Текст книги "The Other Boy"

Автор книги: Hailey Abbott

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Maddy’s father barreled ahead. “We want you two to take complete charge of this project, planning what you want in the room, ordering glasses, tables, chairs, wall art, rugs—after it’s cleaned up, of course.”

Maddy couldn’t help herself. “So, this is where the vineyard visitors come to get trashed, right?” She widened her eyes innocently.

“Very funny, Madeline.” Her dad looked annoyed.

“The tasting room is where the visitors taste our wines—

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explore their nuances, discuss their various qualities. They can go into town if they want to drink themselves silly. This is supposed to be a refined, relaxing room where people can focus on tasting good wine, enjoying conversation, and . . .” He strode over to the opposite side of the shed, where huge sliding doors stretched the entire length of one wall. Puffing a little, he pushed one back. Sunlight immediately flooded the room as he pushed open the other door. “Feasting on the view!” he finished triumphantly.

Maddy gazed out on the stunning view of the mountain. There was slightly awed silence as everyone took it in. Then David piped up. “Amazing. This is going to be great. Right, Maddy?”

All she could do was stare at him in dismay. What had happened to her summer? Tanning? Partying?

Sleeping late? What was she doing here, in a former goat barn in the middle of the country?

Her father, however, seemed oblivious to the intense pain he was causing his only child. “Well, Fred and I are going to lay irrigation hose in the far quadrant today. I’ve got some cleaning supplies—buckets, rags, and a couple of mops. There’s water outside.” He pointed out the window, where Maddy could see an old-fashioned metal spigot standing in the middle of a bare patch of ground. “Take some time to look around. And then get started.”

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Maddy stared pleadingly at her father, but he didn’t seem to notice. She was stuck. Her dad waved over his shoulder as he left.

David turned and walked over to a pile of cleaning stuff in the corner. His footsteps mixed with the noise of the stream burbling outside in the quiet of the shed. Maddy sighed as she sat down on an upturned bucket. She bent over and inspected the pedicure she’d gotten the day before the party. Chipped. And her bucket chair was filthy. She jumped up and twisted around. Great. She tried, fruitlessly, to brush off the giant dust mark on her skirt with her hands. She looked up and saw David staring at her. “What?” she snapped.

His eyes widened in surprise. “So . . . ,” he started,

“what’s the story with you?”

Maddy rolled her eyes. “What story?”

He sat down on another bucket and laced his fingers together. She heard his spine crack as he stretched his arms over his head. “What’s your deal, Madeline Sinclaire? I mean, why are you here?”

She walked away and looked out the window. “I have no idea, but I plan on leaving as soon as I possibly can.”

She didn’t plan on telling this guy the story of her party disaster. Why bother?

There was a pause. “Well, why don’t you leave now?

What’s stopping you? It’s pretty obvious that you’re not happy here.”

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Maddy snorted audibly. “You’ve got that right. And leaving isn’t an option. I wouldn’t be here if my parents weren’t forcing me to stay.” She turned around and studied him. “So, this is a pretty exciting summer for you, huh?” she asked defensively. “Playing in the dirt for two months?”

He shrugged. “Actually, I had an awesome summer job lined up, but my dad asked me to come up and help him instead. I don’t mind—the food’s better up here.”

“Oh, yeah? What job was that, herding sheep?” She knew she was being incredibly bitchy, but David was starting to irritate her as much as the one stupid, tiny bathroom. He obviously loved it here, which was just about the weirdest thing ever. What normal seventeenyear-old actually liked being stuck on a farm all summer?

“I was going to clear trails at Sequoia National Park with my buddy,” he explained. “We worked there last year too. It was awesome.”

“Oh.” Maddy had nothing to say to that. She sat down again and took out her BlackBerry to see if anyone had called to say they missed her.

David shrugged his shoulders and strolled back to the corner with the supplies. He rummaged around for a second and cleared his throat.

“What?” Maddy looked up from her BlackBerry. No messages. Not a single e-mail.

“Well, nothing, really. It’s just that your dad forgot to 48

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give us any soap or bleach or anything. It’s just buckets and rags and mops.”

“Oh, okay.” Maddy was happy to hear it. Maybe they could just skip cleaning.

David tilted his head to the side as he spoke. “So . . . we should get some,” he said slowly, as if speaking to a child.

Damn it. Thanks a lot, Napa Boy. She sighed through her nose. “Um, maybe there’s some at the house?”

