“Nara…” he began, then paused and pushed the heat button up a notch. “What’s going on?”
“Thanks,” I muttered, then pressed my hands flat against the blast of heat blowing out of the vent.
Once Drystan turned onto a main road, he shot a look my way.
“There’s just a lot going on in my life right now.” I rolled my head from one shoulder to the other. “I went running to forget for a while. Exercising always helps.”
“You should never have gone alone,” he snapped. “You should’ve rang me to go running with you.”
I was surprised by his admonishment. “You’re not responsible for me, Drystan.” I reached back and patted Houdini’s head. “Plus, I wasn’t alone.”
He cut his gaze to Houdini in the rearview mirror. “You know what I mean.” Exhaling, he asked in a calmer tone, “Do you want to talk about it?”
When I shook my head, he scrubbed his fingers through his hair. “You are the most frustrating, confusing person I’ve ever met.” He grabbed the stick shift in a tight hold. “Just when I think I’ve earned your trust, you shut me out.”
I gripped his hand on the gearshift. “It’s not you, Drystan. Things are just…piling on at home and I’m a bit stressed. That’s all.”
Drystan turned his hand over and grabbed mine. “Then we need to ‘unstress’ you. You’re going with us to the dance tomorrow. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
His insistence actually brought a sense of relief. He was right. I needed to get out and have some fun. We’d have a great time. Once the dance was over, I’d think about why I hadn’t heard from Ethan, my worry for my dad, the mystery behind the secret of Freddie’s book, the fact people thought Ethan’s book was worth killing for…all of it.
I squeezed his hand. “Okay, I’ll go.”
Drystan’s gaze jerked to mine. “Really?”
I laughed, nodding. “I’ll be your good luck charm. While you’re star-struck by the girls’ fake eyelashes, spiked heels and slinky gowns, I’ll help you see past their glamour. That way you’ll know who’s worth asking out. First heads-up, steer clear of Sophia and Miranda. They’re vicious.”
Drystan grinned and released my hand to shift the gear while he turned a corner. “We’re going to have a brilliant time.”
“Well, there is the problem of a suit. You’ll have to get one, and you can’t wear black since the theme is ‘ice.’ It might be too late to find a tux in the right color.”
“Matt will help me find something,” he said. “What about you? Do you have a dress?”
I shrugged. “I won’t be dressed as formal as most of the girls, but I’m sure I can borrow something of Lainey’s. Speaking of Lainey,” I paused and pulled out my phone to send her a text.
Me – 6:45 p.m. ~ I’m going to the dance with you. Aren’t you happy
?
Um, can I borrow something to wear
?”
Once I sent the text, I saw my mom had sent me one asking how I was doing. I replied back, letting her know I was fine.
Lainey – 6:48 p.m. ~ SQUEEEE! I’m so HAPPY you’re going. We’re going to have a fabulous time. I’ll be over in an hour.
Me – 6:49 p.m. ~ Okay. See you soon
.
I still hadn’t received a call or text from Ethan.
Later. I’d deal with it later.
I chanted the calming thought in my head over and over. When we were almost to my house, I checked my phone again. Nothing. The chant wasn’t working. Frustrated with myself, I turned my phone off completely.
Drystan pulled into my driveway and put the Jeep in Park. “Delivering you safe and sound.”
“Thank you for rescuing me from myself.” I gave a wry smile, then opened the door. Houdini jumped out and immediately ran to the grass. Looked like pooper-scooping duty had been added to my duties in addition to leaf-blowing.
I noticed that Drystan hadn’t replied with a funny quip or even a teasing dig. When I glanced his way, he appeared to be mulling something over.
“What’s wrong, Drystan? I can tell you’ve got something on your mind.”
He looked at me pensively. “Would you be willing to help me with something?”
I shut the car door and turned to him. “Of course! Anything. You’ve been there for me many times. I’ll be happy to return the favor if I can.”
He exhaled a relieved breath and reached in his back pocket, then carefully unfolded a white card with black lettering. “I’ve had this invitation from my uncle for weeks. I planned to ignore it.”
“Why?”
Drystan shrugged. “Because I don’t know if he’s just going to drill me about my ability.”
I rubbed my forehead. “Hold on. You were upset with your father for
not
acknowledging you or your ability, but your uncle
wants
to, not only acknowledge you as his nephew, but to discuss your ability, and you don’t like that?”
