Scintillate (Scintillate Series Book 1) Read online

  “I figured we needed a good breakfast to start our day. This power breakfast should help you stay alert on the drive.” Mom took a bite of jellied toast.

  Dad held his toast in one hand and his jelly knife in the other. “I want you two to take the Lexus RX this weekend. The all-wheel drive may come in handy once you hit the snow. Your mom and I will take your car to Charleston.”

  “Sweet! I’ll take good care of her, Dad.” Reese bobbed his head in excitement.

  “I know you will. Don’t speed and be careful on the curves in the mountains, especially in the snow.” Dad waved his knife at Reese. “Watch out for black ice, and don’t tailgate.”

  Parents on television never nag their kids; conclusive evidence those shows are fiction.

  “Both of you need to behave this weekend,” Mom said. “Have fun, but remember, this is not supposed to be a weekend of hedonism.”

  Reese and I rolled our eyes. I saw through Mom’s ‘power’ breakfast. This was her last ‘power’ lecture.

  “Mom, I hope you and Dad remember that,” Reese said with a snarky laugh. I started to laugh and almost choked on my orange juice.

  “I’m not talking about your Dad and me. I’m talking about you two.” She pointed at us, her manicured fingernail drawing an invisible line back and forth between us. “I expect you to behave as if I was looking over your shoulder. Mrs. Wager doesn’t want to have to discipline anyone.”

  “Discipline anyone. We’re not going to boot camp, Mom,” Reese cackled. “Would you give it a rest? I’ll keep Kate in line. If she does anything that may bring shame on the family, I’ll stop her.”

  “Wonderful, that makes me feel so much better. And Kate, what about you? Will you keep Reese in line?” Mom asked.

  “You bet. I won’t let him do anything that may cause other people pain.”

  “Well, I feel so much better now that we’ve had this conversation. I know that nothing stupid will happen this weekend,” Mom said, dripping with sarcasm. “You two darling children will behave like angels, and your father and I will go to Charleston and enjoy ourselves. I’m so glad we had this open and honest discussion.” Mom sighed and walked to the refrigerator.

  “Reese, you better not ruin my vacation.” I stabbed a strawberry and popped it in my mouth.

  “Please, if anyone’s going to ruin anything, it’ll be you,” Reese said. “You’ll be throwing yourself at Nick. I have a feeling I’ll be busy keeping him away from you all weekend. So much for my good time.”

  I glared at him. “Hey, I plan on having fun, so you better stay away. Anyway, Rylee doesn’t want you hovering over me. Don’t ruin her weekend.”

  “Just remember, I’ll be watching you.” Reese pointed his fingers at his eyes and then at me.

  I shook my head. “Very original.”

  After breakfast, I went upstairs and finished getting ready.

  “Kate, will you be ready in twenty minutes?” Reese called out as his fist banged on my door.

  “Yes,” I shouted. I rubbed my lips together in order to spread out my lip gloss and then sighed. Coach Gregory was right. My lips were too small. She’d told me that once after I’d taken a spike to my face and my lips swelled up. At my short height, I guess I should know better than to try and block spikes. I should just stick with setting. I took a deep breath and steadied myself against the bathroom counter. In a few hours I would be face to face with Nick. If or when he made his advance I was ready for it. I smiled as I realized that if he didn’t kiss me this weekend I would be disappointed. I welcomed that realization. I was ready.

  Rylee was looking out the window when we pulled up to her house. She quickly waved and then disappeared. Reese jumped out of the SUV and jogged up the sidewalk. Just as he knocked, she opened the door and greeted him with a big hug.

  Rylee hopped into the front seat and turned to look at me. “Hey, isn’t this exciting!” Her smile lit up her face and brightened the freckles that ran along her cheeks and button nose.

  “Yes, I can’t wait to get up there.” I leaned towards her.

  “Oohh, I couldn’t believe it when I heard that Nick is coming,” Rylee swooned and tucked her auburn hair behind her ear. “He is so cute!”

  “He isn’t that cute,” Reese said defensively. “He’s actually kinda funky looking with those bright blue eyes and tan skin. He looks like he fell asleep in a tanning booth.”

