It’s cold outside, but the drama is hot!

The Diamond sisters jet to the mountains for spring break, and Savannah’s flirt-mance with an international pop star heats up as her pursuit of stardom succeeds. But is this romance meant to be, or has the right guy been in front of her all along? Meanwhile, Courtney takes the next step with her secret boyfriend—and future stepbrother—and as their parents’ wedding approaches, the pressure’s on to reveal their relationship.

Peyton’s figuring out a plan for her future, but she still feels guilty about getting her former bodyguard fired and wonders if she can get over him in the arms of someone else. But the biggest bombshell will change everything once again, because Madison’s ready to tell the huge secret she’s uncovered. And with the boy who betrayed her but who could be the love of her life fighting for his own life, she might need the Diamond sisters more than ever.

“There’s no easy way to say this.”

Adrian looked closely at each of them, as though searching for the right words. He took a deep breath and said, “When Courtney found out about Britney, I promised there would be no more secrets. I wanted to have relationships with you, something that I think has been going well, with the Sundays we’ve spent together and our vacation over winter break.”

“Okay...” Courtney’s stomach twisted, feeling as if she wasn’t going to like where he was headed with this.

“The Sundays have been going really well,” Savannah added.

Adrian managed a tight-lipped smile. “There’s something else you need to know. I didn’t tell you originally because it involves other people. Now they’re ready for you to know—they were actually ready weeks ago—but it was around the same time you found out about Britney.” He directed that last part to Courtney. “I knew how hard that was on you—on all three of you—and I didn’t want to drop anything else on you while you were grieving for your sister. But I’m not perfect. I’ve made mistakes, and keeping this from you is one of them.”

“You mean there’s something else you’ve been hiding?” Peyton rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised?”

“This is the last secret,” he said. “I promise.”

Praise for Michelle Madow

and The Secret Diamond Sisters

“The exciting—and often terrifying—exploration of the Vegas strip is tempered by the more relatable plotline of the sisters trying to figure out their past.... Gossip Girl meets The Princess Diaries in a city that never sleeps.”

—Booklist

“This quick and entertaining read is filled with glitz and glamour. The Vegas setting fascinates. The Diamond sisters are so different that at least one sibling will be completely relatable to readers, making the novel even more fun. Get ready for one crazy and fabulous ride.”

—RT Book Reviews

“Highly addictive! Hold on tight, because The Secret Diamond Sisters throws you headfirst into the Vegas fast lane. A fun ride not to be missed!”

—Rachel Harris, author of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

Diamonds Are Forever

Michelle Madow

To Natashya Wilson, for helping me make this series better than I’d ever imagined it could be. I’ve learned so much from you—thank you for your belief in me and the Diamond sisters from the very beginning!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Praise

Title Page

Dedication

Chapter 1: Savannah

Chapter 2: Courtney

Chapter 3: Peyton

Chapter 4: Madison

Chapter 5: Savannah

Chapter 6: Courtney

Chapter 7: Peyton

Chapter 8: Madison

Chapter 9: Savannah

Chapter 10: Courtney

Chapter 11: Peyton

Chapter 12: Madison

Chapter 13: Savannah

Chapter 14: Courtney

Chapter 15: Peyton

Chapter 16: Madison

Chapter 17: Savannah

Chapter 18: Courtney

Chapter 19: Peyton

Chapter 20: Madison

Chapter 21: Savannah

Chapter 22: Courtney

Chapter 23: Peyton

Chapter 24: Madison

Chapter 25: Savannah

Chapter 26: Courtney

Chapter 27: Peyton

Chapter 28: Madison

Chapter 29: Savannah

Chapter 30: Courtney

Chapter 31: Peyton

Chapter 32: Madison

Epilogue: Brianna

Acknowledgments

Copyright

www.campusbuzz.com

High Schools > Nevada > Las Vegas > The Goodman School

Happy New Year!

Posted on Thursday 1/1 at 1:19 PM

Why does the year always feel like it goes by so fast? It seems like just yesterday that we were all starting the fall semester! And I don’t know about you all, but winter break has been amazing, and I’m so not ready for school to start up again. But who would be, after spending Christmas and New Years partying in an exotic location? (Not telling you where, because this IS anonymous! ;) I’m so not ready to get back into school mode. Waking up early, studying...who needs that? At least we have a few days of break left...

1: Posted on Thursday 1/1 at 1:56 PM

Been seeing everyone’s pictures from winter break and it’s so not fair you all are doing such fun things while I’ve been stuck here!! Super jealous.

