Keeping Up Appearances by Elizabeth Stevens

Author:Elizabeth Stevens [Stevens, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780648264873
Google: bqVrtAEACAAJ
Goodreads: 38925252
Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Books
Published: 2018-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

I jogged up to the imposing front door of Xander’s place and rang the bell, no idea what he had in store. I’d been told ‘come comfy’, whatever that meant. Hopefully jeans and a hoody were considered comfy by the dictionary of Xander.

When he opened the door, his phone was to his ear and he gave me a mouthed ‘hey’ as he waved me in.

“…yeah, that’s fine,” he was saying as he rolled his eyes, but he wasn’t looking at me. “No, I’ll check in with her tomorrow.” He paused as he closed the door behind me. “Yeah, sure. No. Have a good time.” He paused again and scrubbed his hand over his chin. “Yes, Mum… Okay… Sure, love you, too.” He didn’t really sound convincing.

He pulled his phone away from his head and pressed his screen. He stared at it for a second before he looked up at me.

“Hey,” I said with a small smile.

He gave a huge sigh and his responding smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Hey. Sorry about that. Mum and Dad just… Got in.”

I nodded. “Oh. They’re away?”

He huffed as he ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah. They do that.”

My eyes took in his tense shoulders, the annoyance in his eyes he was trying to hide, and the way his usual lazy smile was seriously forced.

“Often?” I wondered if that was why I’d never seen them around. Not that I’d spent an inordinate amount of time at his house.

He turned and headed for the kitchen. “You could say that.”

I didn’t know if I should press or not. On one hand, he sounded the same as usual; cocky, relaxed, devil-may-care. Had I just been on the phone to him, then I would have believed it. But, I couldn’t shake the look I’d seen on his face.

“They like to travel. And, Dad makes sure he has to travel for work. A lot,” Xander said as he pulled the fridge open.

“Oh…” What was I supposed to say to that?

Xander shrugged, the muscles bunching under his t-shirt as he stared into the fridge. I watched his hand tighten on the door. “It’s all good. What almost-eighteen year old wouldn’t want the freedom of the house to themselves like ninety per cent of the time? No parental supervision. Do what I want, when I want. It’s great.”

I couldn’t help looking around the huge house, not that I could see most of it from where I was what with the lack of x-ray vision and all. If Xander had this place to himself most of the time, how lonely would that be? What did he do all by himself? Maybe that was why he was out with the Bows so often? Maybe that was one reason he played soccer outside school? He’d be around more people and not have to be in the palatial place all alone.

“Yeah, I bet.” I tried to sound upbeat and supportive.

He shot me a look over his shoulder and I couldn’t tell if he was joining me in some joke that I felt like I’d made but missed, or if he was annoyed by something.

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