The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4 (Cursed #3-4) - Rebecca Donovan Page 0,38
you, Lana,” she says, practically choking with exuberance. “I was so afraid that you’d never … that I might’ve ruined you. This is so exciting!”
I hold the phone away from my ear until her excitement returns to a normal volume. “Um, Mom, it’s just dinner. Let’s not get crazy.” Desperate to talk about anything else, I ask, “Have you seen Tori or Nina? I haven’t been allowed to talk to them since I’ve been here. I wanted them to know where I am.”
“Oh, no, I haven’t,” she says regretfully.
“They haven’t stopped by?” I ask, her answer striking me as odd.
“Not when I’ve been home. Were they supposed to?”
“Oh,” I breathe out, unable to keep the weight of disappointment from filtering through. But it feels even heavier than that. “I asked them to check on you while I was away.” I really thought my friends understood how important that was to me. I guess they didn’t.
“That’s sweet of you. But I’m much better. Olivia’s been helping me. You remember Olivia, don’t you?”
“Mrs. Harrison?” My tone doesn’t hide my surprise or confusion. “No, I’ve … never met her.”
“You were too young to remember. I used to take you over there when you were a baby. We … lost touch a while back.” I note the awkward hesitation. “She came by after you left and has been so kind.”
“That’s … good,” I reply, suspicious. It all seems a little convenient that she chose now to reconnect. I’m about to ask how exactly Mom knows the Harrisons, but when I look up from scuffing my shoe in the grass, I find Brendan standing in front of me. I glare back. “I have to go, but it’ll be good to see you.”
“You too. Do you need me to bring anything?”
My birth certificate, I want to say. “No. I think I’m good.”
“Bye, Lana.”
“Bye, Mom.”
It’s like we’re having a staring contest. Or Brendan’s trying to re-create one of the nightmares I had about him over the weekend. He’s as composed as ever, not affected by the heat or anything else.
“What do you want?” I ask, my voice frigid.
“You’re mad at me,” he says, stating an obvious fact. “Because of what I said about Ashton.”
“For so many reasons, but that’s one of them,” I bite back. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”
He smirks like I amuse him. “I’m not avoiding you.” He takes a few steps closer and leans against a rubbery green gumdrop. “Did you tell Ashton what I said?”
“No. I’m not that cruel. She’s better off not knowing.” I continue to glower at him, my arms crossed tight. I fight to ignore the sweat trickling down my neck, pasting my hair to my damp skin. “You claim to love her, but you really have no idea how.”
“But you’re an expert, right? Because Mr. Integrity’s in your life?” His tone is mocking, and I want to shove his head through the gooey green gumdrop, not caring if it’s fake.
I lift my chin in defiance. “I don’t know. Maybe I suck at it too. But at least I’m honest with him.”
He chuckles, like I’m a child without a clue about how the world works. “Really? Completely one hundred percent honest?”
“I’m an open book, and he’s read all the pages.” I know I’m being completely juvenile, playing into his taunting, but he just … makes me want to scream!
Brendan laughs wickedly. “I doubt that. Have you told him how you feel about him? Have you actually said the words?”
My mouth seals shut.
His lips tilt into one of his cocky grins. “I didn’t think so.”
“This isn’t about me,” I retort, like I’m accusing him of something.
“Oh, but it is. It’s all about you. Haven’t you figured that out yet, Lana?”
“So I’ve been told,” I sneer, recalling the message I may have hallucinated in the woods. “But what are you talking about? Just tell me what you want, Brendan. Stop fucking around.”
“The truth. Same as you.” He winks.
I spread my arms open in an aggressive invitation. “So let’s talk. I’m ready when you are.”
His brows rise as if he’s just now recalling our agreement. “That’s right. You promised me five questions. That still stand?”
“Sure. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, if you do the same.”
His pompous grin grows wider, revealing his brilliant white teeth. “I have nothing to hide.”
Liar. I can see it now. His tell. The indicator I’ve overlooked since I met him because he’s distracted me with his arrogant grin or wicked stare. I’ve been studying