was gushing over. Even Regina would have been a better choice because the odds of Clara breaking his heart and smashing it into smithereens were beyond astronomical. Not that I knew much about my sister's love life. But if I had to guess, I'd say her track record with guys had to be disastrous—I bet she dated and dumped them like yesterday’s garbage. That was just her personality. Flaky. Indecisive. Immature.
“I can't believe you're okay with this,” Leo said. “I thought you were gonna freak the fuck out on me.”
I giggled again. Darn it, I really needed to stop doing that. I switched back to my serious mode. “I do want to say one ‘voice of reason’ thing. Just one. It's about Clara and Andrew. Is she still with him?”
He took a few long moments to respond. “I honestly don't know,” he said. “I got a little worked up Friday night because I thought maybe Andrew might mean something to her. But when I saw her with him, I could tell she despised him as much as the rest of us. Which really makes me wonder—what the hell was the show for?”
I huffed, kicking the covers off my legs. “Probably just to hurt me.”
“Don't be so judgmental—not yet. Let me ask her about it and see what she says before you start World War III. Although, I’ll have to admit, I was more thrown by her reaction to seeing Robby.”
“How so?”
“Just that he got a reaction out of her at all. I know you both had a crush on him back in the day, and—”
“Don't, Leo. Don't start that. You are your own worst enemy. That was ages ago and she came with you to New York, didn't she? That has to mean something. You're perfect, Leo. You're sweet and kind and she'd be lucky to have you. Just let her in—let her finally see the real you.”
There was a long pause on the other line. “The real me is what I'm afraid of,” he finally said with a groan, his frustrations seeping through the phone line. “But about Robby or Dean or whoever the fuck that was on Friday...when I get home, we'll get to the bottom of this. I promise.”
“That won't be necessary. I don’t plan on ever seeing him again.”
“We could only hope, but doesn't it seem odd that the jackass randomly shows up after six years? And with a whole new name? Nobody just randomly shows up in Blue Creek. And nobody changes their name unless they have something to hide. Something's up, Mags. And as soon as I get home on Monday, I'm going to figure out what it is and put an end to it.”
“Okay.” There was never any use arguing with him and plus, something else was bothering me more than the mysterious reappearance of my former step-brother. “But Leo, don’t you ever ignore my phone calls again. No matter what. Remember? You and me against the world. Always .”
“Always. But I’m tired of fighting the world, Mags. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Monday,” I repeated, my voice quivering slightly.
CHAPTER 10
CLARA
Sleeping in on a Sunday never felt so good. I woke with a refreshing calm blanketing me. In her twin bed beside me, Steph was sawing some serious logs. Her mouth hung open and a crazy-big spot of slobber soaked her pillow. I resisted the urge to find my phone so I could snap a blackmail photo, continuing to rest instead. I welcomed the sounds of the city noise and the relief I felt. Leo was right—I had needed this little getaway.
Oh, holy monkey turds! Leo. The bar. The kiss. The beer dumping. My stupid proposal. Prove to me you aren't an ass and I'm all yours. Had I really said that? Really, Clara, c'mon! We'd shared one kiss and I'd offered myself up like he was Ian freaking Somerhalder? Ugh! How embarrassing! I was lucky he didn’t laugh in my face.
I clutched my knees to my chest, inwardly chastising myself. As the memories of last night began to wash over me like a bad nightmare, all feelings of sweet bliss flew right out the window.
The shock of it all hadn't had a chance to hit me until just now.
After leaving the bar and
“I can't believe you're okay with this,” Leo said. “I thought you were gonna freak the fuck out on me.”
I giggled again. Darn it, I really needed to stop doing that. I switched back to my serious mode. “I do want to say one ‘voice of reason’ thing. Just one. It's about Clara and Andrew. Is she still with him?”
He took a few long moments to respond. “I honestly don't know,” he said. “I got a little worked up Friday night because I thought maybe Andrew might mean something to her. But when I saw her with him, I could tell she despised him as much as the rest of us. Which really makes me wonder—what the hell was the show for?”
I huffed, kicking the covers off my legs. “Probably just to hurt me.”
“Don't be so judgmental—not yet. Let me ask her about it and see what she says before you start World War III. Although, I’ll have to admit, I was more thrown by her reaction to seeing Robby.”
“How so?”
“Just that he got a reaction out of her at all. I know you both had a crush on him back in the day, and—”
“Don't, Leo. Don't start that. You are your own worst enemy. That was ages ago and she came with you to New York, didn't she? That has to mean something. You're perfect, Leo. You're sweet and kind and she'd be lucky to have you. Just let her in—let her finally see the real you.”
There was a long pause on the other line. “The real me is what I'm afraid of,” he finally said with a groan, his frustrations seeping through the phone line. “But about Robby or Dean or whoever the fuck that was on Friday...when I get home, we'll get to the bottom of this. I promise.”
“That won't be necessary. I don’t plan on ever seeing him again.”
“We could only hope, but doesn't it seem odd that the jackass randomly shows up after six years? And with a whole new name? Nobody just randomly shows up in Blue Creek. And nobody changes their name unless they have something to hide. Something's up, Mags. And as soon as I get home on Monday, I'm going to figure out what it is and put an end to it.”
“Okay.” There was never any use arguing with him and plus, something else was bothering me more than the mysterious reappearance of my former step-brother. “But Leo, don’t you ever ignore my phone calls again. No matter what. Remember? You and me against the world. Always .”
“Always. But I’m tired of fighting the world, Mags. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Monday,” I repeated, my voice quivering slightly.
CHAPTER 10
CLARA
Sleeping in on a Sunday never felt so good. I woke with a refreshing calm blanketing me. In her twin bed beside me, Steph was sawing some serious logs. Her mouth hung open and a crazy-big spot of slobber soaked her pillow. I resisted the urge to find my phone so I could snap a blackmail photo, continuing to rest instead. I welcomed the sounds of the city noise and the relief I felt. Leo was right—I had needed this little getaway.
Oh, holy monkey turds! Leo. The bar. The kiss. The beer dumping. My stupid proposal. Prove to me you aren't an ass and I'm all yours. Had I really said that? Really, Clara, c'mon! We'd shared one kiss and I'd offered myself up like he was Ian freaking Somerhalder? Ugh! How embarrassing! I was lucky he didn’t laugh in my face.
I clutched my knees to my chest, inwardly chastising myself. As the memories of last night began to wash over me like a bad nightmare, all feelings of sweet bliss flew right out the window.
The shock of it all hadn't had a chance to hit me until just now.
After leaving the bar and
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