Soulsearch (Teen Paranormal Romance Series) (The Soulmate Series: Teen Paranormal Romance Book 2) (19 page)

“Myocardial infarction, that’s what’s going on, and it’s from too much ice cream, you stubborn old goat!” his wife explained, fussing with his blanket and pillow.
 
“I told you you were going to have a heart attack one day if you didn’t take better care of yourself.”

“Says the woman who covers everything she cooks in cheese,” Marco retorted.

Paige enjoyed the witty repartee as Zach’s family tossed playful insults back and forth with obvious affection, and Zach squeezed her hand gratefully when he saw the happy look on her face.
 
His family was a bit eccentric, but they were definitely loving.
 
The only spot of darkness was the tension he felt emanating from Cody.

Cody wasn’t sharing his thoughts with Zach, but inside he was seething with jealousy.
 
Zach’s family was perfect — close knit and caring and incredibly supportive, even when someone did something wrong, and yet they would never accept him, never include him, even though he had been there all along, because Zach had never let him be part of his world.
 
Cody wished with every fiber of his being that he could have his own body, be his own person, and find a family that would love him for who he was.

As Zach and Paige said their goodbyes, an idea began to churn in Cody’s mind.
 
His heart hardened and his reason clouded as he imagined a totally different scenario than the one he had just experienced — one where he was the admired son and boyfriend instead.
 
He plotted as they walked the halls, a plan emerging.

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“How is he?” Rachel and Rider asked simultaneously, quickly sitting up and straightening their clothes when Zach and Paige returned.
 
They were sprawled out on Paige’s bed, a bag of potato chips next to them and a movie playing on the TV, but the way their bodies were intertwined hinted at more scandalous activities.

“I think he’s gonna be okay,” Zach replied, sharing a smirk with Paige.

“I hope you weren’t too bored without us,” Paige teased, plopping down beside them and snatching some chips from the bag.

“We managed to entertain ourselves,” Rachel replied with a wink.

“Don’t let us interrupt,” Zach joined in the taunt, snuggling in next to Paige until the four of them were squished together like sardines.
 
They pretended to watch the movie for a few minutes, but when the characters on the screen locked lips the teens followed their lead.
 
Only the sound of heavy footsteps climbing the stairs broke the spell and the teens quickly separated themselves in case Paige’s dad entered the room.
 
Sure enough, Mr. Donovan poked his head into the room suspiciously, but all he saw was the two couples engrossed in a movie.

“Hi Dad, what’s up?” Paige inquired innocently.

“Just seeing what you kids are up to,” Ed replied, the scowl on his face indicating he wasn’t completely convinced by their act.

“Just watching a movie, Daddy — that’s all.”

“Well, when it’s over I think these boys better head on home.”
 
He didn’t like the way his daughter’s body was pressed so close up against someone of the opposite sex, even if they were just watching TV.

“But Daddy, Cameron’s spending the night, don’t you remember?
 
It’s too late for him to drive all the way back home to Indianapolis tonight!”

“Hmmph!
 
Well, there’s a perfectly good sofa bed in the living room he can sleep on, then.
 
I don’t want boys sleeping in my daughter’s bedroom,” he replied.
 
He was laughable in a badly faded Pink Floyd tee shirt with his hands on his dad-bod hips, his pot belly jutting out over his rumpled khaki pants.
 
He pushed up his glasses and ran his fingers through his thinning hair, causing it to stick up wildly, and it was all Paige could do to keep a straight face.

“Well, at least let Zach stay and keep him company down there then!” Paige insisted, staring him down.
 
“His family is all at the hospital.
 
You don’t want to make him stay home alone, do you?”

Mr. Donovan’s mouth opened and closed like a fish and he sighed and rolled his eyes.
 
“Fine,” he huffed and stomped off, leaving the door wide open.

When he was finally out of earshot the four teens let loose their barely-contained giggles and soon they were red-faced and teary-eyed from laughing.
 
