King 02 - Breathless (17 page)

There was silence on the other end. “Kissed?” Amber finally echoed.

“Yes. As though someone had been holding my face—I could almost feel the hands still there—and my lips were—well, just take it from me. I know what it feels like when someone—when you’ve—” My cheeks were flushed as I tried to explain. “Amber, I think Rafe kissed me, then did something to my mind to cover it up.”

“Why in the world would he do that, and how?”

“I’m completely clueless on the how, but the why… think about it. If he did kiss me and I freaked out on him—which I know I would—he would want to make me forget about it, right?”

“Yeah.” I heard Amber suck in a breath. “I can see that. Especially given everything you told me before about him—what he’s been thinking about since he met you. He might have decided to see just how serious you are about Michael. You know, test your resolve.”

“Exactly,” I agreed. “He’s just arrogant enough to think he might be able to change my mind. And then when it didn’t work, he just pulled his little hocus-pocus, whatever it was.” I was silent for a moment, thinking. “I’m going to have to find out who his family is, which carnie they’re descended from. That might give me a clue about how he made this happen.”

“Do you think he’s done it before?” I heard the curiosity in Amber’s voice.

“You mean around us? I don’t think so. At least not around me. Believe me, I would remember feeling the way I did today.” I shuddered. “It was creepy.”

“But how much of that was whatever mind trick Rafe pulled and how much could have been the effects of him kissing you—if that’s what he did?” Amber speculated.

I paused. She had a point. “That’s a thought. If it was the kissing, then Michael has nothing to worry about. Ugh.” I shook my head.

Amber laughed. “I don’t think he had anything to worry about anyway,” she said. I heard a voice in the background. “Hey, Tas, sorry, but I need to go. My mom’s home and she wants to hear about my dentist appointment. Talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

The phone disconnected, but I lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, still troubled.

I remained preoccupied all during dinner. My father had to ask me twice how my calculus class was going, and even then I answered so vaguely that I could feel his concern instantly ratchet up. I managed to pull it together enough to allay any worry he and my mom were feeling and escape into my room just as my phone was playing Michael’s special ring tone.

When I answered and heard his voice, I burst into tears.

His alarm was instant. “Tasmyn, what’s wrong?”

I struggled to control my sobs. “N-n-nothing. I just m-m-miss you,” I wept.

He blew out a long breath. “I know. I miss you, too. But something else is up, isn’t it?”

I cast my mind about to find something from the day I could share with him. Eventually I would tell him about Rafe, but for now, it fell into the “would make Michael worry” category.

So instead I told him about my conversation with Cara at lunch, editing out any mentions of Rafe. I told him too about my encounter with her father the day before, and I could tell from his lack of violent response that he had heard this story before.

“You talked to your mom today, didn’t you?” I asked.

“Actually, last night. Why didn’t
you
tell me?”

I sniffled. “We were having such a nice talk last night, I didn’t want to ruin it.”

To my relief, he laughed. “Yeah, I thought so, too. But don’t feel like you can’t tell me stuff, okay? I want to know what’s going on.”

I pushed back the guilt that rose instantly in my chest. “I know. But anyway, I think what happened with her dad made me feel even worse about Cara today. And Michael…” I gulped, and then plunged ahead. “She really likes you. I mean,
really
. What am I going to do about that?”

“Nothing much you can do, and nothing you need to worry about. Cara’s all right, I guess, but I know who has my heart. And I hope you do, too,” he added.

“I do,” I answered softly. “I only wish I were close enough to hear you.”

“Well, I guess you’re going to have to get used to trusting me when I tell you things, like the rest of us mere mortals.”

I snorted. “I might have to do it, but I don’t have to like it.”

Michael laughed at me again, and I could almost feel the weight of the day lifting from me.

At lunch on Friday, I scanned the crowd for Rafe, but I didn’t see him. At our table, Cara was almost silent, and Amber tried to make up for that by keeping up a steady stream of chatter. I could feel the tension around us, and I could hear Cara’s sulky thoughts, although I concentrated on ignoring them.

After school, I pulled in a breath of weekend freedom and put down the top on the Mustang for my ride out to the nursery. Once I cleared town, music blared from the speakers—the fastest, loudest tunes on my iPod. Michael and I had influenced each other’s musical tastes to a certain degree; I liked some of his country picks and his beloved oldies, and he admitted to enjoying a few of my edgier alt rock bands. I smiled as I considered all the years of music Michael’s classic car had heard and wondered if she approved of my selection. She hummed along the road, making me think she did indeed.

The nursery was brisk with business, and I got right to work as soon as I arrived. I had waited on several customers when I felt the calm sweetness that told me Marly was near, and I heard her thoughts before I felt her hand on my shoulder.

“Hey, sweetie,” she greeted me. “Happy Friday. How’s it going?”

“It’s going,” I replied, tossing her a swift smile. “We’re busy today!”

“Always good to hear. So, are you up for dinner tonight?”

