The heat of a hand on my knee made me look away from Jeb’s closed bedroomdoor.
“I was just picking on you, Ness,” August said quietly. “You don’t have to come. Besides, you can’t even walk, canyou?”
August dragged his hand back to his thigh, the circumference of which equaled both mylegs.
“I can hobble, and don’t you dare say I told youso.”
He raised both palms in theair.
“But maybe in three hours, I’ll bebetter.”
“Are you sure? You really don’t have tocome.”
“It seemed to make Jeb happy that I was joining.” I finished my scone, chewing on it thoughtfully. “If I really can’t take it, I’ll just sun myself until you guys are done traipsing through the woods.” I wiped the crumbs off my palms. “Is your mom going tohike?”
He shook his head. “She’s going to drive over. Actually, why don’t you just hitch a ride with her and meet us at thelake?”
“That sounds incredibly moreappealing.”
Nelson came back toward us, stuffing his phone into the back pocket of his high-waisted jeans. “I need to stop by the warehouse. Christian wants to go over the blueprints of Mr. Sommerville’s lodge.Again.”
August sighed androse.
“Oh, you don’t need to come with me, son. I can handleChristian.”
“I don’t mind. Besides, I’m sure Ness needs to study for her bigexam.”
“Why don’t you help herstudy?”
Father and son exchanged a long look. Something passed between them. What, though, I couldn’t tell, but I was most definitely going to find out the second Nelson walked out our frontdoor.
The second it shut, I asked, “What was thatabout?”
“What was whatabout?”
“Thatlook.”
“Whatlook?”
“Oh come on, August. I grew up with youguys.”
August rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, glancing toward Jeb’s door. “Dad doesn’t want Jeb to be left alone. Not for the next week anyway. He’s worried.” August shrugged. “He’s worried he might . . . ” More neck rubbing. “Try to kill himself.” Those last few words came outwhispered.
“Oh.” Goose bumps scattered all over me. “I’m here,” I saidfinally.
“I know.Weknow.”
“But you guys don’t think I can handlehim?”
“No. That’s not it. My parents are also worried aboutyou.”
My heart squeezed a little that anyone besides Evelyn cared how I was doing. “Tell them they don’t have toworry.”
He grunted as he sat down again and leaned back in his seat. I was a little afraid the rungs would snap right off, but the chair surprisinglyheld.
“Like that would ever happen,” he said, picking up a knife that someone had placed on the table, probably to cut the scones in half, even though I had to wonder what self-respecting werewolf would eat only half a scone. He flipped the utensil, blade up, blade down. Over andover.
“So, does this mean we get breakfast delivered every morning? Because if that’s the case, I’d like to put in somerequests.”
