real that none of us can keep our heads straight long enough to even give you an explanation.”
“Why?” He flinches at my question.
“Why?” Ares repeats, swallowing quickly.
I nod. “Yes, why can’t you just explain everything to me, why do you keep acting like there’s stuff you guys aren’t telling me?” I cross my arms over my stomach defensively. “And why are you guys acting like jerks half the time?”
Ares looks around, his eyes flit over his shoulder then back to me. “Can we talk about this somewhere else? I think there are somethings you haven’t told us either.”
I blink several times, studying his face. “What are you talking about? See, you can’t even answer my questions now.” What could he know?
Ares takes a few steps closer to me and my back goes rigid. “I will answer your questions, I just think there’s a better place to do it.” He eyes the RV behind me. I have an easy excuse not to let him in, my mom. In truth, after all my blustering I’m still embarrassed about how we live.
Not meeting his eyes, I shift on my feet. “Not here, my mom is resting.”
“Laura.” The sympathy I hear in his voice can only mean one thing. He knows.
Seventeen
“There’s nobody else in that RV.” Ares’s words sting, even though he delivers them gently. My heart thunders in my ears and I drop my chin. How does he know?
“She could be back any second, you shouldn’t be here.”
Ares tilts his head and pauses, his eyes a little wide. I know he doesn’t believe me, hell I wouldn’t believe me either. I didn’t even try very hard to make the lie convincing. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on.”
Before I have time to formulate a response I hear the whirr of an electric engine. Mike turns the corner. I know the moment he sees us, me with my tangled soaking wet hair and Ares, standing a few feet away. The golf cart jerks to a stop. Mike turns the wheel so he’s now heading in our direction.
“Mr. Costa, I didn’t know you were back in town,” he addresses Ares while keeping his eyes locked on me. I shuffle my feet and cross my arms over my chest, only now realizing I don’t have a bra on. My things still litter the ground at the bathhouse, which is probably where he was headed before he spotted us.
Ares turns to face him, taking a few steps over so he blocks me from Mike’s sight. “Just got back yesterday.” His voice is polite, but there’s a formalness in his tone I hadn’t noticed before.
“What brings you out this way?” Mike leans over, making it clear he’s looking at me.
Ares’s back stiffens, his voice is tight when he answers, “Miss Fallen is in need of a ride.” I don’t think Ares likes being questioned.
I step out from behind Ares. “I’m working at the diner, Maggie doesn’t like that I’ve been walking,” I offer as an explanation. Mike’s eyes run down my body, narrowing on my hair. “I’m running late. I had to shower after school.”
“Your momma okay with you getting a ride? No offensive Mr. Costa, I just don’t want you getting into trouble for trying to help out.”
I can’t tell if he thinks I’m the type of girl who would try to take advantage of the fact that Ares is older than me, and obviously has money, or if he’s warning me that I should let my mom know I’ll be around Ares. Probably both.
“Yes sir, my mom knows. Maggie is expecting me in a few minutes. I just realized I forgot my caddy at the bathhouse.” Without another word I turn on my heel and speed walk back to showers. If Mike were to find all my stuff on the ground, he would have been really suspicious.
My steps falter when I see the red door, there’s nothing there. All my stuff is gone. Ares must have picked it up already. I can’t go back now empty handed, Mike will think I’m nuts. I peek through the trees; the golf cart is still parked in the same position. Ares didn’t have anything in his hands when he found me at my trailer, so maybe he put my things back in the showers? I spot a black SUV parked next to the cinderblock building. That has to be Ares’s, there’s a good chance he would have put my stuff in there. I cup my hands around