Evelyn dropped the metal spatula she’d been using to flip the salmon. The utensil clattered loudly against the tiled floor, festooning her white apron with oil. Ever since we’d arrived, Evelyn had barely strayed out of the kitchen, let alone the inn. She’d never been a particularly outgoing person, but moving to this unfamiliar town had made her downright skittish. And here was my insensitive cousin bringing someone-not just someone, Frank McNamara-into her safe haven.
Frank bent over to pick up the fallen spatula. “Evelyn, right?”
She gaped at him as he tendered it to her, but her fingers had balled into fists. He placed it on the island.
“I forced Everest to introduce me to the new cook. The Clarks are lucky to have found you.”
Since Evelyn’s feet had become part of the floor, I grabbed a handful of paper towels and wiped the tiles.
She finally moved, touching my shoulder. “It is okay, Ness.”
As I straightened up, I raised my eyes to hers. Two pink spots had appeared on her high cheekbones, dimmed by her foundation, but still bright.
“We better get going,” Everest said, “or we’ll miss the opening act.”
I waited for Frank to leave.
Frank’s light-eyed gaze darted my way, then back to Evelyn. Finally, he moved toward the swinging door. “I hope you’ll be staying, Evelyn.”
Evelyn still hadn’t said a word, but she nodded.
Frank offered her a demure smile, then left, the door flapping behind him.
“Are you okay?” I murmured.
Evelyn’s lips were slow to unbuckle, but when they did, they arched upward. “I am fine.” She slid a knuckle across my cheek.
“Ness?” Everest said.
His voice made the smile wilt off her lips. Where disgust no longer stained the way she looked at me, there was something guarded in the way she observed my cousin. It was as though she couldn’t see him without seeing the beast inside. Would she look at me the same way if she bore witness to my other shape?
Note to self: never shift in front of Evelyn.
“Is all of Boulder going to this thing?” I asked Everest as we walked out of the inn and hopped into his convertible Jeep.
He’d taken off the black fabric roof, and the breeze twisted my hair. I wound it up and clutched the ends so that I didn’t arrive at the music festival looking like I belonged in the band. Mullets and pompadours had been untrendy for years, but it didn’t deter The Lemons from sporting them.
“You sure you want to go to this thing?”
“Yeah. I like The Lemons.”
He side-eyed me, one lid a little lower than the other. “You really know who they are?”
“I wasn’t living in a cave back in LA.”
“Not a cave but-”
I hummed one of their songs as proof that I knew the band and to stop him from making an upsetting comment. Mom had worked hard for everything we had. At some point, I asked, “How’s Becca?”
“The same.”
A long line of vehicles had formed up ahead. Blinkers striated the dark woods. The drive to the field converted into a parking lot was a crawl, but we finally made it. Like ants, the cars trolled over the grass and dirt.
I climbed out of the Jeep and tugged at the hem of my short, white eyelet dress. A glance around reassured me that most girls were showing way more skin than I was.
“Well, well, if it isn’t contestant number four.” Lucas’s oily voice had my spine straightening. “I bet Liam that you’d be catching up on your beauty sleep before the trial.”
Giggling ensued. The girlfriends had come.
My pupils felt like they were warping. I snapped my eyes shut a millisecond, then opened them. “Did you think I was planning on distracting the three of you with my looks to win?”
Taryn, who clung to Lucas’s waist as though her balance depended on it, narrowed her blue eyes at me. Of course Liam was there too. And next to him stood a ravishing redhead. Was that the girl they’d spoken about on the bus the other day? What was her name again? The outer corners of her green eyes slanted upward, which lent her this fierce feline look. God, I already disliked her, for no other reason than because she was stunning and surely knew it.
“Is that her?” she whispered to Liam, perky nose crinkling.
Liam didn’t say anything. Didn’t even look down at her. He was looking at me. No. Not at me. Through me. As though I wasn’t even standing here.
“Hey, Tammy,” Everest said, walking over to me.
Tammylatched on to Liam’s hand. “Hey, Everest.”
My ribs cinched at the sight of their twined fingers.
“Aidan couldn’t make it?” Lucas asked.
Everest cocked an eyebrow. Right. I’d failed to mention my datewith Aidan Michaels. Instead of answering, I spun around and threaded myself through the throngs of festivalgoers. If I didn’t lose the pack, tonight would be far from fun.
Everest caught up to me and tugged on my elbow. “What the hell was that about?”
“I had a date with Aidan Michaels.”
“You what?” His eyes grew as wide as the flashlights the security guards were shining into bags.
I unzipped my cross-body bag. Once the guard let me through, I handed my ticket to the woman scanning them.
“How do you even know him?” Everest asked.
“How do you think I know him?”
“Sandra?”
“Bingo.”
“I thought-”
“He offered 3K. Couldn’t exactly turn that down.”
“3K?”