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Camille patted my back as if she somehow understood. “It’s okay not to like someone.”
Sending her a grateful smile, I started to thank her for reassuring me when the strangest thought crossed my mind.
I gasped and turned to Isobel, suddenly remembering… “Hey! You’re his sister. You can answer my question. You know that Maleficent costume you made Ezra wear to the Halloween party at work because he lost a bet to you? He said it was your second choice. But he refused to tell me what your first was. So, please… Please, I gotta know what you originally wanted him to wear that night.”
Isobel blinked at me without answering. Then she slowly said, “You know about that bet?”
“Sure. He told me about it at the office party. We—”
Before I could explain anything else, however, Shaw snapped his fingers and pointed at me. “Holy shit!” he exploded. “You’re the yellow Power Ranger.”
I froze, gaping at him. Then I warily asked, “How… How did you know that?”
Growling out her frustration, Gabby clapped her hands to gain our attention. Then she pointed between her and Camille. “Yeah, we’re lost over here. We all started this conversation together, so you can’t just go off and leave us out of what sounds like the most interesting part. Now… What the hell are you guys talking about with Maleficent and yellow Power Ranger costumes?”
I rubbed a spot that was beginning to throb on the side of my head, but it ended up I didn’t need to think about a good way to answer her, because Shaw did it for me, spilling out the entire story, and I mean, everything.
“Wow,” I said, trying not to feel violated by how much everyone in the room now knew about me. “Ezra really told you everything, didn’t he?” But then I remembered, I’d pretty much spilled the same details—and maybe even more—to Brick.
“No, he told me,” Isobel interrupted with exasperation. “I’m Ezra’s confidante. This one…” Nudging Shaw in the ribs, she rolled her eyes. “Just has a nasty habit of eavesdropping.”
/> “Truth,” Shaw said, unrepentantly. “Except the last time he talked to us—er, to Isobel—about his mysterious yellow Power Ranger, he had no idea who you were. I take it he knows now, since he recognized your… Cookies and called you Kaitlynn.”
“He does,” I confirmed as I closed my eyes and gripped my head between my hands. “And he didn’t like learning I was the stepdaughter of his nemesis. So, now do you see why I ran off as soon as I realized who he was that night? I knew he wouldn’t like learning my connection to her. As soon as I learned who he was, I knew. And I swear, I didn’t know it was him in that courtyard before we started talking. Except, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t believe me. That’s basically what he told me this morning, anyway, when I finally confessed who I was. He thinks I knew all along and that I’m up to something tricky and bad. So, yeah, I’m the anti-Christ to him now. Just like my stepmother.”
“Well, that’s just ridiculous,” Gabby claimed, shaking her head. “You’re the epitome of goodness and kindness. You’re the only one in the building who leaves Christmas cards and treats in our mail boxes. And the day we moved into the building, you helped us carry boxes inside, then entertained my little brother for hours while we unpacked shit. How could anyone believe anything even remotely nefarious about you?”
Camille nodded. “The way Gran tells it, you’re so sweet the freaking sun shines because you smile.”
“Okay, that’s a little farfetched,” I grumbled, beginning to feel put-on-the-spot. “I’m not anything special.” I hated it when people said nice things about me. It actually made me feel guilty, as if I were somehow deceiving them, because yeah, like I mentioned before, I could instantly name off too many not-so-great things about myself.
“Hey, if Gran likes you, then you’re cool,” Camille added a bit forcefully, as if I’d just insulted her beloved relative.
“But—”
Behind me, the door chimed again as it came open. My body instantly buzzed with awareness, and I didn’t have to take in Shaw or Isobel’s wide-eyed expressions to realize who’d just entered the store.
I was the last to turn around, slowly and with my breath held the entire time.
He stood in the doorway, his dark hair windblown and cheeks brighter from running through the cold. It was honestly a magnificent sight to behold. I inhaled sharply as he kept his gaze on me and no one else in the shop and stepped inside, letting the door fall shut behind him.
Incapable of a single movement, I stared back, not sure what to do.
“I wondered if you were hiding in here and hadn’t left the shop at all,” he finally said, his tone mild, holding no anger or resentment.
I cringed. “Yeah. The running and hiding bit is getting too predictable, isn’t it? I should definitely change up my game plan.”
He stepped toward me, only for Gabby to intercept him, jumping between us and poking him in the chest before fisting her hands on her hip.
“You’re not going to cuss her out, are you? Because let me tell you one thing, buddy. Kaitlynn did not know who you were when you two met in that courtyard on Halloween.”
Ezra jerked to a halt and blinked at her. With an expression that said, who are you? he turned back to me.
“You told them?”
“No,” I said, scowling and crossing my arms over my chest. “You told. Your sister. Who allowed this guy to eavesdrop on you…” I pointed Shaw’s way. “And then he went and spilled it to everyone and their dog.”
“She’s totally exaggerating,” Shaw whispered to Ezra. “I didn’t tell anyone’s dog.”
