Chapter 94
We spend the next hom going over the documents provided.
The animal shelter is called Pinecrest Pet Sanctuary, and from the pictures provided, you’d think it was a five–star resort.
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The facility includes state–of–the–art, climate–controlled kennels, cages, and stables, a petting zoo, a spa and grooming lounge, a medical wing, landscaped parks, and horse and nature trails.
“I’m completely at a loss as to why this animal shelter needs a fundraiser,” I mumble.
“Yeah,” Lara scoffs. “God forbid the money actually goes to a facility that needs it.”
Valerie huffs. “If this is the attitude you two are going into this event with, then I’m not sure I want in.”
Lara gives her a saccharine smile. “Why don’t you offer to switch groups, then?, I’m sure any one of the other girls would love to work with you.”
Valerie’s nose flares, and she clamps her mouth shut.
I have the urge to throw my arms around Lara. Who knew underneath her reclusiveness, she had such…spunk?
“Anyways,” Lara continues, turning to me. “I suggest we visit the shelter tomorrow. We’ll have on–site view and we’ll be able to speak with the staff and properly deduce the areas that require funding. Then we can plan the event based on that.”
I smile. “Sounds good.”
“Anyone could have come up with that,” Valerie mutters.
Lara rolls her eyes, and we exchange an amused look. Then, she stands to her feet with the grace of a ballet dancer. “I’ll go inform Easton of our plans so transportation can be arranged.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
When she leaves, I turn to Valerie. She’s scowling hard at the floor, and although my usual disposition is to loathe the very air she breathes, I can’t help remembering how affected she was by Gracie’s outburst.
“Are you okay?” I find myself asking.
Her head snaps up, and her scowl deepens, causing a ridge between her brows. “Excuse me?”
“Are you okay?” I repeat. “It seemed that Gracie-”
“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are,” she hisses with enough venom to fell an elephant, “but keep your ugly nose out of my business, got it?”
Then she stands–with much less grace than Lara–and storms out of the ballroom. Just the way Gracie did.
I exhale, staring at the space Valerie just vacated.
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15:14 Mon, Oct 6
Chapter 94
Yeah, I brought that on myself
When I return to my room, I find june not sleeping. She’s sitting on the bed, hugging her knees to herself as the with a dazed look.
“Summer?” I close the door gently behind me and head to my sister. “Are you okay?”
She gives me a tired smile. “Yeah.”
Alarm bells instantly ring in my head. My eyes roam her face, looking for paleness, white eyes, shaky hands, and sweating–her seal sig of hypoglycemia.
June rolls her eyes. “I’m fine, Spring.”
“Then…what is it?”
She sighs. “Promise you won’t get mad…or feel bad.”
I frown. “I promise.”
“I was happy to go home,” she says quietly.
I blink. “You–you were?”
She nods.
“But…I thought you loved it here.”
June shrugs. “I did–I do. And I meant what I said earlier–I’m happy to stay. But I also miss home. I miss Lou, and Friday game nights and I miss school and all my friends.”
Guilt chokes me.
June didn’t ask for all of this. I dragged her along with me, and she was exposed to all the drama that has happened–especially her accident–because of me.
I just assumed she would be sad to leave and never once asked her how she felt about my elimination.
God, if I’d known my sister wanted to go home, I wouldn’t have let Peter go through with his plan.
And now I’m at an impasse. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go home all by herself. Does that mean I have to leave, too?
June narrows her eyes. “Oh no, I know what you’re thinking.”
I worry my lower lip. “Summer-”
She shakes her head. “If we can stay, then we’re staying. I want to see how this ends for you, Spring.” She reaches out and squeezes my
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15:14 Mon, Oct 6
Chapter 94
hand with a more genuine smile. “I have a good feeling.”
Tears brim in my eyes. “June–”
“You’re always making sacrifices for me,” she says softly. “I can manage living in a luxurious mansion and eating five–star meals for you.”
I choke out a laugh, pulling her towards me.
“What if-” I sniff. “What if I got permission for you to go to school?”
June looks up at me. “You can do that?”
I shrug. “I’m honestly not sure. But I’ll try.”
She beams. “Thank you.”
I sigh. “I should probably try and find a way to catch up on schoolwork, too.”
Coming to the competition happened so fast that I didn’t get a chance to make any proper preparations for school. I’ve missed about three weeks‘ worth of classes, and God knows how many assignments.
Worry gnaws at my belly. If I weren’t in danger of losing my scholarship already, I probably am now.
But even as I think that, something else pushes against the worry–something I can’t quite identify.
At the ball, I told Lily that designing was my dream. Going to her house had expanded that dream a little more. And then there’s the competition…
If I win, if I marry Nathan, that opens up a whole new world for me. A world where I’m not a broke college student or caretaker, kicking her feet desperately to keep her head above water.
When it comes to my feelings for Nathan, his family’s wealth doesn’t factor in at all. I love him just like I did in high school when I had no idea who his family was.
And yet, I can’t deny that the glow of what could be–the future I could have as Mrs. Ashford–is alluring.
It’s like the predetermined, narrow, straight path that was in front of me has branched, and there are suddenly a ton of possibilities.
The thought makes me giddy.
