Craven Cove Royalty (Craven Cove)

“So how was your day with your mom?” I ask when we get in the car.

“Um, it was okay.” She’s hesitant, and I blink in confusion.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, it was just a day at the spa together. We’d never done that before. I guess you’d say it was an experience.” She grabs my hand as I drive to the coffee shop and quickly changes the subject. “What did you do yesterday?”

We talk for a while about the boat I’m working on and my rowing meet this week. When I ask her to come, she agrees quickly and then asks what it’s like. It’s always so easy with Celeste that anytime we’re together it’s like I lose hours in the day. Our conversations roll from one to the next, and by the time I’m walking her to class, I’m already anticipating the next time I get to see her.

“I’ll see you after,” I say and squeeze her hand before she walks in the classroom.

“You got it bad, bro,” Jackson says as he walks up beside me and watches Celeste go to her desk.

“Don’t look at my girl.” I push him out of the way, and he pretends to fight back while we walk to class.

“You coming to my party this weekend? My parents are out of town.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I laugh, rolling my eyes.

“Maybe.”

“What do you mean, maybe? Come on, I’m inviting everyone, we’re getting a keg.”

“Maybe,” I say again, and he makes a dismissive noise.

“I should just go ask Celeste if she’s going to bring you or not.”

I shrug as we walk into class and take our seats. “Probably.” I wink at him, and he shakes his head in exasperation.

Just then the teacher walks in, and the discussion is over.

Chapter Eleven

Celeste

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to get close to you?” Emerson asks as he drops down into the seat next to mine. Today he’s dressed in a yellow tracksuit with lots of jewelry. He’s handsome in a soft way, but too pretty for my taste. “Crew likes to keep you under lock and key, but I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything less.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, perplexed by his words.

“And here they come now,” he says under his breath.

A few of the guys from the rowing team head our way. “This area is reserved,” one says when he draws closer. I’m pretty sure he was parking cars at the event last weekend.

I start to stand so that we can move to another area. This is where Apollo told me to sit, but I guess I misheard him.

“Not you, Celeste,” the other guy with him rushes to say.

“I’m with her,” Emerson responds to them before winking at me. It’s not flirty but mischievous.

“Yeah. He’s with me,” I confirm and finally they get the hint. The two freshmen don’t seem to be happy about my response, but they scramble back toward the water.

“There are some catty bitches that are mad Crew is all over you.” He casually nods to a group of girls by the water, and I see what he’s talking about. “It’s so weird to people.”

“He’s not all over me,” I’m quick to say, but then I let my hair fall forward to try and hide my blush. Okay, he might be all over me. “We’re a couple. I don’t get why it’s weird.” We’re not super affectionate in public. In fact, we’re tame compared to some of the couples that roam the hallways of Craven Cove High.

“It’s weird because it’s Crew. Mr. Do Everything Perfectly. All he cares about is being the best. I suppose living in his father's shadow is hard. Girls weren't on his radar. Well, they weren't until now.”

My eyes automatically find Apollo’s dad in the crowd. He’s standing near the boats and waiting for the race to begin. This is my first time at a rowing race, if that’s what it’s even called. Mr. Crew looked my way when he arrived, but that was all. I’m not sure what to make of him, but I don’t get the feeling he cares for me much. I do, however, think he has all kinds of feelings for my mom. Ones that are making me uneasy, to say the least. At this point, “messy” might be a better word.

I don’t know what I did to him to get his unreadable stares, but my mom straight-up took his credit card out of his hand and used it at the spa on us. He all but fell over his feet to give it up to her. He might see me as something in the way, more so now that his son and I are getting tangled together.

“I haven't really met his dad,” I admit.

Apollo will mention him here or there. When I first met him, I thought they were close, but lately I get a sense there is tension. I worry I’m the cause of that, and I would hate to come between them. I’d never want someone to come between me and my mom.