Read Online The Color Of Grace by Linda Kage - Free Book Online Page A

thing?”
    I blinked, taken aback by his question.
I’m sure some teens really resent the fact their parents remarry, but it startled
me he was so open about questioning whether I was one of them.
    I shrugged. “It’s good. I guess. I mean, my mom’s happy. And
my stepdad’s nice. He bought me a new laptop for school, so I can’t complain.”
    “Yeah? That’s cool.”
    “Oh, and he gave me this,” I added. I wasn’t sure why I put
in that information, just to keep the conversation going, I guess. From the
corner of my eye, I noticed Ryder lift his face to see what I was showing off.
And as soon as he did, I glanced his way. I’d been holding out the heart
necklace for Todd to examine, but my eyes slid toward Ryder.
    As soon as I caught his gaze, he immediately lowered his
face again and went to scratch the back of his head as if he wasn’t at all
interested in seeing what I showed his friend.
    Across the aisle from me, Todd leaned closer to take hold of
the necklace, surprising me with how easily and thoughtlessly he invaded my
personal space.
    “Pretty,” he said.
    “I think so,” I told him with a smile in my voice, though I
knotted my fingers with anxiety because he had yet to back off.
    To avoid thinking about the nerves rattling around in my
abdomen, I lowered my chin to examine the necklace too. I was so busy gazing
down at the gold, I didn’t notice how Todd had hooked his thumb over his
shoulder and was pointing out the guy sitting behind him until he said, “This
is Ryder, by the way.”
    I zipped my head up, my eyes wide with shock, only to
discover Ryder lifting his face with the same mortified expression I knew I had
to be presenting.
    He scowled at Todd. Then he slid his gaze to me. “Hey,” he
said quickly and returned his attention to his homework.
    Far cry from the chatty, personable ball player he’d been at
the basketball game only a few short weeks ago. Made me wonder what had
changed. Maybe he worried I’d tell his girlfriend how he’d flirted with some
stranger from Hillsburg. Except, oops, I wasn’t from Hillsburg anymore, was I?
    I managed a quiet, mumbled, “Hi.”
    “But I guess you’ve already met him, haven’t you?” Todd
said. His eyes glittered with glee, the kind of evil glee only a high school
boy who had just goofed on his best friend could muster.
    I wanted to send him some kind of dirty hand gesture or tell
him off for bringing Ryder into the conversation. But I chickened out and
looked down at my assignment as I gave a negligent one-shouldered shrug. “Sort
of.”
    Todd snickered. “You know, you’ve become my hero.”
    I lifted my face, utterly befuddled. “Huh?”
    He motioned behind him toward Ryder again. “For putting him
in his place that night at the Hillsburg game. I love it when a girl turns him
down.”
    Ryder lifted his head to glare at Todd and sneer. “Thanks a
lot, bud. I love you too.”
    Todd only laughed harder.
    I cleared my throat, clutched my pen tighter, and sank a
little lower in my seat as I pressed the tip of my Bic against the sheet of
paper.
    As I added the date next to my name, Todd kept talking,
changing gears. “So, how do you like it here at Southeast so far?”
    I wasn’t sure how to answer. More than anything, I just
wanted to return to Hillsburg. Especially now that I knew Ryder Yates wasn’t
what I’d hoped he’d be.
    “No one’s been mean to me,” I said tactfully, moving my pen
down to the first problem on the page. My vision blurred and I couldn’t
concentrate on one word, let alone an entire question. “But I haven’t really
gotten to know anyone yet.”
    “Well, I could help you with that.” Todd’s grin was mischievous
when I glanced curiously at him. “Best way to get to know people around here is
by going to our basketball games. We’re having one tonight, actually. A home
game. Usually a group of us gets together afterward. Want to join us?”
    Just as my face heated from his question, Ryder