2: Posted on Thursday 1/1 at 2:09 PM

don’t spend too much time being jealous—it could be worse! like oliver, who’s been in the hospital for the entire break. I heard he’s all messed up from the car crash and won’t be back at school when it starts up.

3: Posted on Thursday 1/1 at 2:49 PM

Apparently Madison’s been at the hospital every minute she can...

4: Posted on Thursday 1/1 at 2:55 PM

She must feel guilty, since she got in that huge fight with him at Savannah’s party before he left!!!

5: Posted on Thursday 1/1 at 3:24 PM

The accident wasn’t Madison’s fault, and even though I was never friends with Oliver, I do feel bad for him. But the winner for the best new years has gotta be the Diamonds. Have you all seen their pics from rome? Fireworks at the coliseum, popping champagne on the streets . . I’ve gotta get there someday!

chapter 1:

If someone had told Savannah Diamond eight months ago that she would be in a private jet, flying from Las Vegas to LA to meet with a talent agent who wanted to manage her career as a YouTube singer, she wouldn’t have believed them. Because eight months ago, she was living in a tiny apartment in a run-down neighborhood in Fairfield, California, with her two older sisters, Courtney and Peyton, and her mom, whose drinking had spiraled out of control. Then her father (whom she’d never met) had sent Mom to rehab, and Savannah and her sisters had discovered that their father was Adrian Diamond. Yes, that Adrian Diamond—the billionaire who owned multiple hotels in Las Vegas.

She and her sisters had been whisked away to live in the penthouse of their father’s newest building on the Las Vegas Strip: The Diamond Hotel and Residences.

Their father had been quick to tell them about how Courtney had been kidnapped as an infant, and how their connection to him put them in danger. What he hadn’t told them (and what Courtney had discovered a few weeks ago), was that Courtney had once had a twin sister, Britney, who’d been kidnapped along with Courtney. When their father took too long to pay the ransom, the kidnappers had taken Britney’s life. Adrian had never forgiven himself.

Savannah hated that she’d been lied to for so long, but with so many opportunities in front of her, she believed that everything could only get better from here. Mom was out of rehab and was doing better than ever. Her father was finally part of her life, and she was enjoying getting to know him. She loved her new private school—the Goodman School—and for the first time, she fit in with a big group of friends. On top of all that, her YouTube channel was doing better than ever, thanks to the guys in One Connection Tweeting about it during her Sweet Sixteen party. And the hottest of the five of them, Perry Myles, frequently replied to her Tweets and had sent her a few text messages.

But while it might sound like something from a fairy tale, everything was still far from perfect. Her best friend from home, Evie, had become jealous of her new life, and they hadn’t spoken since their fight during her Sweet Sixteen. And she still had feelings for Damien Sanders, who was making up for breaking her heart over the summer by helping her develop her YouTube channel. Also, Courtney and Peyton had made Savannah promise that the three of them wouldn’t speak to Mom and Grandma until Courtney was ready, but giving them the silent treatment made Savannah feel so guilty, and she’d only lasted a week before she’d started talking to Mom and Grandma behind her sisters’ backs.

Savannah had never broken a promise to her sisters. She hoped they wouldn’t find out, but she feared it would happen eventually, and she’d barely been able to eat since that first phone call to Mom. Mom and Grandma had told Savannah that everything would be all right, and that if Courtney and Peyton found out, they would forgive her. Savannah wasn’t so sure.

But right now, she had to relax and mentally prepare for her meeting with the talent agent. She also had to pay attention to Rebecca’s chattering about her upcoming wedding to Adrian. Because while Savannah had been given a lot of freedom since moving to Las Vegas, she was still only sixteen, and Adrian didn’t want her traveling alone (even though she had a personal bodyguard). So he’d sent her future stepmother, Rebecca, along. Which, of course, meant wedding talk. The wedding was already being dubbed “The Upcoming Wedding of the Year: A Romance to Rival William and Kate’s,” and Adrian and Rebecca were being called “The Duke and Duchess of Vegas” in tabloids everywhere.

“What do you think—matching bridesmaid dresses, or each of you picking a color and style that suits you?” Rebecca played with her huge heart-shaped engagement ring, which was apparently worth over a million dollars.

“Courtney, Peyton and I have such different styles. But don’t bridesmaids wear matching dresses?”

“Most of the time,” Rebecca said. “But I’m grateful that you and your sisters agreed to be bridesmaids, so I want to consider your opinions.”

“I would pick blue,” Savannah said, smoothing out her blue silk top. “It’s my favorite because it matches my eyes. But watch out if you give Peyton a choice. The only color she wears is black—if that even counts as a color.”

“Since it’s going to be a bright spring wedding, I certainly don’t plan on having my bridesmaids wear black.” Rebecca smiled and checked her watch. “Anyway, we’re almost there. Are you excited?”