I laughed as some of her louder thoughts filtered into my head. “Seems like you already have it all planned out. You cleared it with my parents, and you’ve got the chicken marinating. And… I’m making a salad?”

Marly pulled a mock-guilty face. “I can’t slip anything past you. Yes to all of the above. I hope you don’t mind that I made the plans without asking you, but I wanted to have some time to talk about homecoming weekend.”

The prospect of hanging out with Marly and Luke and discussing a trip up to visit Michael brightened my day considerably. The rest of the afternoon flew by, and as soon as we turned the closed sign on the door of the shop, I sprinted up the path to the house. It was comforting to find my familiar place at the kitchen counter, tearing greens and mixing dressing.

We lounged around the table on the deck, enjoying the waning light of day and the pleasant aftermath of a delicious dinner.

“Homecoming is the first weekend in November,” Marly said, leaning back in her chair and resting her feet in Luke’s lap. “There’s a rally on Friday night, the football game on Saturday and the dance Saturday night. I thought maybe if your parents agreed, you and I could drive up Friday morning and then plan on being home Sunday night. What do you think?”

The idea of three days with Michael made me giddy. “I think it sounds perfect,” I answered. “Are you sure it’s okay for you to be away from the nursery that weekend? And for me to miss work, too?”

Luke laughed. “I think we’ll make it without you two,” he replied dryly. “Although it will be a struggle...”

Marly nudged him with her foot. “That’s enough out of you. You know you’re going to miss both of us, and you’re just jealous that we’re going away without you.”

Luke raised his hands in mock defeat. “Okay, you’ve got me. It’s just a brave front I’m putting on...”

Marly giggled and rolled her eyes at him. “Ignore him, Tas. Yes, it’s fine for us to be away. I’ve arranged coverage for the shop, and my own work is running pretty smoothly right now. So you only need to worry about finding a dress for the dance and making sure you can miss school that Friday.”

“I’m sure I can work it out.” I knew most of my teachers would work with me so that missing one day wouldn’t hurt anything. Fleetingly I thought of Ms. Lacusta and just as quickly pushed her to the back of my mind. She would just have to understand.

“Tas, Marly told me about what happened the other day with Matt Pryce.” Luke shifted in his chair, absently running a hand over his wife’s bare feet. “I’m sorry that happened. I want you to know that I won’t stand for him coming into the nursery and treating you like that. From now on, if he does come into the shop, just let someone else wait on him. Worst case, call Marly or me.”

I felt the genuine concern and resolute protectiveness coming from both Marly and Luke, and it warmed me. I knew that they were worried, and it would have been easy to let them stand between me and the Reverend Pryces of the world.

“Thanks.” I reached across the table and laid my hand on Marly’s. “Really. I appreciate it. But I’m okay. I don’t intend to let him get the best of me. I’m tougher than you think.” I tried to throw some bravado behind my words, but I saw Michael’s parents exchange looks, and I heard their doubtful thoughts.

“I think,” Luke began, choosing his words carefully, “that we worry how Pryce’s words might affect you. We’re concerned that he might make you… feel uncomfortable about your gift.”

I didn’t answer right away. Marly turned her hand over and held mine. She didn’t say anything, but I could feel her empathy.

“Actually, I’ve been second-guessing a lot of things lately,” I said. “Cara isn’t speaking to me, in large part because she’s still really suspicious about what happened last year. Her father thinks I’m a witch. There’s—there’s more stuff going on, too. All of which makes me wish that I was little more typical, a little less… special.”

“That ‘more stuff’—is it anything you’d like to share with us?”
No pressure…
Marly added in her mind.

I shook my head. “I really wish I could. But I haven’t even talked with Michael about all of this, and it wouldn’t be fair to him if I told you first.”

“I don’t want to pry, honey, but can I ask why you haven’t talked to Michael about whatever it is that’s going on?”

“I just can’t right now. I’m not going to worry him when he’s too far away to do anything
but
worry. Eventually I’ll tell him everything. But I’m going to ask both of you not to say anything either. I know you don’t want him preoccupied any more than I do.”

“But you’re not really buying into Pryce’s stupid ideas, are you?” Luke questioned anxiously.

“I don’t know. I always told myself that what I can do was given to me from God. And after last year, it seemed as though it was. I could finally use what I can do to help someone. But then… then I realized I didn’t help everyone. I didn’t help Nell. And I hear what Rev. Pryce thinks about me, and I wonder if maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s not from God. He would know, right?”

“Tasmyn.” Luke’s firm voice was so like Michael’s that I bit back a smile. “That’s absolute nonsense. You are not a bad person. You went out of your way to do the best you could in a terrible situation. The good reverend doesn’t have the whole story, and his conclusions are way off base.”

I leaned back in my chair and rested my gaze on Marly and Luke. The connection between them was tangible, and they were united in their unwavering support of me. For the hundredth time, I wondered what I had done to deserve their love and loyalty. I couldn’t think of anything at all, which was enough proof for me that God and grace do exist.