David considered this. “I have a better idea,” he said, grabbing a broom and knocking some dust off one of the windows. “Why don’t you go down to the grocery store on 17? Mitchell’s. They’ll have everything we need.” He continued sweeping the window, watching her. She leaped from her perch on the bucket and stuck her BlackBerry in her pocket. Saved from cleaning hell!

“Okay. No problem,” she replied. “What do we need? A bottle of bleach and some Mr. Clean? I’ll be back soon!”

She was out the door and halfway up the path before he could reply. The fresh mountain air against her face and the sun reflecting off the glossy grape leaves were as enticing as the thought of escaping the vineyard—even if it was just for an hour. Sweet freedom!

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Chapter Seven

!

When she got to the house, Maddy rushed into the front hall. “Hello?” she called. Silence. Everyone was out working. Perfect. She searched through the seed catalogs, pieces of twine, and old junk mail covering the hall table for the keys to the Lexus. All she found was a single key attached to a dirty leather fob. It looked suspiciously like . . . Maddy ran to the front porch. The only vehicle in the driveway was, unfortunately, the red pickup truck. Crap. Dad must have ridden with Fred. She eyed the key and then stared at the truck. What the hell. She had to get out of here.

Maddy clattered down the wooden porch steps and wrenched open the heavy driver’s-side door. She hesitated briefly at the sight of the ripped gray cloth seat 50

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with its exposed stuffing. Then she shrugged, climbed onto the running board, and hoisted herself into the driver’s seat, where she took a deep breath and brushed her hair back from her sweaty forehead. The interior reeked of dog, mildew, and something else—something familiar and disgusting. Maddy sniffed once and again, resisting the urge to put her hand over her nose. She craned around. There, stacked in the truck bed, was the source of the disgusting odor: four big bags of fertilizer, also known as horseshit. Delightful.

Maddy faced front again and cranked the key in the ignition. She jumped as the engine roared. It was like sitting on a dragon. She threw the car into drive after a brief struggle with the sticky old gearshift and carefully turned around in the driveway. She scraped against a few branches as she pulled out. This isn’t too bad, she thought. She remembered to signal and turned onto the main road, firing the truck up to thirty-five. It shuddered a little but obeyed. Woo-hoo. Now we’re rocking. The road unfurled before her like a ribbon and the breeze whipped in at her. Maddy sighed happily and reached her free arm out the window to feel the sun. She had just passed a makeshift billboard reading mitchell’s grocery for all your napa valley needs!

2 mi. in splashy red letters when her BlackBerry buzzed on the seat beside her. She picked it up and glanced at the screen. It was Brian. Finally! She pressed answer. 51

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“I am so glad to hear your voice!” she squealed.

“Hey, babe,” he replied. Brian sounded like he was talking from the bottom of the ocean. Keeping one eye on the road, she looked back down at the screen. Only one bar.

“Brian, the connection is terrible. I’m in the car.”

“What? I can’t hear you. Go somewhere else.”

“I can’t! I’m driving right now!” Great. Four words into the conversation and she was already snapping at him.

“Okay! I can hear you now! Why are you yelling at me?”

She sighed. “Sorry. I’m in the worst mood.”

“Well, I was going to ask how it’s going up there, but I guess I don’t have to.”

“It completely sucks. I have to fix up a shed. I’m supposed to be cleaning it right now, but I escaped.”

“Do you want me to drive up and rescue you?”

“Yes! But you can’t. The party is still too fresh in my parents’ minds. . . .” She was getting a crick in her neck from attempting to cradle the BlackBerry on her shoulder.

“I’m going to L.A. tomorrow anyway. But you know, I was thinking about your birthday next month. They’ll have forgotten about the party by then. Why don’t you get them to let you come back here for the weekend?”

“Are you kidding? I’m surprised they don’t have me in chains. I think they’re worried I might run away or something if they let me off the property.”

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“Tell them you’ll stay at Kirsten’s.”

“I don’t know,” Maddy said doubtfully. “Maybe. I have to soften them up a little first.” She was vaguely aware that she was passing the grocery store, a big white building with a red sign on her right, but she kept driving.

“I really miss you.” Brian’s voice was soft. Maddy felt tears creeping into her eyes. “I miss you too. Call me every day!”

“Well, I told you I’m going to L.A. But I’ll call you when I can. Just forget about all that work for a while. You need to take a break and chill. You sound awful. Why don’t you go do something fun?”

