she rejected the idea.
She wiped her hands on her designer jeans and considered her words. “My brothers. I would do anything for them. They’re the only family I have left, so if they need me here, then here is where I’ll be.”
I respected her choice, one that I’d made before. “I get that, but you have to know what you’re risking.” I waved a hand between us. “You should stay away.”
Lottie made a face. “Okay, Mom.” I must have looked stricken because she winced and muttered, “Sorry.”
The wind tossed her neat sleek bob into a mess of brunette waves, and I remembered a photo I’d seen of her in Asher’s island house. She’d looked like a 1920s gangster moll. Even at this time in the morning, she wore her trademark red lipstick. I couldn’t help asking, “Were you a flapper?”
Her mouth quirked in a mysterious smile that gave nothing away. “I’m not a stranger to the Charleston.” She gave me a sly sideways look as she put her shoes back on. “Does this mean we’re sharing now? Because I’ve been dying to ask you when you decided to go Bono. I like the sunnies, but you never take them off anymore.”
I snorted and rubbed my chest when that set off a new ache. My powers were returning a little more each day, but I hadn’t been able to heal myself yet. I’d come out to the beach to try. Her eyes fell to my hand, and I dropped it to my side. My ringing phone saved me from answering.
“Hello,” I said.
“Remy, it’s Erin. We need to meet.”
Erin wouldn’t share her news over the phone. She insisted we meet in person, and I suggested Muir Woods. The woods consisted of six miles of trails with multiple loops and access points that would be too much ground for our enemy to cover in case this turned out to be a trap. Plus, it was always full of tourists and locals, and an attack in the open would be too conspicuous.
I drove the truck to the woods, while Lottie, Asher, and Lucy followed in the Mercedes. As we drove over the orange-red Golden Gate Bridge, I was reminded of my grandfather’s promise to take me to Muir Woods once. Instead, he’d taken me to Melinda’s house and tricked me into healing her. It was the last time I’d believed in him. Now, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was behind this call from Erin.
The windy drive through the hills to Muir Woods ended at a crowded parking lot. I found a spot near the entrance and shut off the truck’s ancient engine. I hopped out, pocketing the keys in my jacket and fingering the handle of the knife I’d hidden there. I’d dressed warmly in jeans, hiking boots, a scarf, a thick navy blue sweater, and a black waist-length jacket. The Mercedes approached, and the others drove by. They would find a parking spot and follow me into the woods at a distance with Lucy and Asher acting like any couple on a date, while Lottie scouted the hiking trails. As they passed, Lucy’s gaze flicked to mine. Worry sparked in her eyes for just a second and was gone.
After Lottie and I had returned from the beach and shared the news of the meeting with Asher and Lucy, there hadn’t been a lot of time for discussion. We’d only had a couple of hours to gather our things and make the drive across the bay. Asher had looked like he wanted to suggest we skip the meeting, but I’d stared him down. He could come with or stay behind, but I was going as long as there was a chance Erin knew something about my father. Lucy agreed with me. With Lottie acting as a neutral party, two were pitted against one, though my alliance with Lucy was shaky at best.
I walked toward the entrance with a bounce in my step. I shouldn’t have been so happy to be walking into danger, but I was. Anything—even walking into a trap—had to be better than feeling cornered in a house with the others. Other girls could wear ratty sweats and holey T-shirts, eat Ben & Jerry’s, listen to crappy breakup music, and cry to their friends when their boyfriends trampled on
She wiped her hands on her designer jeans and considered her words. “My brothers. I would do anything for them. They’re the only family I have left, so if they need me here, then here is where I’ll be.”
I respected her choice, one that I’d made before. “I get that, but you have to know what you’re risking.” I waved a hand between us. “You should stay away.”
Lottie made a face. “Okay, Mom.” I must have looked stricken because she winced and muttered, “Sorry.”
The wind tossed her neat sleek bob into a mess of brunette waves, and I remembered a photo I’d seen of her in Asher’s island house. She’d looked like a 1920s gangster moll. Even at this time in the morning, she wore her trademark red lipstick. I couldn’t help asking, “Were you a flapper?”
Her mouth quirked in a mysterious smile that gave nothing away. “I’m not a stranger to the Charleston.” She gave me a sly sideways look as she put her shoes back on. “Does this mean we’re sharing now? Because I’ve been dying to ask you when you decided to go Bono. I like the sunnies, but you never take them off anymore.”
I snorted and rubbed my chest when that set off a new ache. My powers were returning a little more each day, but I hadn’t been able to heal myself yet. I’d come out to the beach to try. Her eyes fell to my hand, and I dropped it to my side. My ringing phone saved me from answering.
“Hello,” I said.
“Remy, it’s Erin. We need to meet.”
Erin wouldn’t share her news over the phone. She insisted we meet in person, and I suggested Muir Woods. The woods consisted of six miles of trails with multiple loops and access points that would be too much ground for our enemy to cover in case this turned out to be a trap. Plus, it was always full of tourists and locals, and an attack in the open would be too conspicuous.
I drove the truck to the woods, while Lottie, Asher, and Lucy followed in the Mercedes. As we drove over the orange-red Golden Gate Bridge, I was reminded of my grandfather’s promise to take me to Muir Woods once. Instead, he’d taken me to Melinda’s house and tricked me into healing her. It was the last time I’d believed in him. Now, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was behind this call from Erin.
The windy drive through the hills to Muir Woods ended at a crowded parking lot. I found a spot near the entrance and shut off the truck’s ancient engine. I hopped out, pocketing the keys in my jacket and fingering the handle of the knife I’d hidden there. I’d dressed warmly in jeans, hiking boots, a scarf, a thick navy blue sweater, and a black waist-length jacket. The Mercedes approached, and the others drove by. They would find a parking spot and follow me into the woods at a distance with Lucy and Asher acting like any couple on a date, while Lottie scouted the hiking trails. As they passed, Lucy’s gaze flicked to mine. Worry sparked in her eyes for just a second and was gone.
After Lottie and I had returned from the beach and shared the news of the meeting with Asher and Lucy, there hadn’t been a lot of time for discussion. We’d only had a couple of hours to gather our things and make the drive across the bay. Asher had looked like he wanted to suggest we skip the meeting, but I’d stared him down. He could come with or stay behind, but I was going as long as there was a chance Erin knew something about my father. Lucy agreed with me. With Lottie acting as a neutral party, two were pitted against one, though my alliance with Lucy was shaky at best.
I walked toward the entrance with a bounce in my step. I shouldn’t have been so happy to be walking into danger, but I was. Anything—even walking into a trap—had to be better than feeling cornered in a house with the others. Other girls could wear ratty sweats and holey T-shirts, eat Ben & Jerry’s, listen to crappy breakup music, and cry to their friends when their boyfriends trampled on
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