“I’m nervous.” Savannah bounced her knees and looked out the window. They were no longer flying over desert, but dense clusters of houses—they must be getting closer to the city. “What if I mess up while talking to her, or she doesn’t like me?”

“Just relax and be yourself,” Rebecca said. “She’s going to love you.”

“It sounds easy when you say it like that.” Savannah sighed. “But this is Lynda Caine—agent to some of the top YouTube stars all over the country. My mind will go blank the second I walk into her office.”

“She wouldn’t have invited you to meet with her if she wasn’t serious about taking you on as a client,” Rebecca reminded her. “This meeting is a formality. You’ve got this, Savannah.”

Savannah took a deep breath. When Rebecca put it that way, it didn’t sound as intimidating. But that didn’t stop her nerves from feeling like they might burst.

This was Savannah’s one chance, and she refused to mess it up.

* * *

“So that’s the basics,” Lynda Caine said from behind her desk. She looked so pristine in her beige suit, her hair pulled into a delicate top bun, and she looked Savannah straight in the eyes. “I’ll want your cover songs up on iTunes, and for you to make joint videos with my other clients. Emily Nicole’s told me how much she loves your videos, and that you chat on Twitter, so the two of you could make a great team. I’ll also find brands to pitch you to for possible sponsorships—we’ll get an idea of the demographics following you online to figure out where to book live shows, and I’m going to push for you to perform at VidCon this summer. How does all that sound?”

“It sounds amazing,” Savannah said, breathless. “I love Emily Nicole’s channel, so doing a video with her would be awesome. And I’ve always wanted to perform at VidCon.” She tapped her fingers against her legs, glancing at Rebecca for confirmation. Rebecca had to say yes. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. How could she turn it down?

“And eventually Savannah will work with a cowriter and record original songs?” Rebecca asked.

Savannah clenched her fists, wishing Rebecca hadn’t brought that up. Yes, it had always been her dream to record an album of her own. But that would never happen if Lynda decided her family was too pushy and didn’t sign her because of it.

“That will come in time.” Lynda smiled brightly. “But as I said earlier, first we need to get Savannah a secure enough following through her YouTube cover songs. She already has a healthy number of fans on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, but those fans need to develop trust in her brand, and feel like they know her as a person. Once we see a bigger boost in Savannah’s social media following, we’ll record original songs.”

“Perfect,” Savannah jumped in, not wanting Rebecca to have another chance to mess this up. “I’ve been trying my best on Twitter and Instagram and everything—thanks to a good friend who helped me. But let me know anything else you want me to do on social media, and I will.”

“Are you referring to Perry Myles from One Connection?” Lynda leaned forward, her eyes hungry.

“Perry helped me a lot when he Tweeted about my channel,” she said, since it was the truth. “But it was a guy from my school—Damien—who helped me at first. Way before anyone heard about my channel, Damien had all these great ideas for me to spread word online. My YouTube channel would be nowhere without him.”

Lynda raised an eyebrow. “Is Damien your boyfriend?”

“No.” Savannah swallowed and looked down at her hands. “He’s just a friend.”

“And Perry...?” she asked. “In your segment on My Fabulous Sweet Sixteen, it looked like there might be something between you two.”

“Seriously?” Savannah laughed. “No way. I mean, we Tweet and text sometimes, but he’s one of the most famous people in the world. He could have any girl he wanted.”

“And if that girl were you?” Lynda asked. “Being seen with Perry would be excellent publicity. You know how much his appearance at your party helped your channel—now imagine that tenfold.” She paused, which gave Savannah just enough time to imagine Perry getting out of a limo at the Grammys—with her by his side. “That’s what would happen if you pursued this opportunity.”

Savannah’s eyes widened. It was beyond cool whenever she saw a Tweet or text from Perry, since he was so famous that she’d never imagined he would know she existed. But he wasn’t truly interested in her. Was he?

“Perry’s cool and all,” Savannah said. “But it would never work between us.”

Lynda smiled, as if she knew something Savannah didn’t. “Why do you say that?”

“Because...” She pressed her lips together, not wanting to say the first thought she had—that pursuing something with Perry would wreck the chance of anything happening between her and Damien. “He lives in a different country. And he’s on a world tour, so we can’t even see each other. Not that it matters, since we barely know each other.”

“I thought the two of you Tweeted and texted?”

“It’s just chitchat,” Savannah said. “He’s not interested in me. And even if he was, I follow gossip sites, so I know his reputation. He never dates anyone for longer than a few weeks, if that.”

