NorthangerAlibiInterior (25 page)

Home Sweet Home

Twenty-four hours later, our plane landed in New Mexico. It was kind of rough dodging the paparazzi in Seattle, but with Tony’s family to distract them, we were able to pull it off. That’s all I needed—someone tailing me to Farmington.

Mom and Dad were waiting for us and had a large meal on the dining room table when we walked in. It was such a comfort to come home to enchiladas after the ordeal we’d been through. Even Cass, who’d spent the flight finishing the last book in the Twilight series, was eager to just relax at home.

As soon as I could, I ran to an outlet and plugged in my cell. It had run out of power halfway through our trip, and I hadn’t heard back from Tony yet. I’d sent him a text last night saying we were heading home, and since it’d been almost twenty-four hours, I expected there to be a text waiting for me.

While the battery was charging and the messages loading, I filled up my plate and sat down to eat with the family. Cassidy and I were bombarded with questions about Seattle and our trip home. I answered as best I could, skipping over all the kisses I’d gotten. I might tell my mom later in her room or something, just between us. Instead, I used the opportunity to paint Tony in a wonderful light so my parents would give him the chance he deserved. I made sure to talk about his soccer team and his incredible musical talent, and also how nice he was and how much he loved kids. I think by the time I was done, even the curtains were in love with the guy.

“Wow.” Mom chuckled. “He sounds like a perfect boyfriend.”

“Well, I for one can’t wait to meet him,” my dad said. “Let us know when he plans on headin’ this way.”

I giggled at the thought of Tony coming here.
Oh my gosh—Tony!
I jumped up to check my cell and see what he’d said.

There were no messages from him.

Huh?

There were, however, a couple of “I’m so sorry” texts from Jaden, but I just skimmed over those. Even my e-mail inbox was suspiciously empty. I tried not to let it bug me while I helped clear the table.

By the time I finished loading the dishwasher, I’d already come up with six or seven good excuses why Tony hadn’t texted, or e-mailed, or anything.

But three hours later as I was climbing into bed, I began to doubt those excuses completely. Instead, I found myself facing the reality that something could be seriously wrong. I didn’t like that reality. I would much prefer to think happy thoughts as long as I possibly could, until proven differently.

Except that’s the thing. Since the day we went to the movies together, Tony had never gone a full day without contacting me somehow, and with the rising media and craziness in our lives, he’d been really good about touching base at least two or three times a day. Just not this day—the day after Jaden announced in an exclusive interview that I thought Tony was a vampire.

I was worried. Okay, so I was more than worried. I was downright terrified that Tony hated me. He’d made it pretty clear that the thought of vampires creeped him out—even his family knew that, so he must’ve been really vocal about it.

I tried to keep my rising panic at bay as I typed out another text that night. It wasn’t easy.

Hey u, got hme safe. miss u like crzy. wsh u were here. luv, me

By the time I pushed the “send” button, I was gasping for breath. I knew I was totally being melodramatic, but I couldn’t help it. The thought that Tony hated me was more than I could bear. Never mind the fact that we’d had an extra-dramatic relationship to begin with—all this drama was killing me. I needed reassurance—a lot of reassurance—and no one was there to give it to me. All I wanted to do was say I was sorry. I really couldn’t explain much, because, well, what Jaden had said was the truth. So it wasn’t like I had a million good excuses for why I’d thought it. I just wished Jaden hadn’t said anything to begin with. Not that it would’ve changed anything. I’d thought Tony was a stupid vampire until just a few days ago.

Why was I ever so blind? Could there be a bigger dork than me anywhere?

Clutching my phone, I pulled the covers up over my head and lay there, trying to will myself into breathing normally. When Cassidy knocked on my door a little while later, I pretended I was asleep. The last thing I needed was my sister bugging me about Tony.

I couldn’t sleep, though. As much as I pretended to, and later even wanted to, I couldn’t. Instead, my eyes watched the clock on my phone, waiting for Tony to answer me, while my mind replayed over and over again all the moments we’d had together.

9:51

10:07

11:26

12:33

1:18

2:42

3:02

I finally zonked out sometime after four.

***

Five mornings later, I realized this was becoming a late-night ritual. I groaned. Then I rolled over in my bed and looked at my alarm clock. It was ten forty-five!
Sheesh!
I jumped out of the covers and searched frantically for my phone. When I found it, the battery was almost dead because I’d used the light so much the night before. Scanning quickly, I could see there were still no texts from Tony. It had been a week. A whole week and I still hadn’t heard from him.

In dejection, I tossed the phone on my desk and curled up in bed again. No one even bothered to check on me for at least another hour. I tried to use that to my advantage and sleep some time away, but it wouldn’t work. My happy memories were replaced with mean, angry imaginings.

I was positive Tony hated me. I was positive he was mad—really mad. His silence was more ominous than any tear-jerking letter he could’ve sent. It was the most horrible, cruel way to treat someone. Especially someone like me, who used words for everything. Even when my friend Emma had railed on me in front of a whole Christmas party full of people—that didn’t hurt as much as this did. And that was saying a lot, because eighteen months ago, I thought that was the worst thing I could’ve ever gone through. Now, I would take Emma chewing me out eight times over one silent Tony any day.

Just tell me off, already! I get it. I’m a horrible person who’s completely naive and gullible and prefers living in an imaginary world more than reality.

Except that wasn’t who I was anymore. I wasn’t the same Claire Hart who’d traveled to Seattle. I was different and more mature and everything. I just needed a chance to prove that to Tony.

How can I be given that chance when he won’t even acknowledge me? Who am I trying to kid, anyway?

I sat up in bed and pushed down the covers.