“Maybe I will.” She sniffled. “Bye.” She dropped her phone onto the passenger seat and took a deep breath. Brian was right. Buying bleach wasn’t going to improve her mood. Maddy drove past pastures of dry yellow grass with black-and-white cows lying in clumps on the hillsides, interspersed with little wooden cottages. The occasional irrigation pond sparkled blue under the cloudless sky. She snorted to herself. Who was she kidding? What was she going to do around here for fun? Go swimming with the cows?

The road widened as she approached a little town. Maddy eyed a small group of buildings clustered next to the street, shaded by massive redwood trees. Maybe there would be a coffee shop or something– wait! She 53

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jammed on the brakes, pitching herself against the seat belt. Glancing in the rearview mirror for confirmation, she read an elegant yellow and black sign out loud:

“Oasis Day Spa.”

She glanced around quickly and reversed the truck right back to the entrance. She killed the engine and quickly glanced at herself in the mirror, which was held together mostly with duct tape. Mmm. Hair wild and dry, dark circles under her eyes, skin flaking and red. It was a crime for her to walk around looking like this. Right, she thought. No one should have to see me in this con- dition. It was only right that she stop and have a couple treatments done. She’d be doing the people of Napa a public service.

Maddy climbed down from the ridiculously high cab and did her best to brush off the assorted bits of straw, seat stuffing, and dog hair that were clinging to her dress. She gave up and marched through the tinted glass front doors of the spa. Ahh, she thought as she entered. Sanctuary.

The lighting was soft and dim, and Maddy could hear soft harp music in the background. A fountain in the corner tinkled soothingly. The air smelled like lavender and clean towels. Maddy wanted to kiss the carpet, but instead she addressed the dark-haired young woman behind the desk. “Do you have any open appointments today?”

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The girl smiled as if she knew everything Maddy had been going through. “You’re in luck. We just had an entire wedding party cancel for the afternoon. The bride had an allergic reaction to a kiwifruit and swelled up like a bullfrog,” she said cheerfully. She handed over the menu of treatments. “Can I recommend the Seaweed Stress Service? If you don’t mind my saying so, you kind of look like you could use it.”

Maddy touched the scaly skin on her cheeks and heaved a huge sigh. “I don’t mind at all. Actually, I couldn’t agree more. I’ll take the seaweed treatment and a hand and foot massage, too.”

Fifteen minutes later, Maddy found herself reclining on a cushioned table in another dimly lit room, listening to a nature sounds CD, while a girl named Tamara slathered her bare skin with a warm seaweed mixture the color and consistency of canned spinach. Bliss. Utter bliss. Tamara pressed a cold cucumber pack over Maddy’s eyes and began kneading the bottoms of her feet. She quickly forgot all about bleach and cobwebs and annoyingly cute Napa boys as she drifted off into a delicious vision of her, Brian, a sailboat, and a freshly popped bottle of champagne. . . .

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Chapter Eight

!

Maddy.” Mom’s voice came through the door of Maddy’s room.

“Wha—?” She drowsily opened her eyes. Her seaweed wrap and massage had so completely relaxed her that after leaving the spa, she’d come straight back to the house (without any Mr. Clean), sneaked upstairs, and promptly fallen asleep. There were now shadows gathering in the corners of the room. She had even managed to ignore the cricket, who was still cheeping away in his corner of the porch. The door opened.

“Mmm—what time is it? I fell asleep.”

Mom sat down on the side of the bed. “I can see that.”

She smoothed Maddy’s hair gently. Maddy closed her eyes again. Mom’s soft hand felt nice on her forehead. 56

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“Don’t go back to sleep, honey. We forgot to tell you that we’re having guests for dinner tonight. We’re going to eat out on the lawn.”

“Okay. Who’s coming?” Maddy mumbled.

“Well, I bet you didn’t know we had a famous chef living right down the road, did you? His name is Anthony Shepard and he has a wonderful restaurant in Rutherford. And he asked if he could bring his daughter tonight. She just arrived in town for the summer also—

I think she’s about your age. And there will be us, and Fred and David, of course.”

Maddy opened her eyes. “Fred and David?”

“Well, naturally. This will give you a chance to get to know everyone better. Did you have a good time working with David today?”

Maddy turned and faced the wall. “It was okay.” If she was going to ask about her birthday, now probably wasn’t the time to tell Mom that she hated cleaning, hated being stuck in that shack, and had blown off her work for a spa day.

“Oh, good, honey. But you need to get ready, because we’re eating at nine, and it’s eight already. And I found a little something for you when I went to town for groceries this afternoon. Just look at this darling dress I found at a little boutique called Sun and Moon.” She rummaged around in a shopping bag by her feet and came out with a coral red silk strapless dress. Maddy 57

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couldn’t believe it—it was adorable. Usually Mom tried to get Maddy to wear “classic” outfits—which, translated, meant stiff collars and prim buttons.

