Page 70 of The Overtime Persuasive

“Hey, Lucy.”

Of course it’s Lucy.

There’s even an emphasis when she says her name that Eva is probably hoping I’ll hear.

I close my eyes. My twin’s timing remains impeccable. Fine. I live in this closet now. Fortunately, Eva left the door open a crack, so I can hear everything without having to show my face.

“Why are you talking like you’ve just run up three flights of stairs?” Lucy asks Eva.

“Huh?” I hear a tinge of panic in Eva’s voice.

“You’re huffing and puffing like you’ve been running,” Lucy points out.

There’s a pause before I hear Eva speak again. “I’ve been hauling things out of the closet.”

“Okay,” Lucy says, drawing out the syllables. “That’s never caused you to sound like you just ran a race.”

Footsteps move across the store.

“What are you doing?” Eva asks quickly.

“I’m walking toward the closet,” Lucy replies. “I’ll get the rest of the boxes out for you.”

“Oh, no, no, no. You don’t have to do that.”

“But I’m already here, and you’re breathing like you’re about to have a heart attack, so let me⁠—”

“No, honestly, I’ve got it.” Eva’s words tumble over hers. “I’m only doing a couple of things tonight, and then I’m going upstairs to have an early night.”

I press my lips together as a laugh threatens to escape. She should probably tell Lucy I’m in here. Then again, Eva and I haven’t discussed what this is yet, let alone whether we’re ready to share it with my sister. We skipped that conversation in favor of making out beside a shelf of padded mailers.

“Eva, I’m here,” Lucy says. “And I can help. Remember what we just talked about? You need help, and you can’t keep hiding everything. So, I’ll⁠—”

“No, Lucy…”

The door swings open, and light floods the tiny space. Lucy stops with one hand still wrapped around the knob.

I lift mine. “Surprise?”

Her eyes widen. “Why are you in the⁠—”

She looks over her shoulder at Eva, then slowly turns back to me. A triumphant grin spreads across her face.

Lucy points between us. “I knew it.”

“You did not,” I tell her.

“I absolutely did. At the game. The two of you were doing that weird staring thing.”

“We looked at each other,” Eva says.

“For too long,” Lucy surmises, turning to face me. “And you lifted your stick at her.”

“Are you serious? I was saying hello.”

Her gaze drops to my mouth. The grin that spreads across her face is terrifying.

She points to my face, then steps over beside Eva.