Invisible (A Night Fire Novel Book 5) (12 page)

Chapter Eighteen

I stared at the image of an old woman, she smiled sweetly as I nearly crushed her with a hug. Our cheeks were pressed together, my arms wrapped around her narrow frame.

“
Grandma.”

Or otherwise known as El's mother. El smiled warmly at me and waited for me to turn the page. We were sitting on the lounge, drinking hot cocoa even though it wasn't cold. The marshmallow bobbed as the steam rose from the cup. I'd already devoured the top layer of whipped cream, chocolate shavings and the wafer biscuit. There would never be a day where I would refuse a hot cocoa from this woman.

I looked at the image of two women, one I knew was El and the other I could only assume was her sister due to the fact that they looked alike. I'd met her, I knew this. I couldn't live in this house and be adopted by these people without at least meeting an aunt. Then something sprang into my mind, something that said
rhyme
to me. Hel and El.

“
Helen.”

“
Good work darling. Do you remember her husband's name?”

Helen and...

“
Eric. Two children, Annie and Gareth.”

“
Excellent.” she said with so much happiness “You are coming along so well. I don't know if there's anything else to remember. Is there anything in your mind that doesn't make sense?”

There wasn't much that I could tell her. All that was in my mind had answers to. I looked at someone or something and remembered it, if I couldn't remember it then I would fixate on it until I did. I didn't know if there was still stuff missing from my memory, I guess only time will tell. To me it seemed like everything was in order.

“
It seems okay. Everything has a place and I look around and remember things easily.”

“
Like coming to the end of a jigsaw?”

I giggled as I nodded.

“
That's great. Now, I think we need some mommy daughter time.”

An hour later we were walking through the mall, not the one that El would frequent on a regular basis. This was the one that she came to for the occasional splurge. I rarely came in here mostly because it was wall to wall designer stuff and I knew I couldn't afford things in this place. Though I had been in here with El when she would insist upon a day together which was her spending money on me and me reluctantly accepting it. Like today really. The place was filled with dozens of designer shops, restaurants with world renowned chefs and a mixture of society.

There were people like El who could afford to come into this place on a daily basis, some of them probably did. Then there were the tourists who window shopped, some of them even ventured into the stores. That wasn't my thing, if I couldn't afford it then I couldn't be bothered with it.

“
I'm saving up to buy a house.”

The minute revelation popped into my head. I guess the thought of spending money beyond what I had made me remember that I was a bit of a miser.

“
That's right darling, you are. Your father and I are very proud of how well you are coping with living on your own, maintaining a strict budget and saving for the future. Though you could learn to relax a little. I was the one that packed your bag, you've got holes in your underwear Kaylee. Go and buy some more. In fact...”

Talk about a lead in. Jeez. She dragged me into the store and I wanted to die of embarrassment. Underwear shopping with my mother. Nowhere near as bad as when my real mother took me to get fitted for my first bra but hey, it's right up there.

Half an hour of cheek searing questions, I was poked, prodded and refitted just in case the mountains got any bigger. I walked out with two bags of boxes that contained a small fortune of barely there lace that were sewn together and purported to be underwear. I wasn't so sure.

“
I am going to visit the little girls room. Why don't you go and get us a table at the coffee shop.”

“
Sure.”

I wandered over and dumped myself into the little booth against the wall, putting the bags onto the bench seat beside me.

“
Ready to order?”

The woman handed over a menu to me as she pulled the pen away from its spot on her ear.

“
Uh, not yet. Just waiting for my mother.”

“
Sure, I'll leave another menu for you.”

“
Thanks.”

She dumped it onto the table and wandered through the other tables, cleaning as she went.

“
Kaylee?”

I looked up into a pair of incredibly gorgeous green eyes. They seemed so familiar. He ran his hand through his floppy sandy blonde hair as he looked at me, a little exasperated.

“
Man, Nate said you were banged up a little but not this much.”

Okay, so I figured that he knew me considering that he said my name but I guess he really does know me.

“
You've got a blank look on your face. You don't remember me, do you?”

I shook my head.

“
Can I sit for a little bit?”

“
Sure.”

Anything for you mister handsome.

“
I guess it's reasonable considering that you didn't really know me. They said that you got sick and went to bed early, did you know that?”

“
Were you at my party?”

“
Yeah.”

I nodded, thinking about it.

“
No, I wondered what excuse they gave.”

“
Nate told me though, I hope you don't mind.”

I shrugged, mostly because I didn't care who knew. Life happens and if people want to gossip about it then so be it.

“
Is it better that I tell you who I am or do you have to remember that kind of thing?”

“
I should do it.” I said thinly.

It sounded like I thought of it like a chore. I looked at the man. Okay so he was friendly with me, rather outgoing and incredibly well dressed and handsome. Gorgeous in fact. Light olive skin that was pure perfection. The bastard. He should know the pain of being a woman, suffering hormonal nightmares that sit on the face like big red blinking light.

