Secrets Kept Read online

  Gavin flashes his perfect smile at her. "Kate said you're a reporter."

  "Not really." She crosses her arms over her chest. I'm guessing she's braless under that baggy shirt. "I write for an online magazine, but I'm hoping to eventually be a reporter for a newspaper."

  "There aren't many of those left."

  "Yeah, I know. But I'm still going to try." She motions to me. "So you and Kate went out tonight?"

  "It was last-minute," I blurt out. "Gavin asked if I wanted to have dinner."

  He smiles at me. "It wasn't really last minute. I asked you last—"

  "Yeah, I know," I say, interrupting him. "Megan, could you give me a minute to say goodbye to Gavin?"

  "Yeah. I just came down to get the mail, but I'll get it later." She presses the elevator button. We all stand there watching as each floor number lights up. It's so slow. Megan hits the button again but it doesn't make it go any faster. Finally the doors open and Megan gets on the elevator.

  When the doors close, Gavin turns to me. "You didn't want to tell your friend about me?"

  "I wanted to, but she has this thing about rich people."

  "What kind of thing?"

  "She doesn't like them."

  "She doesn't even know me."

  "I know, so it's not fair and she shouldn't judge you that way but she does and it's hard to change her mind. I didn't want to argue with her about our date tonight so I decided not to tell her."

  "But you were going to tell her eventually, right?"

  "Well, yeah, but I wasn't sure if this was going to go anywhere so I figured I'd wait."

  "So what do you think?"

  "About what?"

  "You and me. Is this going anywhere?" He leans down and kisses me.

  "I'd like it to."

  "I'd like that too." He kisses me once more, then backs away and takes his phone out and hands it to me. I put my number in then hand it back to him. "I'll call you tomorrow."

  "Okay."

  He walks to the door, then stops. "If you're worried about who did that to your tire, let me know. I can help."

  "I don't want to get the police involved in this."

  "Which is why I can help. My dad has connections outside the police. He can get someone to investigate it. Maybe find out who did it."

  "Um, yeah, okay, I'll think about it. Thanks."

  "No problem. Have a good night."

  "You too."

  Connections outside the police. I got a chill when he said it. I'm sure it's only because of Megan's comment about rich people having connections that help them cover stuff up. Obviously that's not what Gavin meant.

  Or did he?

  Chapter Six

  "You lied to me?" Megan asks the second I walk in the door.

  "I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I didn't want you telling me not to date him."

  "Why would I tell you that?"

  "Because he's rich." I sit on the couch.

  Megan plops down beside me. "I wouldn't tell you not to date him because of that."

  I give her a look.

  "Fine, I might have told you that," she mutters. "But that doesn't mean you had to hide it from me."

  "Well, now you know. I went out with Gavin."

  "And? How was it?"

  "Great. He took me out for a nice dinner. We talked. Had a real conversation. It was better than any of the dates I went on with Kurt."

  "Where does he live?"

  "Here." I pause, waiting for what I know is coming.

  "He goes to Moorhurst?"

  "Yes." I point at her. "Don't start. Just because you have a ban against dating guys from Moorhurst doesn't mean I have to follow that rule."

  "It's a rule for a reason. There's something strange going on at that school, Kate. Dating a Moorhurst guy is just setting yourself up for trouble."

  "You know how ridiculous you sound? What could possibly be going on there? It's a college. It's no different than any other."

  "Why would they put a school like Moorhurst here in this tiny town?"

  "A lot of private colleges are in small towns."

  "Why do all these rich, powerful people send their kids there?"

  "Because it's a good school."

  "So is Harvard. And Yale."

  "Yes, but not everyone can get into those schools."

  She crosses her arms and stares straight ahead, as if trying really hard to come up with a reason why I shouldn't date a guy from Moorhurst.

  "You've got nothing," I tell her. "You're basing everything on observations that mean nothing."

  "Just because I can't prove it doesn't mean there isn't something going on there."

  "You can say whatever you want but it's not going to change my mind. I like Gavin. I'm not going to stop dating him just because he's rich and goes to Moorhurst."