“You can’t give those sites too much credit,” Lynda said. “Yes, Perry’s an international superstar, but he’s only seventeen. You can’t fault him for not having had a long-term relationship yet. And the two of you looked like you really clicked on your segment of My Fabulous Sweet Sixteen.”

“It was my party, and he was paid to be there,” she said. “Of course he was nice to me.”

“You said yourself that he’s stayed in contact with you since the party,” Lynda said. “Was he paid to do that, too?”

“No,” Savannah admitted. “But he’s just being friendly. He has his choice of every girl in the world. Why would he pick me?”

“You’re not giving yourself enough credit,” Lynda said. “You keep coming up with reasons why it wouldn’t work, but how do you know if you don’t give it a try?”

“I guess I don’t.” Savannah shrugged.

“Exactly,” Lynda said. “The One Connection world tour breaks in March. You could try seeing Perry again during that break, and in the meantime, get to know him better over the phone. The exposure could really help your career.”

Savannah froze, not sure what to say. Because Perry wasn’t the guy she was interested in—he wasn’t the one she thought about all the time, wondering what it would be like if they ever dated. That guy was Damien.

Unfortunately, ever since her disastrous crush on him last summer, Damien had put her in the permanent “friend-zone.”

“If Savannah’s not interested in pursuing a relationship with Perry Myles, then she’s not interested,” Rebecca interrupted. “I thought we were here to discuss a media contract—not Savannah’s social life.”

“Networking is an important part of being successful,” Lynda said. “Savannah asked if there was anything she could do that would help her career. My biggest suggestion right now is to pursue this connection with Perry Myles. But if you don’t want to take my advice...”

“I’ll do it.” The words burst from Savannah’s mouth, and she sat straighter, hoping she looked more confident than she felt. She was not losing this chance. “If you want me to get to know Perry better and see him in March, then I’ll do everything I can to make it happen. I promise.”

“All I ask is that you try.” Lynda pulled a few papers out from a drawer in her desk and handed them over to Rebecca. “This contract outlines everything we’ve discussed. I’ll need both of you to sign—assuming you’re Savannah’s official guardian?”

“I won’t be until the wedding.” Rebecca flipped through the pages. “Right now her official guardian is her father, Adrian Diamond. He’ll want to have his lawyer look this over before he or Savannah signs anything.”

Savannah deflated and sat back in her chair. What if in the time between now and the lawyer reading it, Lynda decided she didn’t want to represent her anymore?

“Can I sign it now?” She held up the pen, ready to go. “Then we can bring it home and Adrian can sign it when he’s ready?”

“Adrian wants you to wait,” Rebecca said. “Nothing’s going to change in the next few days.”

Savannah crossed her arms and frowned, but she didn’t want to argue with Rebecca in front of Lynda. Adrian’s signature was the one that mattered, anyway.

Rebecca plucked one of Lynda’s cards from the holder on her desk and added, “Adrian’s lawyer will contact you if he has any questions.”

“Of course,” Lynda said. “I look forward to working with you.”

They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Lynda’s assistant led them out of the building, where the limo was waiting. Savannah slid inside after Rebecca, feeling like she was able to breathe for the first time since waking up that morning.

“You have an offer of representation.” Rebecca did a little shimmy dance with her shoulders as she buckled her seat belt. “Aren’t you excited?”

“I would be if the contract was signed.” Savannah leaned against the door and huffed. “But that went totally awful.”

“Why do you think that?” Rebecca’s hands went straight to her pearls—she seemed honestly surprised. “I thought it went well.”

“Except that you kept giving Lynda a hard time,” Savannah said. “Now she probably thinks we’re too much trouble and will change her mind about representing me.”

“I wasn’t giving her a hard time,” Rebecca said, soft and steady. “I was looking out for your best interests. It’s routine to ask questions in a meeting like that, and then have a lawyer look over a contract. But Lynda wants to represent you. She wouldn’t have offered you the contract otherwise. Although...” She paused, and Savannah had a feeling she wasn’t going to like whatever Rebecca was going to say next. “I’m worried about what she said about Perry Myles. You shouldn’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” Savannah said. “Perry was nice to me at my party, and he’s been nice to me ever since.”

“You did seem to get along well,” Rebecca agreed. “But are you really interested in him, or were you saying what you thought Lynda wanted to hear?”

“Who wouldn’t be interested in Perry Myles?” Savannah smiled, trying to shrug it off. “I just never thought I had a chance. But Lynda’s right—I should try harder to reach out to him.”

