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“Do you know Erin?” I asked Natalie, and she paused in her description of the corseted bodice of her dress to frown at me.
“Erin?” she replied, her brow furrowing.
“The new girl with the black hair and nose piercing,” I went on, and recognition dawned.
“Oh yeah, the quiet one. No, I don’t know her, but she seems to keep to herself.”
“You haven’t seen her here tonight, have you?”
“No. Why?” A thread of disappointment entered her voice. “Did you invite her or something?”
Instead of answering, I rose from the couch. “I’m going to go take a rest. My knee is hurting, as it happens.”
Her gaze went to my injured knee before rising to my face, a sultry expression forming. “Want some company? I could take your mind off it.”
“No, that’s all right.”
Disappointment filled her eyes, and I left before she could make another effort to convince me. I wasn’t lying about my knee either. The painkillers I took earlier were starting to wear off.
Before heading to my room, I searched the house for my sister, finding her in the kitchen with her friends, Milly, Tara and Celine.
“Tristan?” Nuala’s gaze wandered over me. Being twins, we’d always had a close connection, and we could sense things about each other no one else could. When my mood was off, Nuala was always the first person to notice.
“My knee’s acting up. I’m going to bed. Are you okay to wind down the party?”
“Sure, but are you all right? You look stressed.”
“It’s just my knee,” I said before Tara approached and squeezed my elbow.
“You’ll be happy to hear I’m going to offer your girlfriend the job,” she said, and my sister’s ears immediately perked up.
“Girlfriend? I didn’t know you were seeing someone.”
“I’m not. Tara’s being hyperbolic. It’s just a new girl at my school. She needs a job and—”
“I told Celine all about Erin, and she’s been noble enough to step out of the race,” Tara went on, motioning to her friend who shot me a shy smile.
“That’s very kind of you, Celine.”
She shook her head. “I got offered a position at the dental clinic, so I don’t need to work at the café anymore.”
“Ah, well, I’m glad it’s all worked out.”
“I suppose you’ll be in all the time for your cappuccinos now,” Tara said with a teasing lilt. “If she takes the job, she’ll be working Thursday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays, just FYI.”
“Oh, now I really need to know about this girl,” my sister said, and I rolled my eyes.
“There’s nothing to know. I’m going to bed.”
“Spoilsport,” Nuala pouted, but I just shook my head and went upstairs.
I took another painkiller, but it was difficult to fall asleep because I kept wondering why Erin hadn’t turned up. She’d seem charmed by my paper airplane. Plus, she’d said she’d come. What if something had happened to her?
I tried to put my worries aside. Surely, she’d just changed her mind. Natalie had commented about her being quiet and keeping to herself. Maybe she just wasn’t into house parties.
On Sunday evening, I was working out down at the hotel gym with my brother when I could’ve sworn I saw Erin scuttle past the vending machines. I was using the shoulder press since I couldn’t do much with my legs while my knee healed. The machine faced the exit that led out to the lobby, and I wondered if my eyes were deceiving me. What was she doing out there?
Acting on instinct, I stood from the machine and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from my brow.
