Read Online How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler - Free Book Online Page B

course. Kya did disappear sometimes and ignored phone or text messages. She’d emerge when she was done being dark and depressed or whatever she did when she hid out. But something had happened. “I need to find her.”
    â€œPeople who have nothing to hide hide nothing,” he said.
    I sighed. If only it was that easy. Levi popped his head around the corner and held up an empty glass to see if I wanted water. I shook my head. On the other end of the phone, James mirrored my sigh.
    â€œDo you want help looking for her?”
    â€œIt’s okay. You’re busy.” I glanced toward the kitchen.
    â€œIt’s stupid housework. I can do it tomorrow. Mom had a rough afternoon. She’s medicated and out for the night. She’s been in a lot of pain so we upped her meds. She won’t notice if I vacuum tomorrow.”
    The clanking in the kitchen stopped. Levi walked around the corner and stopped by the table and vase, pressing his hip against the wall.
    â€œIs your mom going to be okay?” I asked James.
    â€œThe six-million dollar question. She’s sleeping now, not in pain. That’s as good as it gets some days.”
    I nodded, my heart going out to him. “Don’t worry about Kya, okay? I have help. I’ll find her. I thought you might know something.”
    â€œNada.”
    In the mirror, I caught the reflection of Levi’s flat stomach. A section of smooth tanned skin showed where his shirt caught on the wall. I quickly looked away.
    â€œThanks, James. I hope your mom feels better. Talk to you tomorrow?”
    â€œYeah. Tomorrow.”
    I clicked off the phone before he asked questions about who was helping me. I tucked it back in my purse. Levi raised his eyebrows.
    â€œJames. My other best friend,” I told him. “And Kya’s.”
    â€œThe guy from Splatterfest? The one who did the announcing. Glasses? Black hair?”
    I nodded. My mind was busy trying not to think of his bare skin while also trying to think where Kya could be.
    Levi pushed off the wall. “I think I know where they might have gone.” He straightened and his shirt slid down. Disappointment and relief fogged my brain. I blinked to windshield-wipe away the perverted thoughts.
    â€œSteve Blender’s,” Levi said. “He was here. He has a pool, and since it finally stopped raining, I bet they went there. Lucas took me when I first moved here.”
    â€œSteve Blender’s? Are you serious? He doesn’t even like us.” I shifted from foot to foot and caught sight of myself in the mirror. Pieces of hair had escaped from my bun and pointed all over the place. Zero makeup, a plain white T-shirt, and black yoga shorts. The only color on my body was a yellow stripe outlining my zebra-print purse. I looked like a flat-chested and boring preteen.
    â€œWell. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, he doesn’t base his opinion of girls on their personalities. But so you know, they seemed to be getting along fine.”
    â€œI can’t believe she’d go there.”
    â€œOnly one way to find out.” He held his hand out for me to walk out the door ahead of him.
    â€œDo you know where his house is?”
    â€œI have his address.” He lifted his phone from his pocket. “Lucas texted it the day I went there. I haven’t been invited back.”
    â€œI’ll take that as a good character reference.” I twisted my hand around the doorknob and pushed. “Can you take me?”
    â€œOf course.” He shadowed me outside and hurried ahead to open the passenger door on his car. He drove a few blocks to another part of the suburb. The houses looked like they’d been fed growth hormones. Even the lots were triple the size.
    He slowed down in front of a house with a long, wide driveway. Levi pulled behind a couple of SUVs. “This is it.” He killed the ignition and pointed to the right. “You can see the pool