She’s sixteen,I’d scold myself. But then I’d be talking to Ava on the phone, and I’d ask questions I shouldn’t be asking.“Where’s she thinking about going to college? Is she driving yet? Does she have a boyfriend?”
The last question had made my sister ask what the hell was wrong with me.
What the helliswrong with me?
But Elise Cormier was now standing in front of me. I’d been waiting on the back porch for the better part of an hour, and talking to her now seemed absolutely essential.
Because I’d upset her. I’d made fun of the book Ava was reading to her, and she’d left angry. For the last hour, I’d asked myself why I’d been such a jerk, and the best answer I could come up with was just so lame.
I’d wanted her attention.
After she’d gone, I’d reimagined the afternoon about nineteen different ways. I should have just walked in, gotten a cup of Flora’s cocoa and sat with them, saying nothing. Just listened and watched as my sister read.
Or I could have swiped the book from Ava’s hands and picked up where she left off, reading aloud to both of them. Then she would have had to watch me. Listen to my voice. Maybe then, when she pictured her sexy vampire later, I’d be in there. In her head, taking up space the way she’d claimed real estate in mine.
It seemed only fair.
Now, standing in front of me, Elise narrowed her amber eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I respect you, and I’m sorry if I offended you today,” I said, giving her only a little of what I had, but liking myself better for it. She was sixteen. She didn’t need to know I pictured her in her bathing suit.
But I didn’t want her to be upset with me. And if she would agree just to sit down and talk for a little while, maybe it would ease some of the curiosity I had about her, and then maybe I wouldn’t think of her so much.
I watched Elise give me a surprised blink before she schooled her features into that defiant, armored expression she usually wore.
“You didn’toffendme,” she said with emphasis.
“Oh?” I prompted when she didn’t elaborate.
She lowered one shoulder, squaring off with me as though she wanted to charge me like a bull. “You embarrassed me.” And then I watched her swallow. “Like you always do.”
I reeled back from the accusation in her words, but I couldn’t outright deny them. I embarrassed her? How was that possible when she’d always seemed so self-contained, so capable?
Like right now. I would never be able to stand in front of someone and admit she’d embarrassed me. Where did she get that kind of strength?
I cleared my throat, wanting to tread cautiously. “I’m not saying I don’t…” I settled back on the swing, hoping she’d see my relaxed posture as non-threatening. Maybe she’d even join me. “But how do I embarrass you?”
Elise bent forward at her waist and let out a cough of shock. “Are you kidding me? When you’re not ignoring me, you’re reminding me how dumb I am.”
“No,” I denied, shaking my head. “That’s not true because you’re not dumb. Dumb kids don’t make honor roll.”
Now she reeled back in surprise, her guard slipping. “How did you know I made honor roll?”
I felt the corners of my mouth aching to pull into a smile. “Ava told me,” I admitted. Heat rose on my cheeks until I saw hers color, too. The sight of her blushing, so raw and arresting, put me at ease.
“You should be proud of that,” I told her. What I didn’t say was that I was proud. Proud of her. I knew she’d had to fight her way back from academic failure years ago. I knew she probably had a learning disability that kept her from having the kind of ease in school Ava and I had always enjoyed, and I was proud of her for powering through. I was proud of Ava, too, for all the help she’d given Elise over the years. And, yeah, I was a little proud of myself for setting all of that in motion. We’d done something good, Ava and me. We’d helped somebody instead of always being helpless.
Someone would leave our house better off.
This is what I’d taken to telling myself sometimes when thoughts of Elise Cormier came to mind and I didn’t move them along fast enough.She’s a philanthropic interest,I’d say.I’m invested in her welfare.
Of course, none of that explained the recurring imaginings of the orange bikini.
Elise cleared her throat and studied her shoes. “Thank you,” she muttered. Then she straightened up, and I sensed she was about to turn and leave.
I had to stop her.
“H-how’s your jewelry business?” I blurted lamely.
