The Day He Came Back

As if he could feel me watching him, he looked over in my direction. I turned away, pretending once again to be immersed in my cleaning.

When I looked back at him, he was still staring at me. He flashed that wicked smile, and I returned it. I could feel my face heat.

He walked over to the door and pressed his nose against it before crossing his eyes. Cracking up, I sprayed some Windex and wiped the window over his face in circles. He smiled wide, his breath steaming up the glass.

That might have been the first moment I realized I was screwed.***That evening, my mother was working late. Ruth needed her to serve dinner for some friends they’d invited over. So Mom dropped me off at home and drove right back to the mansion.

Since my mother wouldn’t be home for dinner, my friend Marni brought Mexican takeout over. She had been my friend since childhood. We grew up on the same street, and we had a lot in common, being the only children of single mothers who worked service jobs on Palm Beach. Marni’s mother, June, worked in catering.

“How’s the new gig going?” Marni asked, shoving a taco into her mouth.

I peeled the foil off my burrito. “I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would.”

“I give you credit. I would hate to be at the beck and call of a bunch of rude, rich people all day. Fuck that. I’ll work at the mall.”

“Not all rich people are jerks,” I defended.

“Well, that’s been my experience. My mother has worked on Palm Beach for years, and believe me, I’ve heard enough stories to draw that conclusion.”

“Well, they’re not all bad.” I felt like I might have been turning red.

She squinted her eyes and examined my expression. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”’

“What makes you say that?”

“You’ve got a look...the one you have whenever you’re keeping something from me.”

I wiped my mouth. “The Mastersons’ oldest son is really cute...and nice, too.”

She let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “I pity you if you’re developing a crush on Gavin.”

The mere mention of his name caused my heart to flutter.

“You know Gavin? I didn’t know that.”

“My mom has worked some parties at their house, so yeah. She’s talked about that family before. The service workers—they all know each other. They swap stories and compare notes about which house is the best to work in, who’s the bitchiest boss, things like that.”

“Well, what did she say about Gavin?”

I gulped. Jesus, am I actually getting nervous?

“Nothing about him in particular, but apparently the mother—Ruth—has this idea that her sons are going to run their father’s law firm someday, come back after school is finished, settle on the island, and marry one of The Fab Five.”

I felt like she was speaking a foreign language. “The Fab Five?”

“There are five families with daughters who are just as rich as the Mastersons: the Chancellors, the Wentworths, the Phillipsons, the McCarthys, and the Spillaines. Apparently, Ruth will stop at nothing to ensure that her sons end up with one of those daughters.” She rolled her eyes. “God forbid the pedigree gets ruined.”

“Where did you get this information?”

“Like I said, Mama worked some of their parties. All these women get drunk and spill their secrets, not realizing the staff is listening. Ruth has a major issue with vodka, apparently.”

“Well, sober she’s a battle ax. I can’t imagine how she’d be intoxicated.” I sighed. “Okay, so what’s your point in telling me all this?”

“To warn you. Be careful. I saw the look on your face when you mentioned him—all googly-eyed and shit. I’m sure he’s very captivating and handsome, but there’s no chance in hell anything can come of it without you getting hurt. I don’t want to see that happen.”

She wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already feel deep down. Gavin was far out of my league. Still, I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the reality check.

“Aren’t you jumping the gun?” I asked. “I’ve only met him twice.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just thinking ahead.”

“Well, you’re thinking too much. I can say someone’s nice without it meaning more.”

“Are you saying you wouldn’t want to date Gavin if you had the chance?”

“I’m saying I recognize that he and I come from different worlds, and that nothing is going to come of my finding him appealing. Whether or not I’d date him if given the opportunity is a moot point.”

She scrunched up the wrapper from her taco. “Let me tell you something about the rich and powerful, Raven. They will take you for a ride, and then shit all over you. I have no doubt Gavin is attracted to you. I’m sure he’s never seen a natural beauty like yours on the island. It’s the summer. He’s bored. I’m certain it gives him a thrill to flirt with someone like you—a real nice power trip, too. And if it makes his mother’s head spin? Probably a bonus just to spite her. But in the end, people who grow up the way Gavin did have their futures mapped out for them. And that future doesn’t include people from the other side of the bridge, like us.”