The romantic mood was broken, so they turned off the movie and Paige loaded the boys arms with pillows and blankets from the linen closet.

Zach and Rider made up the sofa bed and climbed in.
 
They were lying as far apart as possible but still felt a little awkward to be sharing a bed.
 
Cody decided it was a good time to pump Rider for information, though, so he started pestering Zach with questions to ask him.
 
Not knowing what else to say, Zach decided to let Cody have his way.
 
“So tell me, what was it like when you switched bodies?” Zach asked, turning onto his side to face Rider.
 
“How did you do it?”
 
The questions came from Cody, but Zach was pretty curious, too.

“It was terrifying,” Rider admitted, propping himself up on one elbow, his eyes gazing off into the distance as he remembered.
 
“We’d been in the accident and Rachel was comatose.
 
I couldn’t hear her at all — I thought she was dead at first.
 
But the doctors were working on her and I could hear her heart beating, so I knew there was still a chance, but then the heart monitor went flat.
 
Before I could even process what had happened I was cut loose from her body.”
 
Rider’s eyes glazed over as he relived the experience in his mind and his voice trembled as he shared.
 
“I felt like I was floating.
 
I could see her body below me; the doctors were scrambling to restart her heart, but the next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital bed in another body, with no memories whatsoever of who I was.”

“So, you didn’t even try to switch bodies, it just happened?” Zach asked, Cody’s questions taking over his mouth.

“Yeah, I mean, I had never even considered the possibility before.
 
I have no idea how I did it or if I could ever do it again.
 
Not that I want to, but I wonder, you know?”

Zach nodded.
 
“So you like being Cameron now, though?” he pressed.

“Sure, it’s great.
 
I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved being with Rachel and I don’t think I
 
would’ve ever left her purposely, but now, I can be with her and still be my own person.
 
It would be a whole different story if we hadn’t found each other again, but fortunately we did.”

“You don’t have any memories of Cameron’s life at all?”

“Nope, not a one.
 
Cameron took all that with him when he died.
 
All I have is his body.
 
When I first woke up, I didn’t have any memories at all and that was scary, but my own memories came back eventually, thanks to Rachel.
 
It’s a little weird, trying to live Cameron’s life, but I’m just grateful I have a chance to live at all, you know?”

The boys grew quiet as they contemplated Rider’s story.
 
Finally, Rider broke the silence. “Cody wants out, doesn’t he?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Zach admitted.

“Cody is stronger than I was when I was with Rachel,” Rider replied, the ominous implications left unsaid.

“Yeah, he can take over if he wants to.”

“Maybe he has enough power to jump at will.”

The idea swirled through Cody’s mind as the boys drifted into slumber.
 
He had already contemplated the same thing himself, but having Rider suggest it gave life to his fantasy and he spent the night thinking and dreaming, a complicated plan percolating in his mind.

chapter thirteen

Sunday morning, the kids dawdled around the house, hoping to hear from Jessica.
 
Zach kept checking his phone, but there was no news.
 
She had told them she was working Sunday, so they didn’t really expect to hear from her, but they were hopeful all the same.
 
At noon, Zach reluctantly told Paige that he needed to go to the ice cream shop to fill in for his uncle.

“Do you need some help?
 
I could come with you,” Paige offered, not sure if her motivation was selfish or selfless, but probably a little of both.
 
“It can’t be that hard to scoop ice cream; I’m sure I could figure it out.”

“That would be awesome,” Zach responded, his face cracking into an enormous smile.
 
Spending the day waiting on hordes of demanding customers sounded a whole lot more appealing if Paige was by his side.

“We should probably get going soon, anyway,” Rachel interjected, realizing Paige wouldn’t want to leave while they were still there.

“Yeah, I still have some homework to do,” Rider added.

Paige smirked.
 
She could see right through her friends’ ruse, but she was grateful for it.
 
It was weird and a little unsettling to think that now, given a choice, she’d pick spending time with her boyfriend Zach over her lifelong bestie Rachel.
 