Plus, if Savannah told Rebecca that she was worried because she didn’t want to mess up her non-relationship with Damien, then Rebecca might tell Lynda, and Lynda might second-guess how devoted Savannah was to her career. Besides, Damien and Perry didn’t know each other. If Savannah tried harder with Perry, and nothing came of it, Damien would never know. And if she tried harder and something did come from it...well, she doubted that would happen.

If it did, she would deal with it then.

Worry crossed over Rebecca’s eyes, and Savannah’s heart raced. Was she not convincing enough? Maybe she should change the subject.

“I can’t wait to shoot a video with Emily Nicole,” she said. “I’ve been a fan of hers for years, and her channel is huge. She seems like a really fun person, too.”

“I’m glad you’re excited,” Rebecca said. “And I’m sorry you thought I wasn’t on your side in there. But I hope you know that I’m just trying to do what’s best for you.”

“Which is signing that contract with Lynda.” Savannah squared her shoulders, looking Rebecca straight in the eye.

“And unless there’s something seriously wrong in that contract, that’s exactly what’s going to happen,” she said. “How about we have a big family dinner tonight to celebrate?”

“So this is really happening?” Savannah asked. “I’m a real singer with an agent?”

“You’ve always been a ‘real singer.’” Rebecca smiled. “But yes, it’s really happening.”

“Then I have to text Courtney and Peyton.” She grabbed her phone and told them in a group message. They didn’t respond right away, so she opened her text chain with Damien and shared the news with him.

CONGRATS!!! he replied back immediately. Let’s grab hot chocolate at the Lobby Bar when you get back, so you can tell me everything? :)

Savannah smiled at the thought of seeing Damien, and she told him she would let him know when she landed. She was about to put her phone away when she remembered Lynda’s advice—get to know Perry better.

A text right now would be a good start.

She opened her texts with Perry. The last message she’d sent was a picture of her at the Coliseum with her sisters, wishing him a Happy New Year from Rome. He’d texted her back from NYC, with a picture of him and his One Connection bandmate Noel in their hotel room, looking over at the crowd they were getting ready to perform to in a few hours for New Year’s Rockin’ Eve at Times Square.

He was so famous, and she was an amateur. But she drafted what she would say to him, anyway.

Hey! Just got out of a meeting at Caine Talent—Lynda Caine offered me a contract!! I know you’re probably busy with your tour, but your tweeting about my channel is a huge reason why this happened, so I wanted to share the news and thank you again :)

She stared at the text without sending it. She hadn’t even gotten something big, like a record deal. It was just representation. Something Perry probably got years ago.

But everyone had to start somewhere, right? And Lynda had told her to try connecting more with Perry.

So she held her breath, and pressed Send.

chapter 2:

Courtney couldn’t believe that Brett had talked her into watching the first three episodes of The Walking Dead. They were halfway through episode two, and the blood and gore was so not up her alley.

He pulled her closer, his arm fitting perfectly around her shoulders, and she snuggled into his side. “Is the show growing on you?” he asked, his green eyes sparkling. The way he looked at her warmed her heart every time—as if he cared about her more than anyone else in the world.

“Not really,” she said, smiling in apology. “But I was just thinking about how I could get payback by making you watch the first three episodes of Downton Abbey.”

He reached for the remote and pressed Pause. “We can turn it off,” he said. “There are tons of other shows we can marathon. Have you ever seen Lost?”

“Nope.” Courtney was really more of a reader than a TV-watcher—especially since they hadn’t had cable in their apartment in Fairfield, California. She’d been at work when most shows were on, anyway. “But I’ll give it a shot if it means more time spent with you.”

“You have no idea how hard it was to pretend like you’re only my friend when we were in Italy,” he said, squeezing her hand.

“I do have an idea.” She leaned closer to him and tilted her head up, her stomach fluttering at how there were only inches between them. “I loved Italy, and it’s great that Adrian’s so happy with your mom, but keeping away from you because our parents were watching drove me absolutely crazy.”

“Not as crazy as it drove me,” he teased, brushing his nose against hers.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Her gaze locked on his, her breath catching in anticipation of kissing him. After only a few seconds of restraint, he lowered his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart beating wildly as she kissed him back, feeling as if her body would melt into his. She wished she could feel this happy forever.

Then her cell buzzed, and she pulled back to rest her forehead against his. She glared at her phone. Reaching for it meant moving away from Brett, and she didn’t want to do that.

“Whoever it is can wait,” he murmured, burying his fingers in her hair and bringing his lips to hers again.

She closed her eyes, losing herself in his touch, wanting to take advantage of their time alone. But eventually, she found the strength to break away. “It could be Savannah telling me how it went with that agent,” she said. “She was so excited before leaving this morning... I have to see if it’s her.”

