Stay Read online

  STAY

  By

  Emily Evans

  Stay

  Copyright November 2016 by Emily Evans

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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  write to Emily Evans at [email protected]

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  [1. Fiction. 2. Romance. 3. Young Adult]

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Book Club Topics/Questions

  Note to Readers

  Other available books by Emily Evans

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Mia smiled her most innocent smile. To empower the look, she sent reassuring thoughts toward her parents. Trust me. Catch your plane. I’ll behave, and Hope will look after me.

  Her sister Hope was a forgetful artist, so Mom wasn’t buying it. Mom shoved her carry-on onto the overloaded baggage cart and listed her ‘Rules To Live By’ as if there wasn’t a list posted on the fridge. “No drinking, no musicians.”

  Oh, there would be drinking. Senior year. There would be music. Whoo-hoo.

  Travelers around them rushed inside the airport to escape Houston’s one-hundred degree August heat and the idling cars’ exhaust fumes. Mom took her time. Mom’s greatest strength was her thoroughness. She’d acquired a touch of it. Hope hadn’t caught any.

  “No sleepovers.” Mom trapped them into a perfume-coated goodbye hug and looked up at Hope. “Your sister will push the limits. You’re going to have to watch her.”

  “Honey.” Dad snapped the trunk shut on Hope’s car with a loud enough click to show he’d reached the end of his patience. “The plane has left by now.”

  Mia tried to step back. Mom didn’t let her.

  Hope smiled reassuringly. “Mia’s good.” She didn’t have to fake the conviction in her voice. Twenty-four and still so naïve.

  “I just want to be clear. Mia may be a senior, but she has a curfew. And watch out for her friend Lauren. She’s an instigator. Did I mention no pregnancies?”

  Hope pressed her palms to her blushing cheeks. “Mom.”

  Ewww. Mia rolled her eyes. Mom knew Jake had dumped her. By text. Before they’d slept together. That significantly reduced the odds of pregnancy.

  “Honey.” Dad took over and turned the cart toward International Departures. They jogged to catch up to him for a quick goodbye hug.

  “Enjoy your trip. Don’t worry,” Hope said.

  “Be good and take care of each other. If something happens, or you need money, call.”

  “Bring me a souvenir, a foreign book,” Mia said.

  “You got it.” Dad patted her shoulder the way he did when she was little or sick. “If Hope starts a new painting and forgets you, call us.”

  Mia motioned with her thumb to her ear and her pinky to her mouth. Dad’s lips quirked up. She’d inherited his sense of humor.

  Hope wrapped her arms across her chest and her voice sounded as defiant as she ever got. “I can take care of her.”

  “I know.” Dad gave Hope a confident thumbs-up. Mom gave her a warning look.

  Mia waved until they disappeared through the glass door. The twinge of sadness caught her off-guard. There go my parents. Then she smiled. There go the rules.

  ***

  A few days later, Mia elbowed her homework aside and dug through the gallery mail for postcards. There was one. Red mailbox, a furry cow, and an umbrella—the postcard must be from the UK. She flipped the card over. Yep, her parents’ cruise ship had left out of Southampton. She doubted that many cows ran along the English coastline, but the sentiment was nice. She spun her chair around to face the back of the studio where Hope was putting a fresh canvas on the easel. “Did you see these freakish English cows?” She totally wanted a freakish cow.

  “Yes.” Hope got out a tube of paint, tilted her head, rejected it and selected another. “Uh, speaking of foreign, do you have any exchange students in your school?”

  Kristnaldo, and he was a total perv. Why Italy, why? Why had they sent him over? “Yep, they’re freaks, too.”

  Hope winced and squeezed a glob of yellow onto the canvas. “All of them?”

  “Do all fish swim?” Mia dropped the postcard and pulled on her jacket. Yeah, it was a hundred outside, but Hope kept the gallery cold, cold. Which made sense, because she was up painting, burning calories and keeping warm, but it wasn’t a comfortable temp to sit and study by. Texas’ overheated outdoors and overcooled indoors must be difficult on the foreigners. It was challenging enough for the natives. “The foreign kids are never like the kids in movies. In a movie, it’s a romantic French guy. In real life, it’s a weird chain smoker who hates America and refuses to bathe.”

  “Really? Chain smoking in high school?”

  Kristnaldo did. The weird way he cupped it kept it hidden from a lot of teachers, and whenever they called him on it, he acted like he couldn’t speak much English. Which was total BS. “Yeah, and you know me, I love foreign languages and foreign people. So there I was, all eager to meet the new guy, maybe learn some more Italian, and then pow.” Mia threw her arms out for emphasis. “I had to pull my T-shirt over my nose to breathe. What a stench.” She wasn’t even exaggerating.