  She smiles slightly. "He IS damn cute."

  "He's more than cute. He's hot. And a great kisser. I would've liked to kiss him more but I had to stop when my roommate came bursting out of the elevator."

  She laughs. "Sorry. I didn't know." She looks at me. "Okay. You have my blessing. Date this Gavin guy, but if you notice anything suspicious, anything at all, you have to promise me you'll stop dating him."

  "I'm not promising you that, but it doesn't matter because there's nothing suspicious about him. He's just a regular college guy."

  ***

  The next day, Gavin calls around noon. "Hey, Kate, how's the tire?"

  "Still holding up. Thanks again for doing that."

  "No problem. How's everything else?"

  "Good. I catered a breakfast this morning, and this afternoon I have to go prep for a party we're doing tomorrow."

  "But you're still coming tonight, right?"

  "Yeah, so what's the plan?"

  "The guys are going over there around eight. I can pick you up a little before, if that works."

  "Or I could just meet you there."

  "I should pick you up. I'm assuming you want to drink."

  "Yeah. So you're the DD tonight?"

  "Just for you. My friends will just walk back to campus when they're ready to leave. Oh, and invite your roommate, unless she already has plans."

  Megan at a bar full of Moorhurst guys? Not gonna happen.

  "I'll ask but I'm sure she's busy. She usually writes at night."

  "I'm heading into the library so I gotta hang up. I'll see you tonight."

  "Yeah. See ya."

  As soon as I set my phone down, Megan calls. "Hey. I'm on break and bored. Tell me what's new."

  "Just talked to Gavin. We're going to Hadley's tonight. You wanna come?" I laugh, knowing she'd never go there.

  "Sure. I'll go. What time?"

  "Yeah, you're funny."

  "I'm serious. I want to check the place out."

  "It's a Moorhurst bar," I remind her.

  "Which is why I need to go. If my best friend's going to be hanging out there all the time with her new Moorhurst boyfriend, I need to check it out."

  "You don't need to check it out. It's just a bar."

  "You invited me and now you're saying I can't go?"

  "Of course you can go. I just didn't think you'd want to."

  "So what time are we going?"

  "Gavin's picking me—us—up just before eight. You should wear something sexy. You never know. You might meet someone."

  She laughs. "A Moorhurst guy? I don't think so."

  "Then just look nice for yourself. You hardly ever dress up."

  "True. Okay, maybe I will."

  But she doesn't. She goes with her usual dark jeans and a t-shirt but she did wrap a lightweight scarf around her neck, which added some color.

  After having dressed up last night, I decided to wear a casual skirt with a t-shirt and sandals.

  At quarter to eight, Megan and I get off the elevator and wait in the lobby for Gavin. We're early, but knowing Gavin, he'll be here any minute. Jus
t as I think that, his car pulls up and stops at the door.

  Megan's jaw drops when she sees Gavin's car. "How much did that thing cost?"

  "I don't know but I'm sure it was a lot."

  "Governors don't make enough to afford that."

  "He's not governor anymore," I remind her. "His dad's a lawyer. A very successful lawyer. And I think his mom comes from money." As Gavin approaches the door, I say to Megan, "Don't question him all night. Or his friends. Just be normal."

  She huffs. "I'm always normal."

  "You know what I mean."

  "Hey." Gavin walks in wearing jeans, a polo shirt, and that signature smile. He gives me a kiss but just a quick one, probably because Megan is here and he doesn't want her feeling uncomfortable. He's very considerate. I'm liking this guy more and more.

  "Megan." He smiles at her. "Glad you could come with us."

  A guy who invites a girl's friend to hang out with them? Also considerate. That alone should win him some bonus points with Megan.

  "I've never been to Hadley's. I thought I'd check it out." She glances at me. She's in her investigative reporter mode. I wish she'd just relax and have fun.

  "I was there last weekend," Gavin says. "A bit of warning, the drinks are strong."

  Strong drinks. Good. I'll get Megan drunk. That'll relax her.