He lowered his hand to his lap, a grim look on his face. “I’ve pretty much lied to him, telling him my powers had faded as I grew older.”
The things he’d said to me in the past about his uncle made sense now. “Is that why your uncle says you’re in ‘denial’?”
He nodded. “I don’t trust his motives. Why’d he only contact me after my father was dead? Why didn’t my father mention he had a brother?”
“You said your father never married your mother. Is it possible that, just like you didn’t know about your uncle, he didn’t know about you or your mother either?” I glanced at his tight grip on the cardstock paper. Clearly he was torn about going. “How can I help you?”
“The event is tonight.” Drystan rubbed his finger along the black lettering. “I want to know my uncle’s not going to spend the whole time grilling me about my ability,” he said in a derisive tone, then shrugged. “I guess I want to know he wants to get to know me for
me
, regardless of what I can do.”
When he found out about my power, Drystan had commented that if he’d had my power, he’d use the heck out of it. Was he thinking about this invitation when he said that? “Are you asking me to help you see yourself talking with your uncle?”
As he slowly nodded, I smiled and reached for his fist clasping the half-crushed invitation. I wrapped both of my hands around his and said, “Then have a look.”
Drystan’s eyes floated closed. It was a whole minute before his gaze snapped open again.
I released his hand. “Well?”
“My uncle’s ten years older than my dad—who was forty-nine when he died. He’s stockier, but I can see the resemblance. He talked about school starting up, footba—er, soccer, and asked if I’d made friends here yet.” Drystan smiled, relief reflected in his green eyes.
I smiled back. “Have a good time with your uncle tonight.”
* * *
I came out of the bathroom after my shower to find Lainey sitting on my bed, Houdini snuggled against her leg.
“Ohmygod!” I sucked in a gulp of air and gripped the towel around my chest. “You scared the crap out of me!” I shot my dog an accusing look. “Some watchdog you are!”
“He knew I didn’t have evil intentions,” Lainey snickered while she ran a hand down Houdini’s back.
I narrowed my gaze. “How’d you get in here?”
She grinned and flicked her hand, her chunky, multicolored bracelets clinking on her arm. “I remembered the code on your garage door. You know, you really should lock the inside door, Nara. My dad drills that into my head all the time,” she said, pursing her lips.
I rolled my eyes and used the edge of the towel to dry the ends of my hair as I walked over to my dresser to pull out some clean clothes.
“Just get your underwear for now.” Lainey clapped her hands in a chop-chop manner.
I scooped up a bra and underwear, then glanced around my room, looking for the dresses Lainey brought for me to try on. Only her oversized purse lay on my desk. “I thought you were going to bring a couple of dresses?”
Lainey shooed me into the bathroom, her eyes alight with excitement. “Put on your underwear and dry your hair.”
As soon as I walked back out of my bathroom, Lainey grabbed my hand and tugged me over to my bed, where a coat-sized silver box with a gold lid sat at the foot. “Open it, open it. I can’t wait to see your face!” She bounced from one booted foot to the other, her eyes alight.
I eyed the fancy box. Maybe that gorgeous black coat she got for Christmas came in it. Smiling that she wanted to make me feel special by wrapping one of her dresses in special packaging, I lifted the lid and began, “I love how goofy you are, Lane—ohmygod, Lainey! What—what is this?” I dropped the lid and stared at the white and silver Grecian-style dress she’d insisted that I try on at the formalwear store.
“You should see your face,” Lainey squeezed my arm and squealed in my ear. “That was SO worth it!”
I gaped at her. “I can’t afford this dress.”
She shook her head and pulled the dress from the baby-pink tissue paper, holding it up to my chest. “This is my gift to you, Nara. You were too gorgeous in it. Even if you’re not going with Ethan, you deserve to look your very best at the dance.”
My hands shook as I clasped the soft fabric. “When did you get it? You didn’t have time to go to the store before you came over.”
Lainey adopted a smug look. “I bought it while you were changing back into your clothes. You were so oblivious, you didn’t see them zip two dresses into the black plastic garment bag.”
“But I told you I wasn’t going,” I said, surprised by her sneakiness.
Lainey nodded. “I bought it just in case you changed your mind. If you didn’t end up going, I would’ve returned it. No big deal.”
But it was a big deal. My fingers dug into the dress. “This was the most expensive gown in the store, Lainey. It costs more than yours. It’s too much!”
Lainey gripped my shoulders and hugged me close, whispering in my ear, “You’ve been through a lot and need some fun in your life. I love you like a sister, Nara.” She pulled back and finished in a stern voice, “So shut up and put on the dress.”
