Although we’d made plans to hang out mid-week, Sarah had to cancel for some wedding stuff. The bored sound of her voice told me she wasn’t looking forward to whatever her family had planned for her.
I stayed in most of the week, shifting into my wolf form only once to go for a run. I didn’t stray too far up the mountain, but I did pound the earth from sundown to twilight, exerting my pent-up nerves.
All week I’d tried to call Everest for news, but he didn’t answer his phone. I was beginning to think he didn’t want to talk to me. Maybe he thought that associating with me was shameful considering what I’d done to his Alpha. Whatever his reasons, I added his silence to the long list of things that perturbed me.
I spoke to August a few times-always steering the conversation toward him. We talked battle strategies and hot deserts, grenades and religious indoctrination. Lighthearted subjects.
At the end of our last call, I asked him when he was coming home, and he asked me if I missed him, and it triggered a painfully awkward stretch of silence, which he put an end to by saying he needed to get geared up because his squad was waiting for him in a Humvee.
Truth was, I did miss him, but I tacked that up to being a lonely pariah. It was probably better that he was away. If he’d stayed, he might have hung out with me out of pity, and I would’ve hated that.
When Saturday rolled around, my stomach roiled with nerves. I’d been too nervous to eat, too nervous to do much of anything besides the chores Lucy had assigned to me. I’d asked Evelyn if she wanted to go for a walk, but she told me her head was hurting.
Before leaving for the wedding, decked in my red gown, I stopped by her bedroom where she was watching Law and Order reruns. She blinked up at me from a flowered armchair that seemed as old as the inn, then her eyes glittered and she repeated, “Que linda” so many times, the tips of my ears glowed as bright as my dress.
“How are you feeling?”
“How are youfeeling?” She narrowed her black eyes at me.
“Fine.”
Her puckered brow told me she didn’t believe me.
“I’m going to be late if I don’t hurry.” I bent over and kissed her forehead.
She caught my hand and squeezed it. “You’ll tell me all about the wedding tomorrow?”
“Yes.” I lingered by her bedroom door, staring at her calm, screen-lit profile.
What would happen to her if Liam didn’t forgive me? Would Jeb and Lucy keep her on, or would they chase her away?
When she caught me staring, I razed the anxiety from my face and pasted on a smile. I shut the door before she could ask me what was wrong, then walked briskly away in case she decided to go after me.
Jeb, who’d been sitting in the office filling out a spreadsheet, followed me outside to await Frank. Even though the sun was beginning to arc down, it was a couple million degrees out, yet the heat did little to ward off the chill skittering over my bones.
“You don’t have to stay out here with me, Jeb.”
My uncle squinted at the setting sun. “Today’s part of the Alpha contest, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
He pursed his thinning lips. “Why are you still competing? Are you trying to prove something to someone?”
As I stared out at the sinking ball of fire that gilded the crowns of the tall pines, I nibbled on the inside of my cheek. “Not anymore.”
“You really want this?”
I didn’t answer him. Instead, I asked, “Is Everest mad at me?”
A frown touched Jeb’s wrinkled brow. “Why would he be mad at you?”
Everest must not have shared what had happened to Heath if my uncle was asking me this.
When I failed to answer, Jeb said, “Lucy told me he got bad news. Apparently, Becca’s parents have decided to take her off life support.” He sighed. “So sad… She was so young and seemed like such a nice girl.”
“Seemed? You didn’t know her?”
“Not well. Everest didn’t bring her around much. My son is a very private person.” I felt him study me in silence for a long second. “Speaking of knowing people, Ness, how well do you know Evelyn?”
His frown made a tremor zing up my exposed spine. “Very well. Why?”
He hooked his thumbs through his belt loops, shifting from one loafered foot to the other.
“Why?” I repeated.
He stopped shifting. “The other day, a guest wanted to meet our new cook, and when I introduced them, the woman called her by another name-Gloria. Evelyn said she didn’t know any Glorias, but her eye twitched. I’m no behavioral expert, but I think-”
“Evelyn’s not a liar. She’s never even been to Boulder.” I was annoyed my uncle was trying to destroy my faith in the only person I trusted.
He nodded. “I was just putting it out there. In case-”
“You shouldn’t put things out there if they’re hurtful.”
His mouth gaped a little. I could tell he wanted to say more on the subject, but my expression must’ve dissuaded him. Thankfully, a car rumbled up the driveway. Frank was coming. When I spotted giant wheels, the relief I’d felt evaporated.
It wasn’t Frank who was picking me up.
The car slowed to a stop next to me. Lucas was riding shotgun, decked out in a black tux that strained in the shoulders. He had his arm slung out the open window.
“Hey, Mr. Clark.”
“Hi, boys.” My uncle inclined his head before pulling open the back door and holding out a hand to help me up. “You’re all looking mighty dapper tonight.”
“Well, you know the Pines and their hoity-toity events.”
Jeb offered a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You boys keep my niece safe, now. I don’t like the look of them young’uns.”
“Oh, Ness doesn’t need us for that,” Lucas drawled. “Especially now that she’s besties with Julian’s niece.”
Jeb blinked at me. “You’re friends with Sarah Matz?”
“Is that not allowed?” I wasn’t in a good mood. Not at all. But it had little to do with Lucas’s comment and everything to do with Jeb’s.
“Is Ness ever in a good mood?” Lucas asked my uncle.
I growled as I strapped myself in.
My uncle didn’t answer Lucas, too busy scrutinizing my face.