  The bar is busy for a Tuesday night, but it makes sense. College students don't limit their drinking to the weekends.

  "What can I get you?" Gavin asks Megan and me. So he's buying us both drinks. Another thoughtful gesture.

  "I'll take an Old Fashioned," I say.

  "Vodka martini for me," Megan says. "Dry. Straight up. With an olive."

  Gavin takes off for the bar.

  "Good choice," someone says from behind me. I turn and see a guy wearing plaid shorts, a white button-up shirt, and a bow tie. He's looking at Megan so I step aside. "I love a good martini."

  Megan's eyes are on the bar so I go stand next to her and nudge her arm. "Megan."

  "What?"

  "He was complimenting your drink choice."

  "Who?" She looks left and right.

  I nudge her again and say to the guy, "What's your name?"

  "Decker." He stands up straighter as if it'll make him taller. He's kind of short. He holds his hand out to me. "And you are?"

  "Kate, and this is my friend, Megan."

  She finally notices him and shakes his hand. "Hi."

  "He was saying he loves martinis," I say to Megan.

  "But only the classic." He holds up his glass. "I don't like all those variations they make now."

  "Me either." Megan smiles. He got her attention with that. She always says bars are ruining the martini by using all those flavored vodkas and syrups. "Kate and I were at a bar in New York and they had a whole martini menu. Drinks that should never be called martinis. Like one was a s'more martini with marshmallow vodka."

  "They have that here," he says. "Girls order it all the time."

  Gavin's back and he hands us our drinks. "Hey, Decker. Did you meet Kate and Megan?"

  "Yeah." Decker's gaze is still on Megan and I realize they have the same glasses. Same frames.

  "Did you guys know you have the same glasses?" I ask.

  Megan takes hers off. "Oh, yeah. We do. They're unisex." She puts them back on.

  "They look better on you." Decker smiles at her. "So you go to Moorhurst?"

  "No. I graduated last May from UConn. Journalism major. I assume you go to Moorhurst?"

  "Yeah. English major."

  "What year?"

  "Sophomore." He sees her smile fade and rushes to say, "But I'm very mature for my age."

  He looks older than 19 with that bow tie. Half the people in here look younger than him. Either they have good fake IDs or the owner doesn't bother checking, wanting to cash in on wealthy kids buying expensive drinks with their parents' money.

  "Fake ID?" Megan asks.

  "Um, yeah," Decker says, glancing away.

  She laughs. "Relax. I'm not going to report you. I had one too."

  Decker looks back at her and smiles. "So where do you work?"

  "The library. And I also write for Metro Pace, the online magazine."

  His eyes widen. "I write for them too."

  "Really?" That got her attention. She almost spilled her drink. "You're only 19 and got a job there?"

  "I'm 20. And it's a freelance gig. I'm not on staff."

  "Still, it's hard to get freelance work there."

  "I know. I had to write for free for months to prove myself to the editor before he'd give me a paid job."

  "So you must be good."

  Gavin leans down to my ear. "Let's let them talk."

  "Good idea."

  We make our way to the other side of the bar and when I look back, Decker is sitting on the barstool next to Megan's. He's facing her, talking and smiling and she's smiling back. Smiling at a Moorhurst guy. And she's not even drunk yet.

  "Do you know Decker?" I ask Gavin.

  "Not really. We just met. I don't really know anyone yet. I've only been on campus a few days."

  "That's right. I forgot."

  "Now that your friend's occupied..." He pulls me closer. "I can finally do this." He kisses me and the tingles I felt last night return.

  I put my hands around his neck and press myself against him. He smells good, like some kind of expensive cologne.

  "You look really hot," he says as his hand slides over my ass, then brushes against my thigh. "This is a short skirt."

  "Too short?

  "For me? Fuck, no. I love it. For the other guys checking you out? Hell yeah."

  That's the first time I've heard him swear. He was more formal last night but he's loosening up around me. Or maybe it's the bar setting loosening him up. Either way, I like it. I'm sensing he's got a bit of a bad boy side to him.

