I realized I’d crossed my arms, my jaw tight as I watched him watching Allie … and Allie watching him right back. My focus was so intense, in fact, that I almost jumped a mile when Eliza said from beside me, “Not a bad service. I like the priest.”
I hadn’t even realized she’d left the playscape.
“Who’s that?” I asked, not interested at all in Father Joseph right then.
To her credit, Eliza didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “That’s Jared,” she said casually. “He’s the guy from the before. The one who chased away the demon.”
CHAPTER 12
“She likes him,” I said to Eliza.
Beside me, Eliza shrugged. “What’s not to like? He’s cute, and he scared off a demon. Which means he already knows the world we live in. Makes him better boyfriend material than most of the guys at her school, I bet.”
“Boyfriend?” I heard my voice rising into squeaky tones.
She shrugged again. “Well, duh.”
“Hmm.”
I turned my attention back to Allie, who was completely oblivious to the fact that Eliza had left, much less the fact that I was watching her. Instead, she was deep in conversation with the boy—Jared, I reminded myself.
I was about to turn back to Eliza and demand every tiny detail about the boy— because I assumed that the three of them had rehashed him in detail last night before Allie came home—but Stuart joined us.
“Eric wasn’t here,” he said without preamble.
Eliza and I exchanged confused glances. “So?” Eliza asked, before I could say that very thing.
Stuart’s attention was on me as he answered. “Hecancome into the sanctuary, can’t he?”
“Really, Stuart?” I heard the irritation in my voice and tried to dial it back, but I wasn’t entirely successful. “You were there, remember? The demon’s out of him.”
“But are we sure about that?” It was quick, but I saw his eyes shift towards Allie and then back to me.
I crossed my arms over my chest, my temper rising. “Yes.” My voice was icy. “Of course I’m sure. You saw him walk through the Vatican, remember? If he can walk there, I think he can manage St. Mary’s.”
He exhaled, his shoulders sagging a bit in the process. Then he ran his fingers through his hair, something I knew he did out of habit when he was frustrated. “I’m sorry. Honestly, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m?—”
“Worried about Allie? Do you think I didn’t notice the way you were looking at her?”
“So you’re not worried at all?”
I started to say that I absolutely was not worried, but I caught myself. No more secrets, right? “A little,” I admitted. “But what mother wouldn’t be?”
“She’s fine,” Eliza said loyally. “She walked all over the Vatican. She took communion there. What more do you want?”
“Exactly,” I said, both to myself and to Stuart. “No writhing. No head spinning. No vomiting bile. She’s Allie, Stuart. She’s our daughter.”
“Right,” he said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “Right. Of course, she is. I’m sorry.”
The words were perfect. But he didn’t look at me as he said them. I wanted to blame him for being worried. To lash out in anger, but how could I? I was worried too. For that matter, so was Allie herself.
“You guys,” Eliza said, drawing out the word. “Come on, already. Allie’s fine. For that matter, Allie’s probably more thanfine. I mean, she’s got to have serious bonus points for closing the gate to hell, right?”
She looked between me and Stuart. “So if anything happened to her down there, it was on the good side. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? Behind what she is, I mean. Those Church dudes messed with Eric because they were trying to breed someone who could win over the demons, right? And shedidwin. So yay for the crazy breeding folks. Or am I wrong?”
“I hope you’re right,” I said. “And I believe in my heart that you are.” But how was I supposed to know if my faith was justified?
Eliza rolled her eyes. “Does she know you guys are being so weird about all this?”