  I shook my head and smirked. “That’s ridiculous. He doesn’t use a tanning booth.”

  “Don’t worry, Reese,” Rylee said and weaved her fingers through his hair. “I was only thinking about your sister.” She looked over her shoulder at me and mouthed, “He’s gorgeous.”

  “I know,” I mouthed back.

  “I’m not an idiot. I know you two are whispering about Nick.” Reese pulled out of the neighborhood. “Is this what the weekend is going to be like? Nick, Nick, Nick,” Reese mocked and swung his hand like a gavel.

  “That depends on how lucky I am,” I said deviously.

  “Hey, don’t even go there. I expect you to be on your best behavior.” Reese scrunched up his eyebrows. “I want to have fun this weekend. Not waste my time worrying about you.”

  “Yes, Mom,” I mocked. “Rylee, I didn’t know you were dating such a wuss.”

  “That’s my man, Mr. Sensitive, overprotective, and super serious.”

  “Hey, I’m not going to Asheville to watch some guy hit on my sister all weekend.” Reese gripped the steering wheel. “That is not my idea of fun.”

  “Actually, I’ve never seen this side of you before,” Rylee confessed. She leaned towards Reese and ran her hand down his arm. “I didn’t know you cared this much about Kate. I think it’s sweet.”

  I scoffed loudly. “This isn’t Reese caring about me. This is Reese panicking that my fun will ruin his fun.”

  “Reese, tell her that isn’t true,” Rylee urged. “You want her to be happy, and she should pursue this relationship with Nick.”

  “I do?” Reese looked at Rylee while we waited at a stop light.

  “Yes, you do.” She glared at him through narrowed hazel eyes. “It’s time for Kate to have a fun relationship with someone she cares about and with someone who cares about her.”

  “Uh, in case you haven’t noticed, she hasn’t known him long enough to know if he actually cares about her,” Reese said. “We know nothing about this guy.”

  Rylee flicked Reese’s shoulder with her finger. “Reese, have a little faith! Nick seems like a wonderful guy. Everyone is impressed by him. He’s obviously into Kate. She should at least see what happens this weekend.”

  “Kate, I’m going to let you in on a little secret,” Reese began. “I’m only telling you this because I love you. Relationships are hard work.” His eyes darted at me in the rearview mirror. “Rylee and I only make it seem easy, but that’s because I’m so easy going.” Rylee turned around and stuck her finger down her throat. “Please, let me continue. This is important for her to know.” Reese looked solemnly at Rylee, his eyebrows tense and his lips drawn tight. “In relationships, feelings can get hurt, and there’s sexual pressure,” he said as he fidgeted in the driver’s seat. “I don’t want that for you. It’s easy for that one person to consume your life. There are so many perils in dating. You really need to think this through before you get entangled with a guy you don’t even know.”

  Rylee and I burst out laughing. “Wow, I thought Mom’s lecture was bad. Nothing could have prepared me for your lecture. I thought I was back in health ed. for a moment.”

  “Hey, I’m just trying to help,” Reese said. “You don’t need to rush into anything.”

  “Reese, lately I feel like you’ve been taking over my life,” Rylee said with a laugh. “Maybe we should start seeing other people.”

  “Well you can’t have Nick. He’s mine.”

  “Enough, please,” Reese begged. “Let’s find some music.” He turned on our favorite radio station. “I don’t know what Matt wa
s thinking when he invited Nick up here. He should’ve asked me before doing it.”

  I chose to ignore that comment. His bad mood concerning Nick surprised me. Reese was usually a laid back guy. This over-reaction towards Nick’s attraction to me was surprising. I don’t know what his problem is.

  Instead of dwelling on Reese, I decided to think about Nick. The anticipation of seeing him was thrilling. I filled the four hour drive with fantasies of how my weekend with Nick would play out. I just hoped reality was half as much fun as fantasy.

  The streets of Asheville were frequently plowed and covered in salt to minimize ice formation. We navigated easily through the area to find a fast food restaurant with a drive-through window. The greasy food’s aroma filled the car and made our mouths water. I munched on a piping hot French fry.

