“Ajob?”
“I remember you loved whittlingwood.”
“That was”—Dad’s face flashed inside my mind—“a long time ago. Besides, I have a job. I workhere.”
I wanted my uncle to pay Evelyn her full wage, so I’d offered to help with the housekeeping. My suggestion had made my prim aunt balk, but rather rapidly, when she observed how effective I was, she changed her mind. If Evelyn caught wind of this trade, she’d unleash a torrent of Spanish on me. Every time she became emotional, her mother tongue spurted out like steam from ageyser.
At the beginning, I’d helped with the actual cleaning, but after a week, my sense of smell had gotten so acute I had to stay away from cleaning products. I stuck to laundry and ironing and occasionally helped out with vacuuming and assisting Evelyn in thekitchen.
August’s thick black eyebrows almost joined together. “Something just occurred tome.”
“What?”
“Did you run into Liamearlier?”
“Why?”
As his gaze settled on a spot behind me, a vein throbbed in histemple.
“I do believe we’ve met in this lifetime, NessClark.”
Speak of the devil.I turned aroundslowly.
Liam glowered at me. I swear…little lightning bolts were zipping out of his eyes. “Where’s your featherduster?”
I cocked my head to the side. “Did you want to borrowit?”
The lightning bolts turned into electricaldischarges.
A loud clap resounded, disrupting the thick tension, and then Lucy exclaimed, “All pack members are asked to make their way to the conferenceroom.”
Reluctantly, August pressed away from the balustrade. “Catch you atdinner?”
I nodded. He’dcatch mesooner thanthat.
Liam’s jaw moved as though he were about to say something. In the end, he backed away withoutspeaking.
I watched the men leave, allowing them a head start. Whether they liked it or not, I descended from this pack, so their decisions would affect my life. I hadn’t had a say in returning to Boulder, but I wanted a say in what would happen now that I was back and out ofhiding.
Chapter Three
Ifordedthrough the clusters of women sipping drinks from copper goblets, the heady mix of perfumes and spirited juices making my nosetwitch.
“Ness?” Someone tapped myshoulder.
Ipivoted.
“It’s me.Amanda.”
I studied the brunette with the bluntly cut curly hair, the long-lashed tawny eyes, and the heart-shapedface.
“Amanda Frederick,” she wenton.
At last, I placed her. Miss Popular back in elementary and middle school. Not a mean girl. Just someone interested in everything Iwasn’t.
Her lips bent into a satisfied smile once she noted the recognition. “Are you back for the summer orlonger?”
“Not sureyet.”