“That’s so cute! Thanks, Mom.”

Her mom smiled. “I can’t believe you like it. This may be a first for us.” Maddy grinned back as Mom rose from the bed. “Oh, by the way, honey, when you take your shower, remember, the hot and cold faucets are reversed. You have to turn the cold all the way on first and then off, then turn the hot on, and then turn the cold back on. And don’t worry if the pipes scream a little.” She must have noticed the stricken look on her daughter’s face, because she gave Maddy a reassuring little pat on the knee before leaving.

After her shower in the tiny bathroom, during which Maddy just barely managed to remember the instructions for hot and cold, she combed her hair in front of the vanity mirror in her room. She turned and gazed out the porch doors at the fading sunset. A crimson line burned just above the black silhouette of the mountains. Above the scarlet, the sky had melted into its deepest shade of blue. She could just make out the evening’s first tiny star.

She felt as if the gathering dusk had smoothed her afternoon’s rough edges. Her face was still glowing from her shower, and a touch of sunburn tinged the bridge of her nose and the tops of her cheeks. Her 58

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shoulders shone smooth and brown as she zipped up the red pleated dress. It fit perfectly. The patterned silk slid against her skin and fluttered just above her knees. She decided to skip the jewelry and tucked her long hair behind her ears, letting it hang over her shoulders. Barefoot, she headed down the stairs to the kitchen, where Mom was pulling a giant rack of lamb studded with rosemary out of the oven. “Mmm! That smells great!”

“Remember Mr. Jenkins who owns Jasper the pig? He brought over the lamb this morning. He feels bad that Jasper got out again.”

“Oh. That was nice of him, I guess.” Apparently, in Napa, people apologized with animal parts. “What else are we having?”

“Will you get the corn salad and bring it out back?

We’re going to eat at the picnic table.” Mom’s face was flushed as she carved the lamb. She glanced at the clock.

“Uh, we’re having cold cucumber soup and the tomatocorn salad, and Anthony brought a chocolate-almond torte for dessert.”

“Yum.” Maddy loved cold cucumber soup. She hefted the big white bowl and balanced it on one arm as she stuck a wooden serving spoon in it. The screen door banged behind her and she stepped onto the back porch. The yard was dark, save for the flaring candles on the picnic table and some light spilling from the kitchen 59

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windows. After her eyes adjusted, she could see a little knot of people standing on the lawn with drinks in hand. She could see David’s rangy figure slouching off to one side. Everyone turned at the sound of the screen door.

“Maddy!” Her father waved. “Come and meet Anthony and Rain!”

Anthony and who? She hugged the heavy salad bowl as the cool grass slipped between her bare toes. She felt a little self-conscious with everyone watching as she approached.

Bob announced, “This is my lovely daughter, Maddy.” He gave her a little one-armed squeeze. Fred smiled at her. David faked a look of surprise.

“Wow! You’re here! I thought maybe you’d been kidnapped by grocery baggers or something,” he said, pressing his hand to his chest. “I was so worried.”

Maddy ignored him. “Hello,” she said to the tall, skinny man standing next to her father. He had longish black hair that hung in his eyes.

“Hello,” he replied quickly, his eyes darting somewhere over her shoulder.

“And this is Rain,” Maddy’s father went on.

“Hi,” the girl said casually. She was tall and lanky, with tan arms and sun-streaked light brown hair that hung over her shoulders in wind-tousled strands. She was wearing worn jeans and a white tank top with a couple of string 60

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bracelets looped around one wrist. She looked like a surfer or maybe a lifeguard. Maddy wished she hadn’t chosen the silk dress. It seemed fussy all of a sudden.

“Maddy!” her mother’s voice called from the house.

“Oh, sorry,” Maddy said. “I think I’d better—”

“Go help your mom,” her dad said. “I was just going to show everyone the aging room before we eat.”

The group trailed away across the grass. Anthony, Fred, and Bob talked animatedly in the front, with David and Rain side by side at the back. Their tall, lean figures matched somehow. They could pass for brother and sister, Maddy thought.