“I know.” He brushed his lips against hers, softer this time, and she leaned back into him. He was so intoxicating that she wanted to forget the rest of the world existed. But he untangled himself from her arms, reached for her phone and handed it to her. “The sooner you check, the sooner we can get back to where we left off.”

“Right.” Courtney’s hand shook as she unlocked her phone and tapped the message icon. Just as she’d thought, the text was from Savannah.

The agent offered me a contract!! Just need dad’s lawyer to look it over so he can sign it, and then it’s official! Family dinner tonight to celebrate :)

“Well?” Brett asked. “Good news, I hope?”

“She was offered a contract,” Courtney said as she texted Savannah back, congratulating her. “We’re doing a family dinner tonight to celebrate.”

“And you don’t sound thrilled because...you’ll have to hold off on talking to Peyton about that college application you filled out for her?”

“You got it.” She put her phone on vibrate and tossed it in her bag. “I was ready to talk with her about it tonight, but now that we’ll be celebrating, I don’t want to ruin Savannah’s good mood. I guess it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. And you know how much Peyton hates the idea of going to college, so I want to get it over with.”

“What’s the worst she can do?” Brett asked.

“I don’t know.” Courtney shrugged. “Tell our parents that we’re together?”

“She wouldn’t do that,” he said. “She was egging me on to make a move on you the whole time we were in Italy. So was Savannah. Your sisters are our biggest fans.”

“If only Adrian and your mom would see what they see,” she mused, tracing her fingers along his palms. “It would be so much easier.”

“We could always try to tell them again.” He spoke faster, as if the idea excited him. “Our parents are getting married in a few months. So we can’t hide this from them forever. And once they realize that we’ve been together for a few weeks, and how well things are going, they’ll have to support us. That was our plan when we decided to go for this, right?”

“I guess.” Courtney’s stomach dropped from thinking about it. “But honestly, I think the chances are higher that Peyton will decide she wants to go to college.”

“I doubt that,” he said. “You filled out Peyton’s application for her. Most people would love to have someone do that. I don’t think she’ll be as mad as you think.”

“You don’t know her as well as I do,” she said. “She’ll probably yell at me, tell me I have no right to try controlling her future and delete the application.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And would that be the first time Peyton’s ever yelled at you?”

“No.” She laughed. “Good point. And I did back the application up on the cloud.”

“Then you’ll be fine.” He pulled her close again, his eyes blazing with an intensity that made her heart feel like it was going to beat out of her chest. “Now, where were we before we got interrupted?”

“Right about here...” Courtney leaned into him and pressed her lips to his once more. It wasn’t long before he’d lowered her onto the couch, every inch of his body on hers. Her heart thumped harder. She’d never been this close to him before—but it felt so right that she didn’t want to stop.

Someone knocked on the door. Brett bolted off her, his eyes panicked as he straightened his shirt. Courtney glanced at the door, sure she must look as confused as he did.

“It’s probably Peyton.” She sat up and ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to smooth it. She hoped it was Peyton. Because her lips felt swollen, and her cheeks felt flushed—she would bet that anyone would know from looking at her and Brett what had just been going on between them.

Whoever it was knocked again.

“Brett? Courtney?” Adrian’s voice called from the other side of the door. “Are you two in there?”

Brett grabbed a textbook from the coffee table and opened it on his lap. “We’re studying, right?” he said softly to Courtney, his voice surprisingly calm—as if they hadn’t just been having a heavy make-out session on the couch.

“Of course.” She gathered up a pile of flash cards and shuffled through them. It was good that she was so paranoid about having a cover story about hanging out with Brett. Plus, she really had wanted to get some studying done for their upcoming quiz in AP History. She’d just gotten...distracted.

Brett took a sip of water from the glass on the end table and lounged back on the couch. “Yeah, we’re in here,” he called back to Adrian.

They heard a key card slide into the slot, then Adrian opened the door and strolled into Brett’s penthouse. As always, he wore a perfectly fitted navy suit, his blond hair slicked back as if he’d just come out of an important business meeting. But there was something different about him today. Usually he was a mask of calm—Courtney often had a rough time deciphering what was going on in his mind—but today, he seemed to be...glowing. He even grabbed a few M&M’s from the bowl Brett kept in the foyer, which was surprising, since he rarely ate sweets.

“Peyton told me you would be here,” he said, popping an M&M into his mouth. He glanced at the open textbook, then scrutinized the foot of space left on the couch between them.

“She did?” Courtney leaned even farther away from Brett, holding her flash cards so tightly that they bent. How could Peyton have told Adrian where to find her without warning her first? Did she want Courtney and Brett to get caught?

