Watercolor (24 page)

“We’ll just go up the road,” he said, backing out of the driveway. The car might not’ve been new, but it smelled new. And the leather interior barely looked used. Of course, Will was the only one driving it, and I wasn’t sure how much he even drove in New Orleans.

“If you don’t tell me the story…” I said.

He stopped before turning out onto the road and kissed me fast. Then he smiled and kissed me again slower. I was just reaching for his face when he pulled away and turned his attention back to driving. “Mom said she’d been saving up for college. Then when I got the scholarships, she said she wanted to get me a decent car for my regular trips home.”

He didn’t look at me as he spoke, and I pressed my lips together, unsure if I wanted to pursue it. “Okay,” I said, watching him.

But he turned to me quickly. “This is a lot better than decent.”

I nodded.

“Whatever,” he exhaled, speeding up on the deserted road. “I’m not looking a gift car in the mouth.”

Julian’s Beemer was the talk of school the next day, and it reminded me of when Brad got his Camaro last fall. Only this time, Julian gave him an immediate “No” when Brad suggested they take it drag racing.

“I told you I’ve taken my last hit for you,” Julian laughed.

Brad slapped him on the back. “You’re getting soft,” he teased.

Summer was equally impressed, and she was even more adamant about us being Cutest Couple in the yearbook. I was worried she kept saying it in front of everyone until Rachel reminded me she and Brad were up for Mr. and Miss Fairview High School. After that, I was onboard. If only our “couple” status were less frustrating.

Julian and I hadn’t done a thing since our agreement about his dad, and when I’d asked him last night if he’d be back, he’d said no. Ms. LaSalle hadn’t been spending her nights out lately, he said. I couldn’t help wondering if getting caught by Lucy had anything to do with her sudden stay-at-home habits.

Either way, after school, I was in my car headed to the Phoenicians to thank Mr. Kyser and let him know how happy he’d made his son.

Riding up the elevator, I wondered if he knew about Lucy’s discovery. And if he did, I wondered if he might be more open to try again with telling Julian the truth. The metal doors opened at the penthouse, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Will stood in the breezeway waiting, and when he saw me, his face turned into a scowl.

Quickly, he stepped into the elevator and pressed the close button, holding it and preventing my exit.

“What are you doing?” I said, trying to get around him.

He didn’t move. “I should say the same to you.” His voice was so much like his dad’s, but where Mr. Kyser’s sternness was all business, Will’s felt personally mean. “Why do you keep showing up here? And don’t give me any crap about a book.”

My eyes flew wide. A book? …
Summer!
“I told you, I work for the paper,” I said trying not to appear flustered, which I knew he would interpret as me lying.

At the same time, anger warred against the intimidation tightening my lungs. Why did he have Summer spying on me? And for that matter, why would she agree to do it? Was that why she’d followed me to the paper office? And what about her nonstop picture-taking? Did Will know something about Julian?

“You used to date my brother,” he said. “Did something happen?”

I couldn’t look at him without blinking. A little bead of sweat rolled down the center of my back. “No,” I said. “I mean, yes, I did, but nothing happened.”

He stepped toward me, and I struggled to keep my hands at my sides and not shove him back. “I’m going to find out what’s going on, and if something happened, if you’re blackmailing Dad, don’t think I won’t make you regret it.”

“You’re nuts,” I managed to say in a calm voice. “How could I blackmail your dad?”

He stepped back, releasing the close button and allowing me to pass. The metal doors reopened, and I backed out into the penthouse breezeway, holding his gaze the entire time. His cold, blue eyes kept my chest tight, and when the doors finally closed, I let out a deep exhale, almost falling over.

Turning toward the receptionist, I found her desk empty, so I went straight to Mr. Kyser’s office. It was also empty.

For a moment, I wondered why Will hadn’t said his father wasn’t even here. Then my lips pressed together. That was probably why he’d had the nerve to hold me in the elevator. Either way, it didn’t matter. What I wanted right now was to locate Summer and get to the bottom of this.

Chapter 23

From the Phoenician penthouse, I drove to the paper office in Fairview. Summer might not be working, but I was going to find out. I couldn’t wait another minute to have it out with her. Luckily for me, she was sitting at the makeshift desk, scrolling through picture files. I went straight to her and grabbed the back of the chair, turning it to face me.

“Whoa!” she cried in her dumb, air-head voice. She started to laugh until she saw my face. “Anna?”

“What the hell, Summer?” I shouted, causing Nancy to emerge from her office.

“Is there a problem, girls?” Our editor said, looking from my furious expression to Summer’s clueless one.

Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure I wanted the Associated Press in on this story. “Sorry,” I said, working hard to soften my tone. “I need to talk to Summer about one of our classes.” I turned to my ex-friend. “Would you mind if we went outside?”

Nancy’s brows pulled together, and I was pretty sure she didn’t believe me. But she nodded and went back into her office. Summer stood and followed me out to the courtyard behind our building.

“You want to talk about English?” she said when we got outside. I waited for the door to close completely before continuing.

“I want to know why you’re spying on me for Will Kyser.”

Her face went from shock to curiosity to a look I’d never seen on Summer, cunning. “He told you?”

This turn of events took me aback. It also made me contemplate my answer. “Let’s just say he mentioned the book I lost.”

At that, she changed entirely back to airhead. “Oh,” she said in that voice I now realized was a cover. “I might’ve mentioned that you were worried about losing his dad’s book.”

“Why were you talking to him about me in the first place?”

She turned away, studying her hand. “Umm… I ran into him during Mardi Gras, and I guess I wanted to help you if I could.”

“Cut the crap, Summer. I don’t believe you for a second,” I said, crossing my arms. “You said Casey Simpson is your cousin, right?”

