A loud laugh echoed from the stairs.
Angeline had an arm looped over Logan’s while they descended to the first floor. The stories Logan told had her entertained for the entire time.
“Oh, Alex had always been independent. She liked to stand on her own feet. It’s no surprise that she’d hit that baseball” she told him.
“I wish I had seen it” Logan replied, escorting her all the way down, “I bet it was breathtaking.”
“You should see her in volleyball. If she played varsity, I would never miss a game” Angeline gushed.
Alex scowled from behind them. They talked like she wasn’t around. The same scowl could be found in front of them too—on Ethan Greenwood’s face. He didn’t approve a male friend for Alex but his wife clearly did. He valued his life to not speak about his displeasure.
Still, it could change any moment. The sooner they left, the better.
“That does sound like fun” Logan sighed. Despite tonight’s events, he still had a lot of things to learn about Alex.
When they reached the landing, Angeline gasped. She tugged on Logan’s arm, “I have the perfect idea if you happen to be free this weekend.”
Emily covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. She already knew what Angie would say. Alex crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. With her mother stuck to Logan like glue, she couldn’t get between them.
How sneaky.
“What do you have in mind, Angie?”
“Well, my mother-in-law will host a party in a hotel near here. It’s in the next town. Why don’t you join us? If I remember right, that hotel has a volleyball court. You’ll get to see Alex play” Angeline explained. Inside, her nerves exploded with successful mischief.
She only needed Logan’s agreement.
“Oh, wow. A party” Logan laughed awkwardly, “I’m not sure if gate crashing would be a good idea.”
Angeline hit his arm. It felt firm under her touch. She buried her thoughts on how much Logan’s works out in the back of her mind, “Don’t be silly. You’re an invited guest. I’m sure Jaime would love to have you.”
Logan fell silent as they reached the front door. Alex raised an eyebrow at him. She thought Logan would accept the invite in a heartbeat. What could be holding him back?
Whatever it was, it became useless once Emily joined in the fray.
She skipped towards Logan’s free arm and held it, “Oh, come on, Logan. It would be fun. Anyway, most parties usually have a ‘+1’ in the invitation. Anyone invited can bring someone. It wouldn’t be gatecrashing at all.”
Logan widened his eyes at her. He wanted to find a way to decline but Emily made it worse. What would they think of him if he turned down two girls?
“I will go…” he started to say, clearing his throat. Then, he looked over his shoulder, “If Alex asks me to.”
Alex wanted nothing more than to wipe off the triumphant smile on Logan’s lips. She clenched her jaw and glared. Smoke almost came out of her ears.
Somehow, this didn’t affect Logan for a bit.
Well, two could play that game. She wasn’t about to let him have the last laugh.
She quickly changed her demeanor, smiling sweetly, “Aw, Logan. I’d love for you to come. It would mean the world to me.”
Logan’s face ashened with horror—even she ganged up on him. He thought Alex would oppose the idea in a heartbeat. What could she be scheming?
“But…”
“Ah, yes, Logan. You should come” Ethan cut in, “My parents would love to know that Alex has a new friend. They’ll be dying to get to know you.”
It was four against one? What was Logan to do?
“Thank you for the invitation. I will…” he gulped, “… be there.”
Alex clapped her hands, “Wonderful. Emily, let’s go to the restroom.”
“Mmkay” she replied, letting go of Logan, “Glad to hear you’re coming, Logan. Be sure to pack some clothes.”
“We’ll be waiting right here, dears!” Angeline called after them.
Emily walked with Alex to the ladies’ room, elbow to elbow. They stayed that way until they needed to enter separate cubicles.
Alex came out first and washed her hands over the sink. Luckily, the soap dispenser worked well. She couldn’t remember just how many places she went to with broken dispensers. Kids would leave them in a mess and there wouldn’t be a staff around to notice it.
When she was done, she shook her hands and looked for a paper towel. Soon, Emily joined her by the sink. Alex threw the paper towel away and waited for her cousin, glimpsing the mirror.
Her reflection stared at her with wide eyes.
Emily definitely had outdone herself with this look.She used greyish brown shadows on Alex’s eye crease, making her eyes seem deeper. She also added a highlight over her lower lashline. The combo gave her the illusion of bigger eyes while the eyeliner accented the shape.
Her eyebrows had been threaded clean—by Emily, of course. Her blush didn’t stand out too much. The center of cheeks had more pigment while the area around them faded perfectly into the skin.
And, had her lips always looked this full?
“I think this is the first time I saw the makeup you did” Alex told Emily, “The night is almost over and I haven’t seen a single smudge.”
Emily grinned, “It’s called a setting spray, couz.”
She reached for a paper towel and dried her hands. They both admired the makeup look. Emily didn’t dare to do a bolder one. Not only would it be inappropriate with Alex’s outfit but also Alex would choke her for it.
“Gods, you’re pretty” Emily gushed, “Let’s take a photo so we could immortalize this masterpiece.”
Alex pressed her lips together
“Aw, come on, Alex. I’d like to remember this moment.”
Emily pouted her lips and her eyes. She fluttered her eyes slowly, boosting the sad-puppy-eye power.
“Alright, alright” Alex chuckled, “But we can’t stay long.”
“Sshh, it will be quick.”
The expression on Emily’s face turned 180°. She fished out her phone and instantly opened the camera app. Not only did she persuade Alex to take a photo but Emily also persuaded her to take ones with different filters.
It was the closest thing she had done with Alex that was similar with her school friends. Life could have been this way if her cousin attended Freccia Preparatory Academy. Her friends would love Alex too—well, they do even if they thought Alex was a boy.
“These look so good” Emily commented, browsing through the pics. She pointed at Alex in a photo, “You look so good in this. I bet Logan would want a copy.”
Alex grimaced, “Why would Logan even want a copy?”
“I guess the sacrifice for brains is blindness, huh?” Emily rolled her eyes, “Alex, my dear cousin. I’d have to say. Logan must be an idiot to not like you.”
“Well, he hasn’t spilled out my secret yet for blackmail” Alex shrugged.
Emily grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close. Pointing a finger at her cousin’s face, she hissed, “You listen to me, Alexandra. That boy had just gone through finding out you are actually a girl to learning that you are an heiress. Anyone else would have freaked out and ran. He is willing to stick around despite all of that. You are darn lucky to have him.”
‘If that is not love, I don’t know what is’ Emily decided to keep this last part to herself. She needed to let fate take its course. If she began to meddle, things might stray off the path instead of pushing right through it.
Alex felt dumbfounded. She already knew about what Emily said. She had the exact same thoughts earlier when Logan went to the men’s room.
She was lucky
Even meeting Lauren had been lucky.
Alex sighed and placed a hand over Emily’s, “I know, Em. I know.”
She gave her cousin a sad smile.
“Why do I have the feeling that we’re talking about different things?” Emily whined.
Alex beamed, “Because you’re weird, Emily Greenwood.
Her cousin rolled her eyes, “Oh, yeah, like you’re not? Heck, even Logan Parker is weird for hanging around you.”
A loud bang sliced through the air.
Both girls snapped their attention to the last cubicle. At first, no one came out.
Then, the sound of clicking heels bounced off the tiles.
Alex held Emily’s wrist in anticipation. Her heart hammered inside her chest. The stranger could probably hear it too. Beside her, Emily stood in a defensive position. Her senses focused on the source of the disturbance. Her blackbelt would be for nothing if she couldn’t handle this situation.
Finally, Courtney Wilson walked out of the cubicle with an incredulous expression on her face.