“Yes, she did.” Adrian looked back and forth between them. “She said you were studying.”

“That’s right,” Brett jumped in. “Sorry we didn’t answer when you knocked the first time. Courtney’s pretty intense when she studies, and she didn’t want to ruin her concentration until she finished reciting the answer to one of the short essay questions.”

“I got it right,” she squeaked, holding up a flash card as “proof.”

“I’m not surprised, judging by your excellent grades last semester,” Adrian said. “I didn’t expect your transition to Goodman to go as well as it did. Your report card was impressive.”

“Thank you.” Courtney smiled, but when she looked down at her flash cards, guilt flooded her chest. She was proud of her grades last semester, but she had to keep them up if she wanted to get into Stanford. And if she kept making out with Brett instead of studying, that wasn’t going to happen.

“Anyway, as proud as I am about your grades, that isn’t why I came in here,” Adrian said, situating himself in one of the chairs in the living room. “I have some good news.”

“Cool.” Brett closed the textbook and placed it on the coffee table. “What’s up?”

“I just got back from seeing the Prescotts at the hospital,” he said. “With everything that’s happened to Oliver, Logan’s been doing a lot of thinking recently, and he and I had the longest conversation we’ve had since the fallout at the grand opening last summer.”

Courtney’s eyes lowered at the mention of the grand opening. Because the “fallout”—when Logan had decided he didn’t want to be business partners with Adrian for a major hotel they’d been planning in Macau—had been partly her fault.

“How’s Oliver doing?” Courtney asked. She wanted to get the talk away from the grand opening, but she also truly wanted an update. She might not like Oliver, but she wouldn’t wish what had happened to him on anyone.

“He’s recovering,” Adrian said. “His worst injury was his knee, but the surgery went well, and he should be able to walk on it soon. It seems that his biggest challenge is psychological. Logan wouldn’t give me all the details, but it’s clear that alcohol and drugs were why Oliver got into that accident. He’s getting treatment, and is refusing to see anyone but his immediate family members.”

“Not even Madison?” Courtney wasn’t Madison’s biggest fan, either, but apparently Oliver had left Savannah’s party while drunk because of a huge fight with Madison. If Madison hadn’t seen Oliver since that night, she must be a wreck.

“Are you friends with Madison?” Adrian looked taken aback, but it took him only a second to compose himself. “I’ve never seen you spend time with her.”

“We have a lot of the same classes, and we’re both student tutors,” she said. “I’m not exactly friends with her, but I know she cares about Oliver.”

“Logan didn’t mention her, but since Oliver’s only seen his immediate family, I’m guessing that doesn’t include Madison.” Adrian clasped his hands in his lap. “Anyway, Oliver’s expected to make a full recovery, so everyone’s grateful for that. But as I mentioned, Logan and I had a heart-to-heart this morning. After the scare he had with Oliver—especially in that first week, when the doctors weren’t sure if he was going to make it—he apparently had a ‘revelation.’ He said he was hypocritical in judging my family, especially when Oliver has more troubles than any of you, and apologized for breaking off our partnership.” He paused, glancing at Brett. “Logan said his snapping point was that black eye you gave Oliver before the midnight ribbon cutting—”

“Oliver was being a dick,” Brett said, clenching his fists. “If you knew what happened, you would have wanted to punch him, too.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Adrian chuckled. “But that’s no way to work through a problem, and Rebecca was right to have grounded you for the rest of summer. I’m just glad there haven’t been any reoccurrences of that behavior.”

“It’s the only time I’ve ever punched someone,” Brett said. “I think my hand was as bruised as Oliver’s face.”

“I don’t suppose you want to share why you punched him?”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Courtney jumped in. “It happened months ago. It’s over.”

No way was she telling Adrian about Oliver’s bet to sleep with her and her sisters before the end of summer—and that he’d succeeded with Peyton and had been trying to make moves on Courtney, too.

“Well, I hope you’ll work past your differences with Oliver,” Adrian said. “Or at least be civil with him. Because Logan’s revisiting the idea of us collaborating for the super hotel in Macau. If this goes through—which, judging from the way he was talking about it, it seems like it will—it should be our most successful hotel to date.”

“That’s amazing.” Courtney smiled. She’d felt guilty about what had happened last summer, but she’d figured there was no fixing it, so she’d stopped dwelling on it. Now, relief flooded her veins that she hadn’t messed everything up after all.

“Yes, it is,” Adrian said. “We’ll have two things to celebrate tonight—Savannah’s offer from that agent, and the new hotel in Macau. Anyway, I have some phone calls to make, but I’ll see you at dinner at eight at the Five Diamond.”

“Sounds good,” Courtney said.

