Sweet Evil(33)

Her eyes locked with mine. “We have to find a way to get you there soon. I’ll contact every paper and magazine I know and beg for extra work. If it’s not this summer, then you may have to miss a little school in the fall.”

“I’ll see if I can get more hours at the ice-cream shop, too. We’ll make it work. We’ll get there in time.”

And if we didn’t? What would happen if Sister Ruth took the information about me to the grave?

“You know,” I said, realizing something, “we could contact my father and ask for money.”

“No.” Patti’s face went rigid for a second. “We’ll find a way.” She leaned her head to me and whispered, “Do you trust this boy?”

“I trust that he’s probably listening to this conversation right now.”

“Surely he’s capable of being a gentleman and wouldn’t do such a thing,” she said with false sweetness. I knew she was saying it to him, not me. I wondered how Kaidan would fare against a mother’s guilt trip.

“I still don’t know him very well, but my gut and my heart tell me to trust him.”

“That’s good. Your gut and heart are very accurate. He’s awfully good-looking, though. That can sometimes muddle things.” She kept a straight face.

I shrugged. “He’s good-looking, I guess. I know I have to be careful.”

She seemed satisfied that I didn’t swoon when I spoke of him. “Well, let’s not leave him out there forever.”

When we returned to the living room he was standing, looking at the wall of photos. I had never once in all my life had cause to feel embarrassed about the cozy place I called home. But as I looked at it then, after being in Kaidan’s pristine and luxurious house, everything seemed old and quaint. Patti’s artsy black-and-white pictures depicting my childhood that lined the walls were humiliating. He pointed and smirked at the photo of me at age six, where I was missing my front teeth.

I lifted my eyes skyward and sat on the couch. Patti went into the kitchen and took down some glasses.

“Are you sure I can’t get you something to drink? We have sweet tea, and...” She shuffled around in the fridge. “Well, that’s it besides water.”

“Tea would be nice, thank you,” Kaidan answered.

I was pleased he’d taken her up on the offer. Patti got miffed when people turned down her hospitality.

Kaidan carefully sat down next to me on the tattered old couch. I remembered him splayed out on the fancy sofa at his house with his boots up, and I found it ironic that he would show our dingy thing more respect.

Patti gave us our drinks and he took a big swig, smiling politely.

“Thank you. I never had cold tea until I came to America.”

“Really?” Patti asked. “Yes, I noticed your accent. England?”

“Mostly, yes.” He took another drink. “I don’t mean to pry, but I heard you mention that the car troubles are interfering with a trip you planned?”

“We are saving for a trip to California,” Patti said. Her guard was up. He probably couldn’t tell, but I could. She always crossed her legs and sat back when she was comfortable. At this moment she sat up straight and spoke more formally than usual.

“So I can meet my father,” I added.

His eyes widened with interest.

“I love road trips. Why don’t you let me take you both?”

He could not have surprised me more if he had smacked my face. Patti and I looked at each other in disbelief.

“I’ve made more money with the band than I know what to do with, honestly. And I have a vehicle. Or we could fly and rent a car if you prefer. My expense.”

“That’s a very generous offer.” Patti chose her words with care. “But why would you want to do that?”

The sea green and gray swirl of emotions Patti gave off were the same ones I felt: grateful, surprised, nervous, skeptical. I wished Kaidan couldn’t read us.

“I...”

Seeing Kaidan at a loss for words, I felt kind of bad for him. He was a smooth talker, but I knew what it was like to be under Patti’s keen eye. She wasn’t impressed by charm or wit. She was impressed only by genuine honesty. I hoped he could sense that.

“I don’t know,” he finally said, puffing out the answer as if it were the last thing in the world he wanted to admit. “I wouldn’t normally offer to help someone.”

“Unless there’s something in it for you?” Patti’s question was not laced with sarcasm or judgment, but I opened my mouth, prepared to defuse the situation. I stopped when I saw the two of them having an intense, silent conversation with their eyes.