“But you used to do this kind of exercise?” Noah asked.
She nodded, keeping her eyes on Ethan, who was across from her.
“What did you do?”
“What?”
“What exercise?”
“Track and cheer squad.”
“Nice. Let me know if you want me to flip you any time.”
For some reason, she giggled. Nerves, fear, whatever it was, she couldn’t seem to stop.
“That’s a nice sound, but you need to listen to Buster’s countdown now, Lani.”
Noah talked to her calmly, explaining what was going to happen, and she battled the panic and tried to remember each word. She knew how this game worked but hadn’t watched for years.
“Run now!” he urged her. She took off, passing by Faith, then Jake.
“Catch, Lani!”
I have to catch as well as run?Turning, she lifted her hands as she saw the small oblong ball heading her way. It was coming in fast; she adjusted, first right, then left. She then took two big steps and jumped into the air. No one was more surprised than her when she looked down at her hands and there sat the ball.
“Nice work!” Noah arrived first. “That was impressive.”
“I caught a ball.”
“So you did, clever girl. Don’t tell me you enjoyed it too.”
“Maybe.”
Lani couldn’t stop smiling as they went back to join the others.
“So we’re not going easy on her this time,” Faith said, although she was smiling too.
The next pass she dropped, and she was more often in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it was fun… more fun than Lani could remember having in years, which was a dangerous thing, she realized when Jake called a halt to the game.
“Why the frown? I thought you enjoyed the game,” Noah said, walking beside her.
“Thank you for letting me play, and now I really need to go.”
“Go where?”
“Away from here,” Lani muttered, walking into the house.
Chapter Eleven
Once inside, she made for the bathroom and locked the door. Lani stared at her sweaty-faced reflection in the mirror.
“What the hell are you doing?”
This wasn’t her. She didn’t get involved, couldn’t afford to. Getting out of Lake Howling had to be her next move, and yet she’d promised Mrs. C she’d work there for at least a few weeks.
“Distance,” she muttered, splashing water on her face. “Keep your distance.”
When she came out, she found Annabelle Gelderman alone, standing with her hands braced on the wall.