“Congrats again,” Brett added. “When you talked about the plans for the hotel last year, it sounded like it’ll be awesome.”

“It certainly will be.” Adrian stood and headed for the door, flashing them one last smile. “Now I’ll let you get back to that studying.”

Once he was gone, Courtney let out a long breath and leaned back on the couch. “That was close,” she said. “What was Peyton thinking, sending Adrian in here without warning us? I’m seriously going to strangle her.” She stomped over to her bag and grabbed her cell, her chest heated.

She immediately saw two missed calls and three texts, all from Peyton.

1: Adrian just came over here and wants to talk to u! I told him ur at Brett’s studying...so be sure ur STUDYING! ;)

2: PICK UP YOUR CELL!! I tried to delay him, but he’s going to Brett’s and I know ur prob NOT studying!

3: If you get caught, this SO isn’t my fault.

“What happened?” Brett asked. “You’re staring at your phone with the same horrified look you get whenever a zombie pops out on The Walking Dead.”

“I am such an idiot!” Courtney threw her phone onto the couch and paced around the room. “I let my guard down, and we almost got caught. What if Adrian had come in here without knocking? Do you know how much trouble we would be in?”

“Relax.” He stood and held her hands in his, steadying her. “Adrian and my mom always knock. It was close, but we were fine. He believed the studying cover-up.”

Courtney glanced guiltily at the flash cards. “It shouldn’t have had to be a cover-up,” she said. “Because we have that quiz in AP history about our winter-break reading, and I’ve barely reviewed for it. I needed to spend the afternoon studying. Instead, you talked me into watching that TV show.”

“I thought we were having fun hanging out,” he said softly. “I wasn’t trying to mess up your studying.”

“Well, we didn’t get any studying done, and now we have that dinner tonight that’ll probably take forever.” She gathered her flash cards and textbook and shoved them into her bag. “You can ace a test by cramming the night before, but I’ve never been able to do that. And we’re about to start second semester junior year. I can’t let my grades drop. Especially since my PSAT scores weren’t as high as I wanted them to be.”

“Courtney.” Brett wrapped his arms around her from behind. “You’re right. If you want to study now, we’ll study, okay? I don’t want to distract you from doing well in school—I know how much your grades matter to you.”

She closed her eyes and relaxed into his arms, wishing they could go back to ten minutes ago—before Adrian had almost busted them, when she wasn’t thinking about anything except wanting to be with Brett. But she couldn’t do that. So she spun to face him, gathering the courage to say what she needed. “It’s more than my grades,” she said, forcing each word out. “You heard Adrian—that big hotel deal with Logan is back on again. I can’t mess it up for him a second time.”

“We won’t mess it up,” Brett said, his gaze steady. “Because this whole thing with Adrian and my mom not wanting us to be together is stupid. We care about each other, and no matter how much they don’t want us to feel that way, we can’t ignore it. We shouldn’t have to pretend anymore.”

“So what do you want to do?” she asked.

“Tell them the truth.”

“Just like that?” She shook her head, amazed by how easy he made it sound. “I know we were planning on telling them eventually, but now that the hotel deal is back on again, it changes everything. And I can’t get distracted this semester and let my grades drop.”

“What are you saying?” He dropped his arms to his sides. “You don’t want us to be together anymore?”

“After trying to keep my distance from you last semester, I know that won’t work,” she said. “But I do need time to think. And to study. Alone.”

“Are you sure?” He reached for her, and before she could process what was happening, he was kissing her again, so softly, as if begging her to stay.

Her heart jumped, and she kissed him back, but only for a few seconds before pulling away. When she looked into his eyes, so full of how much he cared for her, she wished everything wasn’t so complicated. But her family was counting on her—to be responsible, to get good grades, to follow the rules, to be the good example. And more important, she expected those things of herself.

“I’m sure,” she choked out. “But I don’t trust myself to get any studying done if I stay here, and I need to be ready for that quiz. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He traced her cheek with his fingers, and it took all her willpower not to lean into him and kiss him again. “I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“Okay.” She zipped her bag closed, picked it up, and headed for the door. When she turned to have one more look at him, he still stood there, watching her, as if waiting for her to change her mind.

Part of her wanted to throw her stuff on the ground and resume where things had left off before Adrian interrupted them. But the bag of textbooks weighed on her back, reminding her about how much studying she had to do before dinner.

“See you tonight,” she said softly, letting herself out. The door closed behind her, and she leaned against it, taking in a deep breath.

Even though they would see each other tonight, nothing could happen, because it would be a family dinner. Meaning they would have to pretend that everything between them—the depth of how much they cared for each other—didn’t exist at all.

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