  Reese glared at me in the rearview mirror. “Hey, you’re not stealing my fries, are you?”

  “No, I’m eating my own. Your bag is beside me.”

  “I’ll take a few,” Rylee said. She turned around and stuck her hand out. “Those smell delicious. They’re always best as soon as you get them.”

  I handed her the bag. She stuck a fry in Reese’s mouth. “Hot, hot, hot!” he chanted between bites. His gift for drama was on full display.

  We left Biltmore Village and began the short drive to the Wager’s vacation home in an exclusive neighborhood near the famous Biltmore Mansion. Mr. Wager worked for a small start-up as an engineer designing microchips. One of the advantages of working for a small start-up is stock options. When the company went public, the Wager’s sold their stocks and their bank account went cha-ching.

  We pulled into their neighborhood and passed many impressive houses sitting on large wooded lots. After a few minutes, we arrived at their driveway, and our car rolled smoothly over the snow-covered stone pavers. Freshly fallen snow cocooned the bushes that lined the driveway. As we neared the house, I noticed that we were the last to arrive. A knot twisted in my stomach. The time had finally come. Nick was waiting for me.

  My boots crunched into the snow as I stepped onto the pavers. The air smelled clean and fresh, its coldness burned my throat and nose. The large stone and brick house seemed to welcome visitors as it wrapped its frame around the circular driveway. Above the double door entrance was a wood beam overhang which shielded guests from rain and snow. Christmas wreaths already graced the doors.

  Reese opened the back of the SUV so we could get our bags. I began to lift mine out and heard a familiar voice.

  “Hey, let me get that for you.” As I stood outside, in the snow, the sound of Nick’s voice sent warm tingles shooting throughout my body. As he walked across the driveway, snow crunched beneath each step. “I’m so glad to see you. I was beginning to get worry.”

  “Worry, why would you be worried?” I asked, flattered that he was concerned.

  “The snow was picking up, and I didn’t know if you were still traveling on the mountain roads.” He gave me a quick hug, and then he lifted my bags from the SUV. It was reassuring to have him hug me. He wasn’t just here to hang out with new friends. He was here to be with me.

  “Thanks for getting my bags. How long have you been here?” I grabbed the fast food bags from the backseat.

  “Just a few minutes. Matt already gave me the tour. This place is awesome.”

  “I know. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

  “All week?” he asked suspiciously, giving me his half smile.

  “Well, most of the week.” I blushed, having to correct myself. I guess he knew my excitement stemmed from him coming to Asheville.

  We stomped our boots on the stone steps outside the front doors and entered the house. Meghan showed us the large mud room where we could store our wet boots and coats. Then we headed into the kitchen and grabbed some sodas from the refrigerator to go with our burgers and fries. A long granite island sat across from the sink and the oven range and formed a triangle. On the other side of the room, a large farmhouse table was nestled between two walls of windows that give a spectacular view of the side yard and the backyard’s surrounding mountains.

  “Did you guys already eat?” Reese asked the others as we sat around the large table and opened our fast food bags.

  “Yeah, we ate as soon as we got here,” Matt answered.

  “What about you?” I asked Nick.

  “I grabbed some food down in the Village. I thought for sure you guys would beat me here.” Nick sat beside me. I offered him a fry, but he declined.

  After finishing my food, I walked over to the double sink to wash my hands. Above the double sink, a large window looks out onto the sunroom. A glass door also connects the kitchen with the cathedral ceiling sunroom. The sunroom’s back wall and the side walls have large rectangular windows that give a great view of the surrounding mountains and the wooded lot. A fire was burning in the fireplace, and a large hot tub was off to one side of the sunroom.

  Meghan came up beside me and tilted her head and eyes towards the hot tub. “I hope you remembered your bathing suit.”

  “Are you kidding? It was one of the first things I packed.” I turned and looked at Nick, who now stood near me. He leaned casually against the counter. “Did you bring a bathing suit?”

  “Oh yeah, Matt was very clear that we’d use the hot tub. I’m not missing out on anything this weekend.” Nick raised his eyebrows at me, which I liked, but hoped no one noticed.

