Heart of Fire (Blood of Zeus #2) - Meredith Wild Page 0,23

“I hope it was a little romantic.”

I return her smile. “Actually, it was a lot romantic. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t still holding a torch for her, to be honest.”

Her lips drop into a perfect O. She blinks up at me. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Do you think he really wants to see her?”

“I get the strong feeling that he does. As weirdly intriguing as that is, I’m not sure he needs the distraction. Today, he got the father-and-son time I promised him. Maybe he’ll want more, but I don’t know. I sure could use some more answers, but not before he sorts things out with his brothers.”

As she nods, her brows draw together pensively. I yearn to kiss away those troubled furrows but know my words will be more helpful right now.

“He said he’d be back in a few days. We’ll know more soon,” I add, hoping to offer her more reassurance.

I feel a billion feet tall as soon as her smile returns. She comes in a little closer, pressing her cheek to my bicep. “What else did you talk about? I want to hear everything.”

“Well, if what he says is true, there’s a pretty good reason why I can’t remember much of my childhood.” I swallow down some more tart, working up the courage to even say the next words. To believe them. “According to Z, I spent the first eight years of my life in Olympus. He thinks something happened to my memories after my mother and I left.”

She yanks back, eyes wide. “Something like what?”

“Something like…they were somehow tampered with.”

“Wow. Really?”

I shrug. I’m still having a hard time owning any of it.

“That’s… That’s fascinating,” she goes on, the awe in every syllable giving away her intense curiosity.

I wish I could share in it more. All of this feels like a strange dream that I can’t reconcile with reality. A harsh, confusing reality I’ve lived for so long. I keep thinking that at any moment, a popular reality star will pop out of the bushes with a camera crew and announce that the joke’s on me.

“Anyway…” I turn my attention to the horizon of glowing lights. “Fill me in, little demon. What else does Veronica have on our agenda this week?”

Suddenly Kara looks as wary about the future as I do about my past. “A few things.”

“I’m afraid to ask.” Truly, I am.

She sighs. “First, she wants us to hit up the farmer’s market near your place Wednesday.”

“That’s easy enough. Maybe we could stay at my place for a little while. Jesse said the camera crews have thinned out considerably.”

“That’s actually what my mother had in mind.”

I lift a brow—and my full grin. “Really?”

“She wants me to be seen there.” She tenses her jaw but doesn’t say more.

“Okay.” I draw out the word, inviting her to elaborate. Actually, needing her to. Why does she still look like Veronica has mandated us to go get root canals instead of fresh-picked fruit? “What else?”

“Then Piper has a movie premiere on Friday, which I’m hoping we can get out of since this is all last minute. But knowing my mother, she’ll make it happen.”

“Wow. Red carpet. That would be my first.”

“Thus the wardrobe assault.”

I give in to a full laugh. “Makes sense now. I guess it could be worse.”

“And Saturday, there’s a private dinner for the university.” She casts her gaze off to the skyline, spiking my curiosity in an inexplicable way.

“The Gold Circle Dinner that the president hosts?”

She nods and nibbles her lower lip even harder. After a few anxious beats, she settles her stare back on me. “You need to know…Arden will be there.”

I pause, making sure I heard her right.

“We’ll be there together, of course, but I figured I’d warn you now.” Her gaze darts nervously across my face. “In case, you know…”

“In case what?”

“Well, if there’s…friction.”

My frown deepens. “In what world does your mother think there won’t be?”

“Maximus.” She takes my hand with beseeching desperation. “I understand your tension. And yes, maybe the event is tempting fate, but it—and all of this—is meant to legitimize us. Being taken seriously by the university is as important as the Hollywood elite.” She swallows hard. “Beyond that, Kell is my sister, which means Arden’s going to be in our lives whether we like it or not.”

“I don’t like it at all,” I grumble.

“I know.” Her eyes grow sad. “And I don’t either. But more than that, I hate what this means for Kell. Tolerating him socially is a small price to