The Year I Became Isabella Ande (Sunnyvale #1) - Jessica Sorensen Page 0,57
whenever someone mentions his bad-boy makeover.
His gaze elevates to mine, and that let-me-hypnotize-you-with-my-eyes look is smoldering fiercely. “I was. It’s actually getting clearer now, though,” he says then immediately changes the subject. “Quick question. Why would Hannah put your certificate on your bed? Isn’t that kind of, in a way, helping you find your mom? Because that doesn’t seem like something Hannah would do.”
“It’s not really helping me since it doesn’t have my mom’s name listed. I mean, I already know her first name is Bella because my dad let it slip out to my grandma. And he was really mad when he did that.” I blow out a stressed breath. “So either this is Hannah’s way of rubbing in my face that I’m motherless, or maybe she thinks if she helps me find my mom, it’ll get rid of me.”
“Now that sounds like Hannah.”
I chew on my bottom lip, debating if I should tell him about the text messages, too.
“I’ve been getting some weird texts … ever since I found out about my mom. They’re from an unknown caller, but I’m pretty sure it’s Hannah.” I take out my phone and open up a message. “I got this message earlier today.” I show Kai the photo the unknown caller sent me and the message. “I don’t think anyone else besides Hannah could’ve gotten into the house, found my birth certificate, and put it on my bed.”
With his brows dipped, Kai asks, “What about Lynn?”
“She’s gone on a vacation with my dad.”
He considers something with a torn look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, putting my phone away.
“It’s nothing … I’m just trying to figure out what the hell Hannah is up to.”
“She’s probably just trying to hurt me. She’s always doing stuff like this.”
He doesn’t disagree and looks sort of guilty about something.
“I’m sorry, Isa. I really am.” He blows an exhale then his gaze falls to my hand. He takes the certificate from me. “Mind if I hang on to this for a couple of days? I may know a guy who can help you with your search. I’m not sure what kind of information he needs, but I can give it a try.”
“You know, this is the third time you’ve said something very mafia-ish to me,” I point out. “You want to tell me something about you and these new friends of yours?”
“No way. That would take away all of my mystery.” His lips quirk as he looks at me, and I can’t help smiling despite all the crazy stuff going on in my life right now. “Then I’d just be boring Kai again.”
“I kind of liked boring Kai.” I playfully nudge his foot with mine. “Well, sometimes, anyway.”
“You never really knew him, Isa. No one really did.”
“I did a little, though.”
“Maybe a little,” he agrees, tucking the certificate into the back pocket of his jeans.
Well, I guess that’s that.
It makes me nervous to think about what he’s going to do with that piece of paper. Who’s this guy he’s going to talk to? And how can he find my mom without knowing more than her first name?
“Hurry and get changed. Let’s hit up this party so we can relax.” He backs toward the door, fishing his phone from his pocket. “And while you’re doing that, I’m going to go have a little chat with Hannah and see if I can get to the bottom of this.”
Confusion clouds my mind. “You’d do that for me?”
He shrugs. “Yeah, why not?” A smile touches his lips. “I’m always up for pissing Hannah off.”
Chapter 15
Kai’s talk with Hannah doesn’t go down the way he hoped. Apparently, all she wanted to do was flirt with him and talk about how hot she looked.
“God, she’s so annoying,” he gripes as we get into his car.
I giggle. “You just figured that out?”
He shakes his head. “No. I was just painfully reminded of it.” He backs down the driveway toward the road. “Sorry, I couldn’t get her to talk.”
“That’s okay.” It’s the truth, too. While I’d love for Hannah to confess she did it, I still ended up with my birth certificate.
“I did go through her phone to see if maybe she’s just blocked her number and that’s why it’s coming up as unknown,” Kai adds. “But either she’s deleted all the texts and photos or she’s sending them from another phone.”
I give him a suspicious look. “How’d you get on her phone? She has a password.”