She forced herself to stop staring and went over to the long trestle table at the very edge of the lawn, where the grass ended and the grapevines began. She placed the salad bowl at one end and stepped back to admire the surprisingly romantic setting. The table looked gorgeous. Maddy’s mother had used creamcolored linens and scattered flickering candles everywhere. The air was redolent with the scent of the big bunches of lavender arranged in ceramic vases at either end. Maddy couldn’t help tilting her head up, her mouth open like that of a little kid, and gazing at the stars flung like powder across the black velvet sky. The night sky always had sort of an orange cast from the city lights reflecting off the clouds in San Francisco. It never got this purely dark.

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Maddy’s mom came up next to her, balancing the giant platter of lamb. Fragrant steam curled up from the hot, pink meat. “Isn’t it just lovely out here?” she said, moving some of the candles around to make a place for the platter.

“Yeah,” Maddy admitted. “I’ve never seen so many stars before.”

“I thought the same thing the first time Dad and I came up here.” Across the yard, Maddy could see the shadowy forms of the group returning from their tour.

“Oh my goodness, this looks wonderful, just wonderful,” Anthony said, flitting around the table like an excited child.

“Well, we’re ready to eat. Have a seat,” Mom waved her hands over the table. Everyone shuffled around, pulling out chairs and shaking out their napkins. For a few minutes, the only sounds were of the clink of silverware and the rustle of the breeze in the vines just behind them as people concentrated on their food. David sat next to Maddy, and Rain sat across the table.

“Debbie,” Anthony said, putting down his fork for a moment, “this is all wonderful—wonderful! I’ll take some more of the corn salad.”

“Here, just pass me your plate.” Maddy’s mom smiled as she dished out a generous portion of salad. Fred and Bob were discussing oak versus metal 62

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fermenting tanks at one end of the table. David glanced over at Maddy. “Always business,” he said with a grin.

Rain turned to David. “So, I know this sounds weird, but you look really familiar. Did you go to Redwood Lake Camp?”

“Yeah, I did,” David replied, scooping up a forkful of corn salad. “I was actually thinking the same thing about you. I went there for years, and then I was a counselor the summer before last.”

“Wait—me too!” Rain laughed. “That must be what I was thinking of.”

Maddy concentrated on her plate. Perfect. Now she had to listen to these two bond? And how did that girl get her arms so toned? She looked around the table. Every face was relaxed and smiling in the soft candlelight as people ate and drank and chatted. She was the only one who wasn’t having a good time and, apparently, the only person on the planet who didn’t love, love, love Napa Valley. Maddy stuffed a bite of lamb into her mouth and chewed morosely.

Next to her, David and Rain were still falling all over each other in the ecstasy of their shared memories of Camp Oak Tree or whatever it was called.

“Remember that girl Miriam, the drama counselor?”

David was saying. “I ran into her out in Colorado. She’s dating that Israeli guy—what was his name?”

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“Itai! Oh my God, I haven’t thought about him in forever!” Rain laughed.

“Hey, do you remember that one canoe trip . . .”

David dropped his voice. Rain erupted into giggles, putting her hands over her mouth. Maddy’s face was growing hot and she could feel her jaw clenching. It was actually really rude of them to be telling inside jokes right here at the table, she thought, twisting her napkin in her lap. Not that she cared, because she didn’t. But you’d think that if they wanted to have a freaking Camp Firewood orgy, they’d do it somewhere else.

Rain must have sensed something, because she abruptly broke off her conversation with David and leaned toward Maddy. “So, when did you get here?” she asked.

“Hmm?” Maddy pretended she hadn’t heard at first.

“What? Oh, yesterday.” She offered a tight smile. There was an awkward little pause.

Then Rain nodded. “Yeah, I just got in this morning.”

More silence.

Maddy felt like she should at least attempt conversation, even though this girl totally didn’t deserve it. “So, what are you up to this summer?” She tried to sound friendly.

“I’m working for my aunt. She has a stable up here. I’m leading trail rides for the tourists, mostly.”

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“Oh, wow.” Maddy nodded sympathetically. “I had to work at the country club pool one summer. I hated it.”

Rain looked confused. “That’s . . . too bad. But, um, my job is actually incredible. I love riding and, this way, I get to do it every day.”

“Oh, yeah. Of course.” Maddy pretended to pick up her napkin to cover her embarrassment. How was she supposed to know leading trail rides was a great job?

“That’s cool,” David chimed in. “I’ve only been riding once or twice, but it was so fun. Do you guys get to gallop and things?”

Maddy was quiet for the rest of the meal. All around her, the conversation flowed effortlessly, like water around a stone. Why should she bother being sociable when everyone was doing just fine without her help?