It seemed like just a few days ago she was bereft without her.

Thirty minutes later, Rachel and Rider were tossing their bags into Rider’s SUV and exchanging promises to call immediately if anyone learned anything more about Michael Andrews.
 
Rider held out his hand for a fist bump from Zach that quickly turned into an awkward hug and eventually ended in shoulder punching and back slapping.
 
Paige and Rachel rolled their eyes at the boys’ pathetic attempt to preserve their manliness before giving each other a giant squeeze.

“Be cool, okay dude?
 
You too, Cody,” Rider half-whispered.
 
“I’m sure we’ll know more soon.
 
Knowledge is power, you know what I mean?”
 
Zach nodded, understanding what was left unsaid.

Rachel reached out to Zach with a hug and some advice of her own.
 
“You take good care of my friend now, you hear me?
 
I don’t want to hear any sob stories on the phone about you breaking her heart.
 
She’s just like one of your mom’s exotic flowers — beautiful, rare, and delicate!”
 
Zach chuckled at the comparison but crossed his heart and promised to be the best boyfriend ever.

Paige and Rider exchanged hugs too before Rachel and Rider hopped into the car and backed out of the driveway, waving energetically out the window as they drove away until they could no longer see their friends in the mirror.

“You’re friends are really awesome, you know that?” Zach commented, wrapping his arms around Paige’s waist and pulling her close.
 
“Kinda like you,” he smiled and tickled her nose with his before capturing her lips in a kiss.

“Us awesome people attract each other,” Paige replied saucily, sliding her hands down the tight muscles of his back.
 
Zach groaned as her hands continued past the waistband of his jeans.
 
His hands mimicked hers, closing the gap between their hips, as he sucked hungrily at her mouth.

All of a sudden, a streak of cold water attacked the couple, beating a wet line across Zach’s back and spraying a mist of droplets around them like a cloud.
 
Zach howled as the streak hit him and Paige gasped as the overspray attacked her like a horde of gnats.
 
“What the HECK!” Paige squawked, wiping the water from her face.
 
When her eyes were clear she saw the offending sprinkler making it’s way around the yard again and she grabbed a cackling Zach and pulled him out of the water’s path.
 
Her father was standing at the spigot with a smirk on his face and she huffed as she dragged Zach over to his car and waited impatiently for him to get control of his laughter and unlock the doors.

Once inside the vehicle, Zach calmed down enough to look at Paige.
 
She was glaring out the window at her father with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
 
Tiny droplets of water clung to her curls and her mascara was dripping down her cheeks.
 
Zach chuckled again as he looked at her, but quickly shut his mouth when she shot her angry eyes at him and they drove most of the way to the mall in silence.

“Don’t be mad at your dad, Paige,” Zach encouraged when she had finally relaxed enough to drop her arms.
 
“He’s just trying to protect his princess.”
 
Paige just huffed, but her expression softened.
 
Zach leaned over and wiped the streaks of mascara off her cheeks before attempting another kiss.
 
Paige’s icy demeanor melted as soon as Zach’s warm lips touched hers and soon she was her happy, smiling self again.

When they arrived at the ice cream shop, Zach dug around in the stockroom for tee shirts for them both, and Paige reluctantly donned the lime green monstrosity all the employees had to wear.
 
Zach introduced her to Samantha, a bubbly, college-aged girl who had worked at Sundae’s for several summers and was saddened to hear about Mr. Pasquetti’s hospitalization.
 
She was grateful to have a few more helping hands because the warmer weather meant bigger crowds and Sunday afternoons were notoriously busy. She didn’t mind helping Zach show Paige all the ins and outs of the ice cream business.
 
She told Paige about life at Grand Valley State University, the local college she attended, in-between teaching her how much ice cream to put in each size cone and how to work the cash register and the milkshake machine.
 
After a few hours of on-the-job training from Sam and Zach, Paige soon had a decent grasp of her duties and was eagerly attempting to take over the shop.