He gave me a feeling of happiness, like he was okay with being around me and there was no hesitation like I could sometimes feel with Jaxon. Which I translated to mean that he wasn't interested in me that way so he was relaxed around me. So that meant that I was either not his type or...

“
Sebastian.” I said as I grinned. “How sad is it that I remembered you because you don't like girls?”

“
I know, sorry.”

He playfully pouted at me which made me giggle.

“
Your face looks like it's getting better.”

“
It's under a pretty heavy layer of make-up. I kind of feel like a drag queen at the moment.”

Seb laughed and leaned on his hand to gaze at me more. Damn, life was not fair.

“
I can see what you mean Priscilla.”

I stared at him with a slight frown.

“
It's a reference to a movie about drag queens. Girl, you need to broaden your horizons.”

“
Sure.” I chuckled. “So do you drag?”

“
With a beard? No, sorry.”

“
Shame, you'd look pretty good in a sparkly dress and a nice pair of pumps.”

“
D'ya think?”

Seb frowned as he leaned over to look at his foot.

“
Not sure if they'd have my size though.” he muttered and then lifted himself up to look at me “But you know, just because I'm that way, doesn't mean I drag.”

“
Sure, I know that. I said I looked like one, you're the one that's talking drag movies.”

His smile curled into one corner, a hint of white flashed from below his soft pink lips.

“
So what are you doing here?”

“
Bit of shopping with my mom. She's you know, off somewhere else at the moment.”

Seb nodded, his eyes darting to the bag and its sprawling label that told the world where I had been.

“
Buy something nice?”

“
Looking for a fashion show?”

He grinned as he shook his head.

“
I am offended, I have great assets.”

“
I'm sure you do, just nothing that I need to see.”

“
Fine.” I huffed, rolling my eyes “Your loss.”

My fingers toyed with the edge of the menu as I wondered how much longer El was going to be. It was likely that she had seen Seb sitting at the table and decided to give us some space. No doubt she would stop her loitering and return to the table when he looked like he was getting ready to leave. Which didn't look like it was any time soon.

“
So uh, the thorn in my side made his move.”

“
Finally.” Seb groaned. “You know Nate filled me in, I swear girl you are far too patient and quiet.”

I nodded, agreeing with him.

“
But you're good, right?”

“
Yeah, slow but sure. I don't think he's going to move at anything faster than a snail's pace until the healing is done.”

Seb chuckled.

“
You two should come around to my place one day soon, meet the other half. I think you'll love him. Maybe we could go out somewhere or something.”

“
Sure.”

He handed over his business card just a shadow loomed over us. I looked up to the cold and angry face of Jaxon.

Trying my best to diffuse the situation, I slid over and patted the bench seat beside me. He reluctantly sat down.

“
Jaxon, this is Sebastian. He and Nate went to school together. We were just catching up.”

“
Looks like lunch to me.” he grunted under his breath.

“
No, he was passing by and stopped to say hello when he saw me. I'm here with El.”

Who thankfully had appeared and was making a hasty beeline to us. Almost like she could figure out the situation just by looking at it.

“
Sorry I took so long darling, the line was a nightmare.”

Sebastian stood to his feet.

“
Hello Sebastian, good to see you again.”

She hugged him warmly which probably wasn't the most ideal thing to do considering Jaxon's trying to kill him with his death stare.

“
Hello El, I just stopped to see how Kaylee was doing.”

El smiled at me, her usual smile that was her head tilted to one side slightly and warm, affectionate eyes.

“
I suggested that her and Jaxon should come around for a meal.”

Casually he took a slight glance at Jaxon.

“
Or maybe go out somewhere.”

El clasped her hands together with delight.

“
Oh you could double date. Danny would love that.”

Seb chuckled.

“
Yeah, he probably would. I'll see you later.”

I waved as he walked out of the coffee shop, El sat on the now free chair.

“
Whatever issue you've got rattling around in your mind, cut it out.”

As I looked at El I raised an eyebrow. I had never heard her speak so directly like that before. Her interest was in the menu, she didn't bother to look at either of us. Clearly she wasn't prepared to take his crap and I would have agreed in normal circumstances but this wasn't normal. Nate had fooled Jaxon and Seb was the bait. He'd fallen for it and believed that Seb was a potential threat.

I turned slightly to face Jaxon, taking his hands and making him look at me.

“
He's gay.” I said quietly.

“
Pardon?”

“
Sebastian, that man that you were ready to kill... well, you've got a better chance with him than I do.”

I looked at the face of a man that couldn't comprehend it. Of course, I knew why. Seb had been all over me at the party. From the exterior it would look like he was, one hundred percent straight.

“
Gay, not into girls, not into me. Anything registering in there?”

“
Yeah.” he sighed.

“
Oh and he's not really out so you need to shut your pie hole about it.”

His mouth twisted with a slight grin.

“
Pie hole, huh? Sounds like a plan.” he said as he pulled the menu away from me. “So what are you lovely ladies up to?”

“
Shopping.”