“I don’t see the connection.” She was back to the high-pitched voice.

“I don’t either.” I walked around the courtyard, thinking how interested Will was in me and Jack. “But if I catch you spying on me, I’ll do something about it.” I had no idea what. “And we’re not friends anymore.”

Her eyes flashed, and that old cunning was back. “We never were,” she said. “You pretended to be my friend, but I didn’t want to know you. Not after you stole Jack.”

“Stole Jack?” I almost laughed out loud. “What the hell?”

“Laugh all you want,” she spat. “Like you’re so much better than me. He was supposed to be mine after Casey left.”

I rubbed my forehead, looking up at the darkening sky. Jack was the least of my concerns. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I sighed. “And it’s getting late.”

“I’m sure you don’t know what I’m talking about,” she snapped. “You had your head up your ass the entire fall semester. Or I guess I should say his.”

My arms dropped, and I went to the glass doors. “I can’t argue with that,” I said. “I was kind of knocked off my feet by Jack. But I’m back on them now. And you’d better stay out of my way.”

I left her standing there, and as I went back to my car, I felt exhausted. All of this intrigue and lying and spying and sudden reveals was starting to wear me down. Why couldn’t I just have a normal life, a normal boyfriend, the things you see on the after-school specials. Instead I had Jack, who’d spun my head and then jerked me around. I had Julian, who I loved and couldn’t tell the truth about something that was tearing him up inside. And now I had fake friends spying on me and getting me in trouble with crazy older brothers who had hidden agendas.

By the time I made it back home, all I wanted was to sleep. And that’s exactly what I did.

Julian could tell something was up as he walked me to class after lunch Friday. “I’ve missed you a lot these last few days,” he said, holding my hand.

I nodded and smiled, squeezing his hand as we walked. The end of the year felt like it was racing toward us, and I wondered where we would be this time next year.

I wasn’t encouraged.

“Mom told me she’d be gone tonight,” he continued. “That’s a pretty big switch, don’t you think?”

“Sure,” I said. He still didn’t seem to know about Lucy’s discovery, but I figured since their cat was out of the bag, Ms. LaSalle had to plan her visits now. And since they knew Julian and Lucy were friends, it was smart to be open.

He frowned, studying my face. “Still love me?”

My chest clenched and I stopped walking. He stopped, too, waiting. “How can you ask me that?” I caught his face and kissed him.

That brought out the grin I loved. “Just checking. You’ve been kind of distant lately. And what’s up with you and Summer? I was just getting used to her weirdness.”

I shook my head. “She got to be too much. I asked her to give me some space.”

He poked out his lips and nodded. “No complaints here.”

We started walking again. “So you’re saying tonight?”

“Yep,” he smiled and kissed the back of my hand. “Can’t wait.”

“Me either.”

The idea of him with me, back in my bed holding me tight in his arms, made everything that was troubling me wash away in a wave of anticipation.

Mom and Dad of course chose that night to take me out for a celebratory dinner in honor of graduation and my acceptance into Loyola and even better, my scholarship. Mom said the time was racing until graduation, to which I silently agreed. So in honor of the occasion, we drove to Jesse’s. I did my best not to think about the last time I was at the tiny upscale restaurant on the Magnolia River.

On that night, Jack had ordered steaks for both of us. I’d had mine with gouda grits. We’d danced, and after, we’d driven down to the beach and made out. It was the night I’d decided to be honest with him. After which, he’d promptly taken me home.

Clearly, I failed at not thinking about the last time I was at Jesse’s.

I did not order the steak. I got the New Orleans barbecue shrimp in honor of my future hometown, followed by shrimp and grits. I wasn’t going to make the grits suffer because I’d made a poor first choice in boyfriends.

Dinner was actually very nice. Mom and Dad split a bottle of wine. Then they got weepy remembering my first day of kindergarten, and I tried not to roll my eyes. At the end of the evening, I drove us all home nicely bonded and ready for bed. It was late, and I loitered in the kitchen as my parents said goodnight and then went to their rooms. I was confident they’d be sound asleep sooner rather than later.

Once I was certain they were settled, I headed up the stairs. Julian was waiting in my bedroom when I got there, but his appearance stopped me in my tracks. He sat on the floor beside my bed, and when I saw what was in his hands, my stomach fell two stories to the floor below.

He had the letter. And it was clear he’d read it. Even worse, his expression said he was furious. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, teeth clenched.

My chest was so painfully tight, it hurt to breathe. “Mom and Dad took me to a surprise dinner.” I managed to say, despite the fear climbing my shoulders. “How long have you been here?”

“How did you get this?” he said, holding up the evidence. “It’s my mom’s handwriting. It’s to Bill Kyser. It says he’s—”

“Mr. Kyser gave it to me,” I jumped in quickly. “But…”

“Why the hell would he give this to
you
?”

The way he said
you
stopped my heart. My eyes grew damp as I crossed the room to him, dropping to my knees at his side. “Oh my god, Julian, it’s such a long story. Please let me tell it to you before you think anything…”

But he pushed away. “All I want to know is why you have it. And how long have you had it? How long have you known?”

I hiccupped a breath. “I saw him with your mom. When you were in the hospital last fall. He was comforting her, and it all led to this. But he made me swear never to tell anyone. That’s who she’s been going to every night. I tried to make them tell you, but they wouldn’t. Julian…” my voice cracked as tears blinded my eyes.

“You knew he was my dad all this time, and you didn’t tell me?” His voice strained as he said the words, but he was holding himself steady. It completely freaked me out. I could not lose him again. Not for them.

“I wanted to so much.” I reached for him, but he blocked my hands. Then he stood up quick. I was right behind him.

“Oh, god, Julian,” I cried. “They made me promise not to tell you. Please don’t be mad at me.”