  "I didn't know you were the jealous type," I say.

  "There's a lot you don't know about me." He says it kiddingly but it makes me pause a moment.

  I pull back. "What else should I know?"

  "Nothing. I was just joking. You want to sit down?"

  "Sure."

  He pulls out a chair for me at a tall table, then sits beside me.

  "Tell me something else about you," I say.

  "I told you everything last night."

  "That can't be everything."

  "What do you want to know?"

  "What's your favorite drink?"

  "Bourbon. Straight up. On the rocks." He points to my Old Fashioned. "You obviously like bourbon. Is that your drink of choice?"

  "It's my mom's favorite but I like it too. Or a Manhattan."

  "That's what my dad drinks. Or he'll have a scotch."

  "You drink beer?"

  "At college parties, sure, but at a bar I usually get bourbon."

  "So what else can you tell me about yourself?"

  He chuckles. "What's with the twenty questions tonight? I feel like I'm being interrogated."

  "Sorry. You're right."

  "It's fine. I just don't like spending all our time talking about myself." He casually rests his hand on my knee as he takes a drink of his soda.

  "I feel bad you can't drink tonight. If you want, Megan and I could take a cab home and you could walk back to campus with your friends."

  "I don't need to drink. I drank a lot last weekend. I need to take a night off."

  "Bishop!" a guy yells from across the bar. He's tall and really tan with tousled black hair and a full beard. He reminds me of those exotic male models in cologne ads.

  "Lucas, get your ass over here!" Gavin yells, waving him over.

  The guy saunters over, girls watching as he passes. He's hot and he knows it, nodding at one of the girls, like he's telling her she's got a chance with him later.

  When he finally reaches us, Gavin asks, "You just get here?"

  "Yeah. Had a little pre-party in my room first." He sets his drink down on the table and
stands beside it.

  "Is that why everyone's late?" Gavin asks.

  "I don't know where they are." He looks around the bar. "The pre-party was with a girl I met at the bookstore." He's watching the girl he nodded to, who's holding up her phone. He takes his out and grins when he reads her text. "Looks like I'll be having another room party later tonight."

  "Lucas, this is Kate," Gavin says.

  Lucas looks up from his phone. "Hey. You new at Moorhurst?"

  "No. I'm not in college. I have a job and live in town."

  "Dating a townie?" He smiles at Gavin. "You know they hate us."

  "That's not true," I say. "I have nothing against you guys, except when you get drunk and vandalize stuff."

  Lucas holds his hands up in surrender. "Wasn't me. I don't do that shit."

  "I wasn't talking about you specifically, or anyone in particular. It was just a comment. Never mind."

  "But someone did mess with her car," Gavin says to Lucas. "Let the air out of the tire so she couldn't get to work."

  "That sucks," he says, but he doesn't sound too concerned, his eyes on his phone.

  "You need another drink?" Gavin points to my empty glass. I didn't realize I'd finished it.

  "Sure, I'll have one."

  Gavin goes to get it, leaving me with Lucas.

  "So did you just meet Gavin last weekend?"

  "I've known him since we were kids," he says as he types out a text. "I didn't see him much growing up. I lived in New York. He lived in Connecticut. Our moms were friends."

  Gavin has told me nothing about his mom. I saw her at the party the other night, but only briefly. She was gorgeous, with dark, straight long hair, a flawless tan that had to have been a spray-on, a beautiful white dress covering her very thin body, and a stunning emerald earring and necklace set. I just stood there and watched her for a moment as she glided through the room. She was so elegant, polished. Definitely from old money. Probably grew up taking classes on how to hold her head up and walk the right way.

  "Is he telling you all my secrets?" Gavin jokes as he hands me my drink and gives me a kiss.

  "He said you were childhood friends."

  "I don't know if we were friends," Lucas says, grinning at Gavin. "The asshole got me arrested. Good thing his dad's a lawyer."

  "You got him arrested?" I ask Gavin.

  "We were 14. Stupid kids. Went to the docks and took one of the boats out for a joy ride." He chuckles. "I might've talked him into it."