had an air of a cocky boy who didn't care much for the rules. I liked it. He reminded me a lot of my brother. My chest tightened, and I swallowed over the pastry stuck in my throat.

“My bad. You're right it isn't very appropriate.” He tilted his face up as if deep in thought. “Got it.” He snapped his finger in the air. “Step Momster.”

Her mouth fell open, and he shot me an amused wink before disappearing. Rebecca yelled after him, but he’d already gone. She let out a heavy sigh. “That boy will send me to an early grave.” 

“He's all Gentry,” Dad said not looking up from the papers scattered over the island top.

“And don't I know it. I suppose I should thank my lucky stars he hasn't charmed his way into some girl’s bed and gotten her pregnant yet.”

“Darling, I thought we agreed to give him a break.” Gentry appeared at his wife's side and hooking an arm around her waist he pulled her against him. She giggled like a schoolgirl and leaned up to kiss him, and my bagel threatened to make a reappearance. 

“He's unruly, Gentry.”

“Oh, he's just testing the waters. He's a junior now. Remember what we were like at that age, Robert?”

“Daughter present,” I choked out and everyone laughed.

“Can you drop Summer and Eloise off at school? Kyle had to go in early.”

Deep lines creased Gentry’s face. “No can do. Robert and I need to leave shortly too. There's a breakfast meeting we can't miss.”

Rebecca leaned in to him, lowering her voice. “Well, I can't take them. I’m meeting Cheri to discuss the fall event.”

Summer appeared in the doorway looking every bit the American dream. Long honey-blonde hair framed a heart shaped face, giving way to big blue eyes. Ugh. I needed serious time to look that good. “Morning,” she said, taking a seat at the island and helping herself to breakfast. 

“Hey,” I replied trying to figure her out. She was quieter than the other Stone-Prince children. 

“Are Macey and Maverick still around?” Gentry asked Summer, and she gave him a small nod. “Then it’s settled, they can take them,” he said.

“Gentry, I'm not sure...”

“What's up?” Maverick entered the kitchen, and the mood changed immediately. Even Dad straightened beside me. I watched the eldest Prince move around the room from under my lashes. His body was lithe, the basketball jersey hung loose until he twisted and turned revealing lean and defined muscle. The boy I met last summer had filled out in all the right places. My stomach fluttered in an act of betrayal and I felt a little lightheaded.

Damn him.

He couldn’t have shrunk or contracted a bad case of teenage acne?

“Maverick,” Gentry leaned back on the counter. “You'll give your sister and Lo a ride to school this morning.” It wasn't a request. 

“We can't.” Macey appeared, her expression as cold as it had been Friday. “We have a thing.”

“Macey, please,” Rebecca hissed low, but not enough we all didn't hear it. 

“We can walk, it's not too far.” Summer gave me a tight-lipped smile, and I wondered what she knew that I didn't.

“Maverick.” Gentry's tone was final and something crackled in the air. I glanced from my uncle to his stepson and back again wondering who would be crowned winner in battle of the wills.

To our surprise, Maverick conceded. “Fine. We leave at eight-fifteen.”

He didn't look at me. Didn’t address me directly, but I felt his animosity all the way down to my bones, and I realised whatever I thought had existed between us that night was a fantasy. Macey grumbled something under her breath, grabbed a glass of juice, and stomped out of the room. I went back to deconstructing my bagel. He left too; I knew because the tension rippling in the air evaporated, and Rebecca and Uncle Gentry went back to chatting with Dad about his first day at Stone and Associates while Summer and I sat in easy silence. And we pretended none of that just happened.

~

“You’re not wearing that?” Macey looked me up and down and I bristled, standing a little taller.

“Well, I hadn't planned on changing when we got there,” I shot back with a scowl to rival her own. Maverick appeared and for a second I was sure I heard him snigger, but when I met his eyes, his expression matched his sister's. 

What the hell was his problem? It was a year ago—thirteen months to be exact. It wasn’t like it was that big of a deal, anyway. I was surprised he could even remember. He was the one who left me cold and alone on the beach. Not the other way around.

“I think she looks nice,” Summer came to my defence, and I was about to offer her my thanks when Macey snapped, “We're going to be late, let’s go.”

Following Summer into the back of Maverick's sleek black Audi, I glanced down at my outfit, hating she'd made me second guess myself. I'd never cared before about what I wore, I wasn't about to start now. As far as I was concerned, I looked good in the skinny jeans, black vest top, and my favourite zebra print Converse. 

“I like your tattoo, Eloise.”

“Thanks.” I gave Summer a small smile, feeling the familiar pinch of grief around my heart.

“Mom and Dad would kill me if I ever came home with a tattoo.”

“Because you’re fifteen, Sum,” Macey said, her voice a lot less growly. But that quickly changed when she turned to us and swept her severe gaze over my arm. “You might want to cover that up at school.”