While Lainey dabbed on my makeup, then pinned up my hair, she babbled about the plans she and Matt had made. When she slid the last bobby pin in my hair, she commented casually, “By the way, my dad told me that they have a new lead on the guy they suspect killed Mr. Holtzman. They went through his P.O. box and found a gym membership. They’ll be staking out the gym this weekend, hoping he’ll show.”
My heart leapt a little. I felt a bit lighter, knowing the police were on the right track. There would be justice for Freddie! “Thank you for keeping me up-to-date,” I said quietly.
Lainey nodded, then switched back to dance plans. “As far as transportation for tomorrow night, now that there’s four of us going, I’m thinking of calling a driver to pick us up. It won’t be a limousine, but probably a town car. I’ve checked and it’ll be a tight squeeze, but four can fit in the back.”
Before I could answer, she turned me toward the stand-up, full-length mirror beside my dresser and squeezed my shoulders. “You’re so freaking gorgeous!”
I blinked at the girl staring back. She looked beautiful, almost perfect. Like a Barbie doll. Only this doll’s smile didn’t quite reach her kohl-smudged green eyes. It was fun getting dressed up, but the one person I wanted to see me looking so elegant wasn’t going to be there. The sad thought eclipsed my brief excitement.
Lainey pouted at my reflection in the mirror. “Smile, Nara. Do you have any idea how many guys’ jaws are going to drop when you walk in the dance?” She smiled and gave an evil chuckle. “Or how many girls are going to want to claw your eyes out.”
When I pursed my lips in the mirror, she suddenly snapped her fingers. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She reached inside her purse, then caught my gaze. “Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to.”
I snapped my eyes shut and waited for her cue. When I felt something cover my eyes, then her fiddling with my hair and tucking edges in, a mischievous smile tilted my lips. A mask. I’d forgotten we had to wear one. I could be totally anonymous, someone else for the night. Someone without any worries.
“Open your eyes, vixen!” Lainey said.
The secret smile was still on my face when I opened my eyes. The mask seemed to emphasize my smoky eyes and full, pouty lips, making me look much older. Now I
really
didn’t recognize myself.
A sudden flash of light blinded me. I glanced in Lainey’s direction to see her lowering her phone and grinning like a proud pageant mom. “You’re going to knock the wind out of everyone, Nara Collins!”
“Thank you for the dress, for trying to cheer me up…” Emotion made my voice crack. “And…for everything.”
Lainey adopted a stern look and wagged her finger. “Don’t you dare cry. You’ll ruin all my hard work.” She swept her hand up and down to cover my entire outfit. “Do you think you can duplicate this look tomorrow night?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“
Hurry up, Nara
!”
Lainey fusses and pulls me out of my bedroom into the hall. My thigh muscles protest the sudden, jerky movements, but I grit my teeth and let her take the lead
.
When she starts to tug me down the stairs, I almost trip on my dress. “Lainey,” I squeal and yank my hand from hers to grab the handrail. “I’d like to make it down the stairs without breaking my neck.”
“Fine,” Lainey huffs, then hikes up her pale blue gown’s skirt to quickly skip down the stairs.
I follow at a slower pace, one hand on the rail, the other holding the hem of my gown away from my shoes. Each step tightens my calf muscles, so I stop for a second to flex my right calf to keep it from cramping
. I’ll never go running endlessly again!
As I reach the midway point, whistles pierce my ears. Matt, Lainey, and Drystan stand at the bottom of the stairs, looking up
.
“Wow, Nara. You look fantastic!” Matt grins and wraps his arm around Lainey.
Lainey’s red curls cascade down her back as she presses her hand to his white tux’s lapel, then tweaks his pale blue tie. Straightening it, she grins at him. “I know, right?”
Dressed in a steel gray tux, Drystan’s blond-streaked hair stands in messy abandon behind a gray mask with black edging. I continue down the stairs and self-consciously touch my hair
. Has one of Lainey’s carefully pinned, dangling curls come loose?
Nope. I glance down at my strapless dress to make sure it hasn’t slid down
. Still in place.
Drystan’s green gaze is impossible to decipher behind that mask
. Why is he being so quiet? Why hasn’t he uttered his usual quips, like, “You clean up well.” Or “Glad to see you own a dress.”
Not that I expect him to load me with compliments, but the lack of comment is deafening
.