  “I don’t think much will be happening for you this weekend,” Reese said as he walked past us. He wasn’t going to miss anything that happened between Nick and me. I needed to talk with Rylee and get her to manage the Reese situation.

  “Hey, I’ll show you to your rooms.” Meghan led us out of the kitchen, back to the mud room to pick up our bags, and through the family room. “Since you guys showed up last, you get the leftovers, but don’t worry, you still got your own bathroom.” Meghan led us down the hallway towards the bedroom suites. “We went ahead and let everyone unpack as they arrived,” she said.

  Matt looked at Reese. “You’re with me. We’re sleeping in the room with the bunk beds,” he said as they headed down the hall.

  “Rylee and Kate, you two are in here.” Meghan opened the door to reveal two twin sleigh beds with white down comforters. Large pillows lined the headboard, and smaller accent pillows enhanced the beauty of the bed. A nightstand and lamp rested beside the head of each bed, and at the foot of each bed was a cushioned bench. On the wall opposite the beds was a tall dresser. Meghan plopped onto the closest bed. “You can put your clothes in the dresser. There are hangers in the closet and extra storage for your toiletries in the bathroom. There should be plenty of towels in the linen closet.”

  I ran my hand over the soft fabric covering the bed. “It looks great. Thanks. I stayed in here last summer.”

  “Where should I put your bags?” Nick asked as he followed us into the bedroom.

  “You can put them here, beside the dresser,” I said. “Thanks.”

  He placed the bags beside the dresser. “I’m going to find the guys while you unpack. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “Sounds good.” I smiled at him and wished he wasn’t taking off already. However, I knew the weekend was just beginning, and I didn’t want to be clingy. Guys don’t like clingy girls.

  “New love is always so sweet,” Rylee said after he left.

  “I wouldn’t call it love,” I said. “And what do you mean?”

  “Did you see Reese carrying my bags into the room? Was he looking at me like I had stars for eyes? No.” Rylee gave a quick shake of her head. “He took off to go hang out with Matt. Enjoy this stage while it lasts. This is the trying to hook you stage. It’s the best part.”

  “That sounds so cynical.” I laughed and unloaded a handful of clothes into a drawer.

  “It’s not cynical,” Meghan chimed in. “It’s just reality. The gushy stuff wears off and reality sets in.

  “All we’re saying is that yo
u should enjoy the gushy stuff while it lasts. Before you know it, he’ll be treating you like one of the guys. You’ll see.” Rylee got up and headed into the bathroom with her bag of toiletries.

  I wanted to enjoy the gushy stuff. It felt so wonderful to have Nick interested in me and pursuing me. I enjoyed having stars for eyes and butterflies flitting in my stomach.

  I resumed unpacking while I contemplated the length of our gushy stage. How long would Nick and I be excited to see each other? How long would we last? Would he tire of me quickly, or was he the kind of guy who wasn’t afraid to commit? I had no idea how to answer those questions.

  In reality, I really didn’t know much about him at all. In most ways, he was still a mystery to me. A mystery I wanted to unravel.

  Prey

  Rylee and I met up with everyone in the sunroom. Sunlight streamed through the expansive windows that showcased the snow covered yard. The fire danced behind the glass, adding a comforting warmth and ambience to the already pleasant atmosphere.

  “So, what’s the plan for today?” I asked and sat next to Nick on the sofa. I felt the mysterious rope inch around my waist and the butterflies stretch their wings.

  “We could ride the all-terrain vehicles through the woods,” Matt suggested.

  “That sounds awesome,” Nick said.

  “I’m up for that,” Ravi agreed. “I don’t get to do that very often.”

  “We only have four ATVs, so we’ll have to double up. I assume that won’t be a problem,” Meghan added. A smile spread across her face as she looked at me. I felt my face grow hot.

  “It’s not a problem for me. I’ll go with Kate.” Nick squeezed my knee. Goose bumps sprung up along my body even though the room was plenty warm. Sitting that close to Nick on the ATV sounded like a great idea.

  “It gets cold out there moving so fast and unprotected on the ATV. If you brought thermals, you should put them on,” Matt said and stood up from his chair.