Troubled Waters (The Lake Trilogy, Book 2) by AnnaLisa Grant Page A

kicks him out to go home and sleep.
    I feel only slightly better since Eliana has had her hair shortened and lightened, but a shaggier hairstyle for Will doesn’t exactly disguise him. They’re both working on their tans, so that’ll help…I guess. I’m so close to convincing Will to color his hair. I think I’ll have won him over in a couple of weeks.
    I grab my phone and scroll through my contacts. It’s 1:00 am here, so that makes it…uh…10:00 pm in California. I decide to text Caroline and see if she’s up. Even if she isn’t, it’ll feel good to reach out to her.
                  Layla Weston:              Hey! Are you still up?
                  Caroline Jackson: Hey!
    Her response comes almost immediately and I feel a smile spread across my face.
                  Layla Weston: I can’t sleep. Just wanted to tell you that I was thinking about you.
              Sorry I’ve been a crappy friend.
                  Caroline Jackson: You haven’t been a crappy friend! I’m glad you texted. Big
                  things happening here. I met someone!
                  Layla Weston: OMG! Really! That’s great! How long?
                  Caroline Jackson: Just a few months, but it feels promising. I’ll keep you
              posted!
                  Layla Weston: Definitely! Big things happening here, too. But I can’t tell you
              via text. Are you coming to visit after Thanksgiving?
                  Caroline Jackson: Oh the suspense! I’m working on that. G, T, and C want to road
              trip down and then we can all fly back to school from FL. Just working on Mom
              and Dad’s OK.
                  Layla Weston: Great! Keep me posted! I can’t wait for you to come!!
                  Caroline Jackson: Me too! Break’s over.  Gotta hit the books again. I love and
                  miss you! Can’t wait to see you!
                  Layla Weston: Love and miss you, too! Night!
    With that, I’m lulled into a peaceful place. Caroline has that effect on me. I’m banking on somehow convincing Luke and Claire that we can tell Caroline and the others about the whole charade, but the more thought I give it, I’m certain Furtick will take the most convincing. I can’t imagine them coming to visit and not telling them. It’s not like John and Elisabeth could be here and our friends not know they’re Will and his mother. Well, I extended the invitation before Will came back from the dead, so I can’t take it back now.
    I fall asleep and dream of random, bizarre things, waking with my alarm six hours later. As I stretch and recall my dream I have an overwhelming sense of normalcy. Isn’t this what everyone dreams about, weird, completely unrealistic scenarios where you’re dancing with giant butterflies in a meadow of marshmallow flowers?
    Like clockwork, the doorbell chimes as my foot leaves the last step of the stairs. Will kisses me once as he steps through the door. He is firmly planted by my side no later than 8 am every day as he was in those final days when we lived in Davidson. On Saturday and Sunday, he waits patiently for me to wake and come down to meet him. I haven’t told him this, but I set my alarm for 8:00 am on the weekends. He thinks my internal alarm clock wakes me, but I don’t want him to wait too long. The earlier I’m up, the more time I get to spend with him.
    Eliana has early classes, so she’s already at school. We’ll see her later for lunch and then she’ll either go to the library to study or come to the house. It’s been so much fun watching her immerse herself into college life. She’s focused and doing really well in her classes, and has made some really nice friends. They can’t mix a martini, but know which bars have $2