besides, she was kind of . . . curious.
ââFantastic,ââ Eve sighed. ââI justâyeah. Since I was fourteen, Iâve had a crush on that boy, you know? And he never knew I existed. I went to every one of his concerts, from the time he first started playing, up to the last time he headlined at Common Grounds. I never thoughtâI just never thought itâd work out.ââ
ââAnd how was . . . ?ââ Claire raised her eyebrows and left the question open to anything Eve wanted to make it mean.
Eveâs smile got wicked. ââFantastic.ââ
They shared muffled squeals. Eve did a little happy-dance behind the counter, dumped shots in a drink, and twirled. Claire had never seen her look so full-stop happy.
Reality came back, and she remembered why sheâd come in the first place. She had the strong suspicion she was about to blow all that happiness sky-high.
Eveâs smile was fading, like someone had turned down her dimmer switch. ââClaire, youâre wearing the worried face. Whatâs wrong?ââ
ââI . . .ââ Claire hesitated, then plunged in. ââI saw Jason. This morning.ââ
Eveâs dark eyes widened, but she didnât say anything. She waited.
ââHe wanted me to tell you that heâs going to call. Itâs something about your dad, he says. He says not to hang up.ââ
ââMy dad,ââ Eve repeated. ââYouâre sure.ââ
ââThatâs what he said. I told him, no promises.ââ Claire sipped her mocha, which was perfect, and watched Eveâs expression. Not too easy to read, right now. ââHe didnât try to hurt me.ââ
ââBroad daylight, on a main street? Yeah, well, heâs bug-out crazy, but heâs not stupid.ââ Eve seemed very far away, suddenly. And all her happy glow was gone. ââI havenât talked to either one of my parents since my eighteenth birthday.ââ
ââWhy not?ââ
ââThey tried to sell me to Brandon,ââ she said flatly. ââLike a piece of meat on the hoof. I donât know why Jasonâs suddenly all nostalgic about the fam; itâs not like there were good times to remember.ââ
ââBut theyâre still your parents.ââ
ââYeah, unfortunately. Look, hereâs the story of the Rosser clan: weâre the original nuclear family. As in, nuclear bomb. Toxic even when it doesnât explode.ââ Eve shook her head. ââWhatever Dadâs damage is, I donât care. And I donât know why Jason would, either.ââ
Another student had paid for coffee, and Eve cast him an absent, empty smile and started pulling espresso shots with mechanical precision. ââItâs nothing, ââ she said. ââAnd Iâm hanging up on him when he calls. If he calls. And even if itâs something, I donât give a damn anyway.ââ
Claire just nodded. She had no idea what to say. Eve was clearly upset, a lot more upset than sheâd expected her to be. She waved good-bye and took herself off to a nearby study table, and began plowing through a book sheâd borrowed from the library. Somebodyâs PhD paper, which read like the guy had never bothered to attend a single English Composition class.
Good equations, though. She was heavily involved in them when her cell phone rang.
ââHello?ââ She didnât recognize the number, but it was local, and not her parents.
ââClaire Danvers?ââ
ââYes, whoâs this?ââ
ââMy nameâs Dr. Robert Mills. Iâm the one who treated your friend Shane in the hospital.ââ
She felt a piercing sensation of alarm. ââNothingâs wrong
ââFantastic,ââ Eve sighed. ââI justâyeah. Since I was fourteen, Iâve had a crush on that boy, you know? And he never knew I existed. I went to every one of his concerts, from the time he first started playing, up to the last time he headlined at Common Grounds. I never thoughtâI just never thought itâd work out.ââ
ââAnd how was . . . ?ââ Claire raised her eyebrows and left the question open to anything Eve wanted to make it mean.
Eveâs smile got wicked. ââFantastic.ââ
They shared muffled squeals. Eve did a little happy-dance behind the counter, dumped shots in a drink, and twirled. Claire had never seen her look so full-stop happy.
Reality came back, and she remembered why sheâd come in the first place. She had the strong suspicion she was about to blow all that happiness sky-high.
Eveâs smile was fading, like someone had turned down her dimmer switch. ââClaire, youâre wearing the worried face. Whatâs wrong?ââ
ââI . . .ââ Claire hesitated, then plunged in. ââI saw Jason. This morning.ââ
Eveâs dark eyes widened, but she didnât say anything. She waited.
ââHe wanted me to tell you that heâs going to call. Itâs something about your dad, he says. He says not to hang up.ââ
ââMy dad,ââ Eve repeated. ââYouâre sure.ââ
ââThatâs what he said. I told him, no promises.ââ Claire sipped her mocha, which was perfect, and watched Eveâs expression. Not too easy to read, right now. ââHe didnât try to hurt me.ââ
ââBroad daylight, on a main street? Yeah, well, heâs bug-out crazy, but heâs not stupid.ââ Eve seemed very far away, suddenly. And all her happy glow was gone. ââI havenât talked to either one of my parents since my eighteenth birthday.ââ
ââWhy not?ââ
ââThey tried to sell me to Brandon,ââ she said flatly. ââLike a piece of meat on the hoof. I donât know why Jasonâs suddenly all nostalgic about the fam; itâs not like there were good times to remember.ââ
ââBut theyâre still your parents.ââ
ââYeah, unfortunately. Look, hereâs the story of the Rosser clan: weâre the original nuclear family. As in, nuclear bomb. Toxic even when it doesnât explode.ââ Eve shook her head. ââWhatever Dadâs damage is, I donât care. And I donât know why Jason would, either.ââ
Another student had paid for coffee, and Eve cast him an absent, empty smile and started pulling espresso shots with mechanical precision. ââItâs nothing, ââ she said. ââAnd Iâm hanging up on him when he calls. If he calls. And even if itâs something, I donât give a damn anyway.ââ
Claire just nodded. She had no idea what to say. Eve was clearly upset, a lot more upset than sheâd expected her to be. She waved good-bye and took herself off to a nearby study table, and began plowing through a book sheâd borrowed from the library. Somebodyâs PhD paper, which read like the guy had never bothered to attend a single English Composition class.
Good equations, though. She was heavily involved in them when her cell phone rang.
ââHello?ââ She didnât recognize the number, but it was local, and not her parents.
ââClaire Danvers?ââ
ââYes, whoâs this?ââ
ââMy nameâs Dr. Robert Mills. Iâm the one who treated your friend Shane in the hospital.ââ
She felt a piercing sensation of alarm. ââNothingâs wrong
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