She didn’t even have an appetite for the chocolatealmond torte, although she had to admit that it looked incredible. She just gazed at the vines, letting the breeze and the moonlight reflecting off the glossy grape leaves soothe her.

Eventually, Bob pushed back his chair. “Anyone up for a moonlight stroll?” he asked. “I think we could all use a little exercise after that wonderful meal.” He looked over at his wife.

“You all go ahead,” she said. “I’ll just clean up a little.”

The group rose from the table slowly and gathered wraps and wineglasses. Debbie started stacking plates. 65

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“I’ll help you clean up, Mom,” Maddy volunteered. Her mother looked up, a little startled.

“Don’t you want to—?”

“No. I want to help you.” There was no way she wanted to spend one more minute with these people. Besides, if she could get her mom alone, it would be the perfect chance to ask about her birthday.

“Okay, honey. Let’s get all the dishes in first.”

Maddy gathered up the used silverware and dumped it into an empty serving dish. Then she made her way across the cool, dark grass toward the warm glow of the kitchen.

Inside, Debbie started filling the sink with soapy water for the dishes. Maddy wrapped up some leftover cake. “Well, I think that went well,” Mom chattered, splashing around with the sponge. “I love that corn salad recipe, but what do you think about white corn, Maddy?”

“Mom,” Maddy interrupted. Her mother stopped talking and looked over. Maddy took a deep breath. She would have to approach this carefully. “You know, my birthday’s next month. . . .”

“I think I just might remember that.” Maddy’s mom gave her a little smile as she scraped cucumber scraps into the compost bucket.

Maddy took a deep breath. “I was thinking that maybe I could go down to the city just for that weekend, 66

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to celebrate.” Her mom’s back tensed, but Maddy rushed ahead. “I could stay with Kirsten—”

“We’ll see,” Maddy’s mother cut her off. “Let’s see how it goes here before we talk about any privileges.”

Maddy’s plan was teetering on a very dangerous ledge. “I know, but I was thinking that if I stayed . . .”

“I heard that part. I also heard you tell Dad and me that you would be completely responsible if we left you alone all summer. And I seem to remember seeing patio furniture floating in my swimming pool and a roomful of underage teenagers spilling beer on my leather sofa. Let me talk to your father.”

Bam. The plan fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Her dad would never let her go. Maddy’s mother heaved the big roasting pan into the soapy water.

“Would you go out to the porch?” she said, raising her voice over the sound of the taps. “I think there are still some empty glasses out there—everyone was sitting out front before dinner.”

Maddy nodded and trailed slowly through the darkened living room and foyer out to the front door. She struggled to contain her disappointment. She’d known any chance of celebrating her birthday in San Fran was iffy, but there was always a chance. Maybe she should have waited longer. That was it—she’d just ask later, after they saw that she’d been on her best behavior. The front porch was unlit, but as her eyes adjusted, 67

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she could see well enough to gather the scattered wineglasses onto a tray. She padded down the porch steps and had just rounded the side of the house when she heard someone talking. It sounded like the voice was coming from the front, where she had just been. She stopped, listened, and realized the voice was David’s. He must have just come back from the stroll through the vines and hadn’t noticed her in the dark on the porch. He was talking to someone standing in the yard, near the parked truck. The cicadas and crickets were making a giant racket in the trees, but when she held her breath, she could make out his words.

“. . . stuck here the whole summer,” he was saying.

“Well, I don’t know what you guys are going to talk about all day. You’re really different.” Maddy inhaled sharply. He was talking about her—and with that bitchy Rain!

“I don’t know—my mom always said I could talk to a potato if I had to. I mean, come on. We can talk about . . .”

David trailed off.

Maddy cringed as Rain laughed. “See? You can’t think of anything. You might as well just face it—she’s a spoiled suburban brat. I mean, she practically gagged at dinner when I told her what I was doing this summer.”

I did not, Maddy thought.

David laughed a little. “She’s definitely nothing like I expected she’d be, that’s for sure.”

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Maddy had had enough. She couldn’t believe they would talk about her this way. As she backed away, her toe caught the edge of a wicker rocker and sent her stumbling forward, almost off the porch steps. Crash! The tray fell, shattering the glasses all over the porch. David stopped talking. Overwhelming silence was broken only by the constant cheeping of the crickets. Maddy stood rooted in place. Slowly, David’s figure turned and peered up at the porch. As soon as he saw Maddy, his eyes went wide. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but Maddy shot him her most scornful glare and turned her back, walking into the house with slow deliberation. She could feel his eyes burning into her back until the door shut behind her with a bang.