  “How inconsiderate of him.” Hope’s lips quirked in a one-sided smile like Mia was joking, but she was being totally serious.

  “I know, right? He doesn’t shower after gym, or Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays.” Kristnaldo smelled okay if you caught him on a Thursday or a Friday. If he kept to that pattern, she c
ould work with that, but sometimes he switched it up, and the anxiety of not knowing what could walk up was too much. “Until he changes, I figure he’s made his choice, and I’ve made mine.”

  The doorbell chimed, and a courier came in toting a small, shiny gold box and an electronic clipboard. Total present. Mia rushed him with a signature and a “Thanks,” and took the box to Hope. As she neared the easel, the smell of paint grew, underplayed with the much fainter scent of Hope’s plumeria lotion. She always associated the two with her sister. “It’s not your birthday. What did you get?” She fought the urge to open the package herself.

  Hope checked the card, and her eyes brightened. “Niko.” She said his name the way a choc-o-holic said Godiva. Every time. Niko. Mia didn’t think she’d ever sounded that way when she’d said Jake. She tried it out in her mind. Jake. Nope.

  Hope reached toward the box, paused, and then gave Mia a weird look, eyes downcast, mouth twisted. Guilt? Hope squared her shoulders and drew in a deep breath. “Niko asked me to move in with him.”

  That took her back a step. Move in with a guy before marrying him? “Mom and Dad are going to kill you.”

  Hope winced, and her gaze returned to the box. “What if it’s a key? He really wants me to move in. Do you think it’s a key?” She shook the box. There was a suspicious thunk. Sounded like a key.

  “Maybe. Open it.”

  Hope balanced the box on her palm and prodded the ribbon.

  Grrr. It’s like Christmas all over again. Mia dove right in, and Hope assessed all the angles first. Open it already.

  Hope peered under the ribbon. “What do you think?” Her golden hair slipped forward into her face, so she pulled the strands back and wound them around a thin paintbrush in an artist-style updo.

  “I think, open it.”

  “No.” Hope stilled her examination. “About me moving in with Niko?”

  It would leave Mia by herself, but Niko made Hope happy, really happy. And that’s what she wanted for her sister, a lifetime of being really happy. “It’s cool with me.”

  Hope grinned wide at the permission and went after the gift. She slid the ribbon off the corner, then peeled the paper away. She lifted the lid and peered in. Her eyebrows arched, and she bit her lip.

  “What? What is it?”

  “Nothing.” Hope shoved the lid back on and clenched it with tight fingers.

  Nothing? It was delivered by a courier in a wrapped box. It wasn’t nothing. Mia held out her palm. “Let me see.”

  Hope dropped the box on the counter and nudged it toward Mia with one finger as if any sudden movement would awaken what was within.

  Chapter 2

  Mia had to look in now. A diamond-encrusted charm in the shape of the letter ‘N’ lay in the box. It hung from the thickest gold rope chain she’d ever seen. Without a doubt, it was the most garish, hideous necklace ever created. And Hope, who loved beauty, would have to wear it. Mia bit her lip, and tears burned her eyes. Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh.

  “What could it mean?” Hope asked.

  It meant Niko had bad, bad taste, and Hope was in for a lifetime of returns. Mia reached into the box. Perfect Niko had to have a flaw, and they’d just found it.

  Hope waved. “Don’t touch it.”

  “I have to.” Mia lifted the heavy necklace to the light. It sparkled, but not in a good way. It was fascinating, almost blinding. She thumped the heavy diamond. Pain shot through her fingernail, and the charm bounced like a trapped thing wanting to go free. “What did the card say?”

  “Love, Niko.”

  Gray-suit-wearing conservative Niko had not bought this. “Was the card typed?”

  “Handwritten, but not his handwriting.”

  “Put it on. I’ll snap your picture while you make the peace sign. I can post it online.” Mia held out the chain. Videos were all the marketing rage. She’d tag it blinding glory.

  Hope flinched. “It’s not funny.” She twisted her hands.

  It was funny. Mia pinched her lips on her smile. “Relax. There was probably a mix-up at the jewelry store.”

  “Do you think he picked that out himself?” Hope’s voice thinned, and she wrapped her arms around her waist. Hope took things too seriously, too much to heart. That gave her artistry depth, but it made her vulnerable.

  Good thing she had Mia. “Please, you don’t even wear jewelry. There’s no way he picked this.”

  “Then who?”

  Mia pointed toward the upper floors of the building. “Who’s his secretary? Isn’t that what rich guys do? Order gifts through their secretaries?” That’s what the charmers did in British romance novels. Maybe it was a British guy thing. Niko was half-British and half-Greek. Which half had made this purchase? He needed a kick.

  Hope’s face brightened, and then she frowned. “Mrs. Brookes is older. Conservative.”

