Read Online Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Talia Vance
Ads: Link
been murdered?”
I nod. “I think so. I found a death threat in with her things.”
“Whoa.”
“That seems to be the general consensus.” The bell rings, and people rush by us, but Jason and I stand frozen.
“What are you gonna do?” Jason asks.
“I think Mary Chris’s dad has a document that might give us more information. I’m going to look for it tonight. Will you cover for me?” “If Mr. Moss has something, why don’t you just ask Mary Chris for it?”
“I don’t know. I feel weird about it. I can’t ask Mare to spy on her own father.”
“But you can spy on your best friend’s father?” Jason looks skeptical.
“Something like that.” It’s not like I want to involve Mary Chris’s family. I just want to know the truth. I need closure.
Jason looks over my shoulder and grins. “Your other boyfriend’s here.”
“What?” I spin around. Tanner leans against a row of lockersacross the hall, his arms crossed, watching me. Waiting. I turn my back on him.
Jason winks. “That’s my cue to leave.”
“Don’t.”
“It’s for your own good.” Jason walks away before I can say anything to stop him.
I should follow. Take evasive action. But why? I have no reason to run from Tanner Halston.
I take my time closing my locker, doing my best to ignore the pounding in my chest. I spin the combination lock a few times more than is necessary. I don’t need to look to know that Tanner closes the distance between us. I just know.
When I finally turn around, he is right there. I stand up straighter, in a futile effort to feel less small. I have to look up to make eye contact.
“Where were you today?” he asks.
“Hi to you too.”
Tanner blinks. “I’m sorry?”
“The proper greeting is ‘hi.’ You could also go with ‘hey,’ ‘what’s up,’ or ‘how’s it going.’ You should at least say hello before you give someone the third degree.”
“Is that what I’m doing?”
“Isn’t it?”
Tanner leans a shoulder on the locker next to mine. “Maybe.”
He smiles and I’m not ready for it. My hands shake against my thighs. “Did it ever occur to you that it’s none of your business where I was, or who I was with?” I emphasize that last part, a not so subtle reminder that I was with Drew today.
Tanner’s smile is gone in an instant. His eyes search my face like he’s looking for a way to get inside my head. I concentrate on keeping him out.
“I guess not,” he finally says. Then he puts his hands in the pockets of his perfectly faded jeans and walks away.
I watch him until he disappears around a corner. I sag back against my locker and close my eyes until my pulse evens out to normal levels. What was that? I don’t get nervous. It’s a professional hazard. I should be able to handle a smile from a good-looking boy. Correction. An arrogant jerk.
Swooning at guys is Dead Presidents’ territory. Not mine.
By the time I get home, Lulu’s already managed to convince Dad to take her for a walk. Dad grabs the jowl towel as he walks in the door and wipes the lines of drool from her chin. He skips the small talk. “Berry, you think you’ll be okay if I head up to Palm Springs for a few days next weekend?”
“I’m sure I’ll survive.” The fact is, Dad is gone a lot at night. Cheating husbands tend to like the cover of darkness. “Big case?”
His cheeks redden. “Actually, it’s a personal trip.”
I try to ignore the knot that forms in my chest and constricts. “Shauna?”
He wipes at Lulu’s chin without looking up. “She has a condo on a golf course. And I could use a few days away.”
I manage to stop myself from telling him to stay home, that I need him after all. That someone might have threatened Mom and I’m not sure what to do about it. “Are you sure about this?” I say instead, giving him an out.
“I am. I know it seems sudden. It was a surprise to me too.”
It does seem fast, despite the eight years leading up to it. Because of it.
I nod. “I think so. I found a death threat in with her things.”
“Whoa.”
“That seems to be the general consensus.” The bell rings, and people rush by us, but Jason and I stand frozen.
“What are you gonna do?” Jason asks.
“I think Mary Chris’s dad has a document that might give us more information. I’m going to look for it tonight. Will you cover for me?” “If Mr. Moss has something, why don’t you just ask Mary Chris for it?”
“I don’t know. I feel weird about it. I can’t ask Mare to spy on her own father.”
“But you can spy on your best friend’s father?” Jason looks skeptical.
“Something like that.” It’s not like I want to involve Mary Chris’s family. I just want to know the truth. I need closure.
Jason looks over my shoulder and grins. “Your other boyfriend’s here.”
“What?” I spin around. Tanner leans against a row of lockersacross the hall, his arms crossed, watching me. Waiting. I turn my back on him.
Jason winks. “That’s my cue to leave.”
“Don’t.”
“It’s for your own good.” Jason walks away before I can say anything to stop him.
I should follow. Take evasive action. But why? I have no reason to run from Tanner Halston.
I take my time closing my locker, doing my best to ignore the pounding in my chest. I spin the combination lock a few times more than is necessary. I don’t need to look to know that Tanner closes the distance between us. I just know.
When I finally turn around, he is right there. I stand up straighter, in a futile effort to feel less small. I have to look up to make eye contact.
“Where were you today?” he asks.
“Hi to you too.”
Tanner blinks. “I’m sorry?”
“The proper greeting is ‘hi.’ You could also go with ‘hey,’ ‘what’s up,’ or ‘how’s it going.’ You should at least say hello before you give someone the third degree.”
“Is that what I’m doing?”
“Isn’t it?”
Tanner leans a shoulder on the locker next to mine. “Maybe.”
He smiles and I’m not ready for it. My hands shake against my thighs. “Did it ever occur to you that it’s none of your business where I was, or who I was with?” I emphasize that last part, a not so subtle reminder that I was with Drew today.
Tanner’s smile is gone in an instant. His eyes search my face like he’s looking for a way to get inside my head. I concentrate on keeping him out.
“I guess not,” he finally says. Then he puts his hands in the pockets of his perfectly faded jeans and walks away.
I watch him until he disappears around a corner. I sag back against my locker and close my eyes until my pulse evens out to normal levels. What was that? I don’t get nervous. It’s a professional hazard. I should be able to handle a smile from a good-looking boy. Correction. An arrogant jerk.
Swooning at guys is Dead Presidents’ territory. Not mine.
By the time I get home, Lulu’s already managed to convince Dad to take her for a walk. Dad grabs the jowl towel as he walks in the door and wipes the lines of drool from her chin. He skips the small talk. “Berry, you think you’ll be okay if I head up to Palm Springs for a few days next weekend?”
“I’m sure I’ll survive.” The fact is, Dad is gone a lot at night. Cheating husbands tend to like the cover of darkness. “Big case?”
His cheeks redden. “Actually, it’s a personal trip.”
I try to ignore the knot that forms in my chest and constricts. “Shauna?”
He wipes at Lulu’s chin without looking up. “She has a condo on a golf course. And I could use a few days away.”
I manage to stop myself from telling him to stay home, that I need him after all. That someone might have threatened Mom and I’m not sure what to do about it. “Are you sure about this?” I say instead, giving him an out.
“I am. I know it seems sudden. It was a surprise to me too.”
It does seem fast, despite the eight years leading up to it. Because of it.
Similar Books