I answered by sliding my glasses down my face and turning my head to the window. It had been a spur-of-the-moment thing getting the floral sleeve. I'd had one too many drinks and Chris, my on-off boyfriend at the time, had been all too willing to ink my virgin skin. Dad almost shit a brick but there wasn't much he could do about it, and eventually he shelved it with the rest of my bad decision-making moments. Losing your wife and son in the same accident that almost took your daughter's life did that to a man. And for the last three months, it had been my get out of jail free card, but I had a feeling I was all out of excuses now. California was our fresh start. Dad's attempt at piecing back together what was left of our family. I was to attend Wicked Bay high school, play nice with Dad's family, and decide what I wanted to do with my life. 

If only it were that easy.

Even with the top down, ten minutes inside the car with the Prince siblings, was ten too many. They chatted in low whispers while Summer and I sat in the back in awkward silence. Part of me had hoped they would show me around when we arrived, but that dream evaporated when my eyes had landed on him in the kitchen on Friday. During conversations I overheard last summer, I’d picked up on some tension between Rebecca's kids and Uncle Gentry. But that was common for most blended families, wasn’t it? Still, something seemed off.

A stream of kids filtered into the parking lot as Maverick pulled into a bay. He cut the engine and climbed out not sparing us—or me—a second glance. Summer seemed immune to their surly attitudes. “I can show you where the office is,” she said as we got out of the car. Heeding Macey's words, I pulled the cardigan out of my bag and slipped it on.

A group of boys approached Maverick, laughing and fist bumping, and I realised it was the first time I’d seen him crack a smile since I arrived. But that wasn’t what caught my attention. It was the way all the other kids watched their group, as if a celebrity had just turned up on campus. Conversations paused. Heads turned. A mix of envy and awe painted on their faces. Longing on most of the girls. Even the group Macey made a beeline for, seemed more interested in her brother and his friends, whispering and pointing, all dreamy-eyed and breathless. Part of me wondered if it was the reason her scowl remained firmly in place.

Either way, neither of them said goodbye. 

Refusing to show any signs of weakness, I hitched my bag up my shoulder and followed Summer toward the building. But a voice stopped me in my tracks.

“London, wait up.” 

I turned slowly, glaring at Maverick through my glasses. He glanced around at his friends who were watching with a mix of curiosity and amusement. “Don't get lost,” he laughed, the corners of his mouth pulled into a cocky smirk, and I clenched my fists at my sides trying to curb my anger.

Screw it.

Screw him.

Maybe he thought I was the same shy meek girl from last summer. An easy target. Someone to toy with, to laugh about with his friends. But that girl was long gone. I lifted my hand and flipped him the bird. A couple of the guy's mouths dropped open and one elbowed Maverick in the ribs, but he didn't laugh. He didn't flinch as he tilted his head to the side and rubbed his jaw, his cold, assessing gaze narrowed right on me, as if he was trying to figure me out.

Trying to figure out my weaknesses. 

I didn't stick around to find out if he had.

~

After a brief meeting with the Principal, I hurried to my first class, praying I wasn’t going to be made to stand up and introduce myself. But when I slipped inside the room, it was much worse.

“Cous, over here.” Kyle beckoned me over to his table at the back of the room, and I groaned to myself. For the love of God. Did these boys not know how to use someone’s name?

I waved him off, not wanting to make a scene, but he pounded on his desk, jumped up from his seat and announced, “Everyone, this is my cousin, Eloise from England. Eloise, this is everyone.”

Most of the class cheered, but a couple of girls rolled their eyes at me as if they thought I wasn't worthy of Kyle's grand gesture. I wanted to agree, instead I ducked my head and veered around the tables to get to him. “Really? You had to do that?” I hissed, dropping onto the chair behind the empty desk beside him. 

“Come on, Cous, we're family. Mi casa es su casa.” Kyle grinned and oddly, I found myself grinning back. The boy was annoying as hell, but he meant well and I liked him. He made it so easy, unlike his two more hostile stepsiblings.

“So, how'd your meeting with Principal D go? Let me see your schedule.” He held out his hand, and I passed the sheet of paper I'd left the Principal's office with. “AP English, ouch. But you’re in Physical Ed. with Mr. DeLuca, nice. I'm in that class. History and Math, too.” 

Five classes with Kyle? I didn't know whether to be relieved or afraid for my life. But having someone was better than no one. And Kyle seemed like a good person to have in your corner.

“And Macey’s in your English and Bio class.” He flashed me a knowing smirk and I shook my head. “Yo, guys, this is my cousin, Eloise.” 

“Lo,” I corrected, smiling at the two guys watching our exchange. They introduced themselves just as the teacher arrived and called time on the morning chaos. I settled my eyes up front. I would have to work my arse off to keep up, but at least I had Kyle to help me. Then one of his friends whispered, “So Kyle, are we partying with Maverick tonight or what?”

And just like that I became alone again.