  Mia pulled the packing slip out of the box and dialed the jeweler. She lowered her voice. “This is Mrs. Brookes calling to check on a delivery from my boss, Mr. Niko Ariastassios.” Mia swung the charm between her thumb and index finger. The heavy gold chain pinched her skin as it wrapped around her finger, and the charm thumped into the back of her hand when it ran out of room to wind.

  Hope waved for Mia to hang up.

  Mia ignored her. “Good, I’m glad it was signed for. And did you follow my instructions for the piece?” Mia paused to hear the clerk gush about the priceless piece. “Yes, yes indeed, the most expensive one in the shop. Thanks.” Mia hung up, her lips twitching. “How generous.”

  “I would never wear that, ever.”

  “It’s funny if you think about it.” The charm performed a spinning unwind, releasing the blood flow back to the tip of her finger. “We can hang it on the Christmas tree next to the Virgin Mary and the donkey.”

  Hope almost smiled, but her gaze was glued to the gaudy over-sized letter. If it were several inches smaller, it would be cute, but the designer who’d made this didn’t know when to say when. Mia cupped the charm in her palm, concealing the sparkles. Once hidden, its spell was broken, and Hope glanced back at her easel. There were two sure ways to distract Hope. One was Niko, the current cause of her distress, and the other was her work. “What is that?” Mia tilted her head at the circular yellow blob on the canvas. “Nice summer shade. Is it a landscape?”

  “Thanks. It’s the sun when you’re looking up at it while laying on the beach.” Hope picked up a brush and resumed painting, pulling streaks throughout the blob, turning it into something bright and beautiful with form.

  The front doorbell chimed again.

  Niko stood in the doorway like he owned it. Hella handsome, though. His gaze was focused on Hope. Dude had such a thing for her sister. Dude should’ve picked out a gift for her himself.

  Mia smirked. “Speak of the devil. What’s up?”

  Niko waved and strode directly to Hope. She was like his gravity, though their appearances were opposites. He and his conservative suit. Hope and her casual artist jeans and flowing shirt with a smock over it.

  Niko touched the paintbrush in Hope’s blond hair, which was a few shades paler than Mia’s own. Then he kissed Hope’s cheek until he’d distracted her enough from the painting that she turned and gave him her attention. “Anything special arrive today?” He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. His Greek accent was slight, though he was totally from Greece. He’d come here for grad school and stayed.

  Hope pulled away and dropped her gaze.

  Mia threw on the heavy necklace and turned back to her history homework. What’s going on in ancient Rome? Evidently, it was not all like that gladiator movie. She flagged a paragraph. When Hope moved in with Niko, which she totally would, that would make Hope’s loft essentially hers and devoid of adult supervision. Party at my house. Toga. Toga.

  “Show me,” Niko demanded. His slight Greek accent deepened.

  Mia snickered. Turning slowly to create anticipation, she held out the necklace in one hand and til
ted it to catch the light. With the other hand, she made what she imagined was an urban gang sign. “What’s up?”

  Niko’s mouth dropped open a little, then he shook his head. “No.” He quickly turned back to Hope. “I didn’t choose that. I’ll replace it.”

  It was that bad.

  “Don’t bother,” Hope said, still looking down.

  Call him on his crap, Hope. Tell him the truth. You’d have been happier with a free pink azalea picked off the front bushes. If he’d picked it himself.

  “I will replace it.”

  “Mrs. Brookes has enough to do,” Hope said.

  “It’s hideous.” His voice expressed the distaste of those used to finer things. “Stop playing with it, Mia. Put it away.”

  No way. Tell him, Hope. The words poked to escape her, but she held them in. She could show restraint when she had to. Mom was so wrong about that.

  “It’s not like, it’s just that… I don’t want a gift from Mrs. Brookes.” Hope bit her lip as if telling the uncomfortable truth had been painful.

  There. Finally.

  Niko took her in his arms and murmured in Greek. He’d taught Mia a few words, but none he was sharing with Hope. Probably for the best, because mushy love talk was not her thing. Drama over. Mia turned back to her homework. Hope would never punish Niko, even when he deserved it.

  Niko left before she reached the end of her chapter.

  “Goodbye, Hope, Mia.” Niko walked past, wearing a big smile on his face.

  Yep, they’d made up.

  Oh. His Armani jacket almost covered the bright yellow handprint on his backside. “Uh, Niko…” How did she tell him?

  Niko didn’t turn. “It’s decided. Hope is moving in, and the necklace will be replaced.”

  Growing up with staff had left him a bit spoiled and a little too quick to ignore those around him. When someone yelled ‘Heads up’ in suburbia, she knew to look up. “Uh, okay, never mind, but later, when you realize what I was going to tell you, you’ll remember this moment.”