“I’m still here. Sorry. That’s... great news.”
“Yeah. Hey,” he said, “there’s something else, too. I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you.”
Uh-oh.
“Well, you have to tell me now that you brought it up.”
“All right, well. Afterward, backstage, Kaidan was surrounded by all of these girls.” Oh, gosh—gag reflex! “But as soon as he saw me he left ’em all hanging and came straight over. He said he liked the songs, which was cool. Then he asked where you were, and I said you were at home. And he was all, ‘How is she?’ And I was like, ‘Well, she’s been better, man.’ And, I don’t know, it was weird. He wasn’t acting right. He bolted right after that, didn’t even stay to party.” He paused, quiet. “What really happened between you guys?”
I was more confused than ever when I whispered, “I don’t know.”
He asked about me. He didn’t stay to party.
“Maybe he’s just one of those players who won’t let himself get too close to anybody,” Jay theorized.
“Yeah,” I said. “Or maybe he’s got some serious daddy issues.”
Jay laughed at that.
I wished I were joking.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
TEA FOR TWINS
It was our last day shopping for back-to-school stuff and we’d gone to the mall. The sky was overcast, and the cramped parking garage was so dim I had to adjust my sight. I held both the shopping bags while Patti dug around in her purse for the keys. If I hadn’t been using my extended vision, I might not have noticed them standing at the other end of the garage.
Four Neph: two male, two female, each with a small starburst badge. I almost dropped the bags, tightening my grip just in time. Then I casually looked around, pretending not to notice them watching me. I thought of Kaidan’s words the day I’d gone to his house: Neph don’t show up unless they’re looking for trouble.
I kept my face neutral, hoping not to give away my internal panic. I wished Patti weren’t with me.
She unlocked our doors and we climbed in. I sneaked a peek and saw the four climbing into a shiny black car in the next row. They were going to follow us. I had to think.
Using a receipt from one of the bags and a pen from the glove compartment, I scribbled a note as fast as my trembling hand would allow.
We’re being followed. Act normal. Don’t go home.
Slow down when we go around the bend of the elementary school, and I’ll jump out and run. You keep going—to the church.
I’ll call your cell when it’s safe.
Patti’s eyes looked up and down from the road to the note that I held low between us. Her knuckles whitened and she gave a tiny frantic shake of her head. Great. She was going to be difficult.
I’ll run to the ball fields!
There should be weekend games today, all sports, and lots of people. I could try to blend in and lose them. Oh—but what if they went after Patti instead of me? One way or another, this was not good. I shoved the paper in my pocket. Patti’s face was pale and shiny from sweat. She gave a small nod of agreement. Now we needed to act normal. I hoped Patti would play along.
“Thanks for taking me today,” I said. “I think I’m finally ready for school.”
“No problem, honey. You sure you don’t need another bra, though?”
I cringed and she made an apologetic face.
“Nope, I’m good,” I forced out.
I glanced at the side mirror. They were four cars behind us. I pushed out my hearing to them, but found only silence in their car.
We were coming up on the blind curve by the elementary school. They wouldn’t be able to see us for about ten seconds while we rounded the slow bend. Next to the school was a patch of forest, and on the other side of those woods were soccer, baseball, and general playing fields. If I could just get there, I would have a chance.
My heart pounded as we started the turn. Patti gave my arm a squeeze. I opened the door and jumped out, closing it as quietly as I could.
I took off at a dead sprint, running faster than I ever had.
I wasn’t stupid enough to think they wouldn’t hear the car door close, or my footfalls as I ran. I just hoped I’d be fast enough to get somewhere I could hide. I could see the forest at the edge of the school now.
I zipped past the side of the building and ran into the mesh of trees. Branches stung my face, but I never slowed. Voices came from the nearby fields now. Almost there. Exhilaration flooded my senses as I flew through the woods.
I suddenly heard something coming up behind me, even louder than the voices ahead of me from the fields. It was the slamming of feet in the brush. Someone else was running. Fast.