Tony Russo is a rock star, for crying out loud! A huge, highly paid rock star who has loads of girls throwing themselves at his feet. He doesn’t need me. And if I’d actually think about it and listen to his parents, I’d see what he must see—that I’m bad for his career. I mean, isn’t it a law or something that when a band starts out, it’s really good for the singers to be single? I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere.

I tried to think about it for a minute and make that thought work into my subconscious, except all it did was remind me of every famous singer I knew who was either married or going out with someone.

Okay, maybe he got a girlfriend while he was in Cali? Um, okay, that hurt. Let’s come up with something else. Oh, I know! Maybe he can’t have a girlfriend right now. Maybe it’s part of his contract with his company to not talk to me . . . hmm . . . Okay, so knowing Tony like I do, probably not. He’d consider it a challenge and purposely fling our relationship in their faces.

Okay, calm down. I’m dreaming again. Tony is just a guy. A seventeen-year-old guy who is technically a minor and basically has to do whatever he’s told—within reason. Well, he’s a smart guy, so hopefully they were able to discuss things enough to see that—

“Hey, Claire? Are you up?” It was Mom.

“Yeah, I’m up. Give me a sec to get dressed, and I’ll come out.”

“Okay. I’ve been a bit worried about you. You’ve been moping for days now and sleeping way too long each morning. I mean, it is almost eleven-thirty. Are you okay? Is there something you want to talk about?”

“Yeah, yeah. I mean, no. I’m fine. I’m just tired. I’ll be out in a sec.” I grudgingly crawled off the bed and threw on a pair of jeans and my favorite comfy vintage Holly Hobby T-shirt. Then I looked in my full-length mirror and grumbled.
Dang! I look like the bride of Frankenstein.

I grabbed a wide-tooth comb and worked it through a ton of knots, the marvelous product of another sleepless night. My face was haggard as well, and I knew my mom was going to ask me a million questions. So I quickly slapped on some makeup, and it worked. I looked a hundred times better. After I pulled my comfy flip-flops out of the closet, I stuck a piece of gum in my mouth so my mom wouldn’t force me to eat anything. I really wasn’t in the mood for breakfast.

With a sigh and a plastered smile on my face, I opened the door and gasped.

Tony was leaning against the wall across from my room, with one leg up and his hands in his pockets.

“Hello, beautiful.”

A New Dawn Breaks

“Tony! When? How? What in the world—is it really you?” I knew I was smiling like a dork, but I didn’t care.

He grinned at my confusion and pushed himself off the wall, taking a step toward me. “Just for the record, a week is way too long to go without seeing you.”

“Really?”
Eeeh!

“Claire?” He took another step forward and closed the distance in the little hallway.

“Yeah?” I gazed into his glittering eyes.
I can’t believe he’s really here!

“You’re smiling. Smiling is good.” He brought the back of his hand up to gently caress my cheek with his knuckles. “I didn’t know if I’d ever get to see your smile again—if I’d ever deserve it.”

“What do you mean? I’ll always smile when you’re around.”

His sad eyes searched mine a moment. The tension and wariness on his features called for me to reach out and hug him—but I didn’t. I waited.

“Claire, I’m so sorry my family treated you the way they did. I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve realized they would try something like this the second I left. I can’t believe you’re even talking to me.” I was extremely distracted by his knuckles trailing on my cheek.

My hand reached up to still his. Very slowly, I moved it away and entwined our fingers together. “You’re not your dad. I know that.”

“But, Claire—”

“I also know that your dad was right.”

Tony’s eyes flashed. “No. He was wrong.”

I shook my head. “You were humiliated during an interview. All of Seattle watched Jaden announce that I thought you were a vampire—”

“And then it was syndicated, and most of the Southwest picked it up and viewed it.”

“What?” My knees went weak.

Tony wrapped his free hand around my waist and propped me up before I’d even realized what had happened.

“Are you kidding me?” I was fully conscious of him being so close to me. My breathing was starting to go funny again.

“Claire.” He wrapped me up close to his heart and whispered, “I wasn’t humiliated. I promise.” I felt him lean forward and kiss the top of my head and then mutter, “You were.”

I closed my eyes and relaxed into his comforting chest.
He’s right. I was. I was so humiliated.

“You were the only one hurt by what Jaden did. I’ve never wanted to strangle someone more in my life than I did when I watched that interview in my hotel room. It’s a real good thing he wasn’t anywhere near me. I’d heard about the interview and what he said, and I was already mad about it. But seeing him smirk and laugh, I could’ve gladly become the vampire you wanted me to be and torn that wolf limb from limb.”

I giggled into Tony’s shirt. I couldn’t help it. He was so upset, and it was so cute.

He groaned and released my hand to wrap his other arm around me. “And then my dad calling you, after you’d just gone through that—I was so mad. Seriously, when my dad explained in detail what had happened, first on the show and then what he’d done to you, thinking I’d be happy—man, I lost it. It was like everything I’d wanted to say for the past few years all came boiling out.”

Oh, no
.
I pulled back a little to see Tony better. “What happened?”

“Dang! You’re so hot when you’re worried,” he whispered down at me.

“Really?”

“How did I ever get so lucky to find you?”

I grinned for a moment and then asked seriously, “Why didn’t you call?”
Or text? Or email? Or send a smoke signal? Anything?

Tony bit his lip and closed his eyes. He leaned forward until his forehead gently touched mine and whispered, “I was afraid.”

What? “
Why? What do you—oh, because of your dad?”

“Yeah. Well, that and I couldn’t stand it if you told me you never wanted to see me again. I figured the best defense was nothing.”

“So you didn’t call me? For a whole week?” A little perturbed, I stepped away from him.

“I figured it was better to see you in person and explain than it was to hear you tell me off on the phone.”