“His little sister,” I say. Knowing who she is, there’s no longer any jealousy on my part. Turns out she’s fun to hang out with.
“Harper!” Nova’s eyes widen and she hurries off the sofa, coming over toward me. She throws her arms around me in a huge embrace.
I kind of have to admit that it feels nice. And the best part is it’s genuine, unlike Luca’s affection toward me.
I introduce Nova and Kensley. “Nova will be joining us next semester on campus,” I say.
“That’s great,” Kensley says. “Do you know what dorm you’re moving into yet?”
“No dorm. Luca’s mom pulled some strings, and we get to move into a property on campus, some house across town.”
“What?” Kensley glances at me. “You didn’t mention that you were ditching Quinn. How could you have forgotten to tell me that?”
I laugh under my breath. “I mentioned Zeke living with me, it’s not going to be in the dorms.”
“Oh, right.” Kensley pauses and nods. Her attention is back on Nova. “So, are you and Ashton?—”
Does Kensley have a crush on Ashton?
Nova glances back at him on the couch and smiles. There’s something there —a smile that I hadn’t seen before. “We’re not, we’re just friends, but I mean, he’s Ashton Rinaldi,” she says with so much conviction that it’s hard to ignore.
“Got it,” Kensley says with a smile. “You like him.”
Her eyes widen in horror. “Shh! You can’t go saying stuff like that around here. You’ll get Luca riled up?—”
“Sorry!” Kensley is quick to apologize. “I won’t say anything. Promise.” She locks her lips and pretends to throw away the key.
“Thanks,” Nova says and exhales heavily. She glances back at Ashton, and there’s definitely something that crosses her features.
Longing?
Desire?
Did something happen between the two of them?
Ashton has never mentioned it, but from what I’ve heard from Luca, he sleeps his way through campus, especially the freshman class and any girls who flirt with him about hockey.
But he never sleeps with the same girl twice, which has me worried for Nova.
If she actually likes him, I don’t want her to get her heart broken.
“Just be careful with him,” I say, keeping my voice low.
Over the crowd, it’s doubtful anyone else hears me, and I can tell that Nova is struggling to hear my warning.
“You don’t have to worry about me. Gosh, you and Luca are so much alike,” Nova says with a nervous laugh. “Are you going to be my next big, great protector? And to think I was about to ask you how you’re doing and tell you that I missed you this weekend.”
“I’m good, and I missed you too.” It would have made dinner a hell of a lot easier had Nova and her parents been there. Perhaps they could have been the buffer that we desperately needed.
I pull her in for another hug and whisper into her ear, “I need someone in my corner.” Nova is the only one I can undoubtedly trust.
Not that I don’t trust Kensley—she’s my best friend—but I can’t go telling her about what happened at Luca’s parents’ house.
I can’t speak of the missing little boy who I found locked in the basement or that his parents are mafia.
At least Nova knows all of it. She’s someone I can confide in and trust that she won’t get me killed.
At least, I don’t think that she has any reason to hate me.
