Page 75 of Waiting Forever
“They do if they flow in and out from a river. These lakes are all connected by canals. Winter Parks’ chain of lakes. There’s a local boat tour you can take and cruise each one. There are lots of mansions. A few are owned by sports celebs—or they used to be.”
“Have you gone on it?”
He nods. “My mom wanted to see it.”
“Did you like it?”
He takes a book from his backpack. “It was informative. Peaceful.”
To have his laid-back mindset.I lean across the table. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you.”
He smiles and opens hisGerman 4textbook. “I’m dressing up for the Halloween festival,” he says, his eyes on the pages.
He knew that would pique my interest. “As…?”
“You’ll have to come to find out.”
“You can’t bamboozle me into going.” I nudge his book.
“Bamboozle.” He laughs. “That’s a great word. We should use it more often. I’m bringing a date, too.”
“Someone from here?” I ask, dying to know what kind of guy Azure is into.
“No way.”
“Do I have to come to find out who this mystery date is?” I’m sure the answer is yes.
He smirks down at his book.
I want to go so badly now, but I’d have to clear up the truth with Nathan first. He still thinks I was into Azure because I led him to believe I was. How will he react when he learns my date was with a gay friend?
A shadow falls over me.
I glance up to find Harper at my side. I should have noticed her perfume, a rich musk that’s probably designer but reminds me of an old lady. She wants dirt on Nathan, particularly who he’s screwing, and is convinced any and all female visitors to the house are suspects. She also thinks it’s my duty as his live-in cousin to report to her.
I sigh and raise my hands, keeping my elbows tucked at my sides. “No. I don’t have any updates. And no, I haven’t seen anyone at all, let alone someone from here, at the house. Nathan works. A lot. Maybe you should corner someone from the office to get intel.” Shit.That’s not a good idea. He doesn’t need her bugging him at work.
She sticks out one hip and taps a long acrylic nail on the table, her eyes on Azure. “You’re cute. New?”
“Nope.” He reclines in the chair and folds his arms across his chest. His silvery shirt matches his hair. His black jeans match his eyebrows and lashes, and his powder skin makes his irises stand out like blue icicles.
Harper narrows her gaze. “Why have I never seen you then?”
“You’re asking me?” Azure’s cool indifference is priceless, although Harper seems clueless to it. Could be she doesn’t care.
She points her smoky eyes at me. “How’d you meet him?”
I shrug. “I guess the same way most people meet.”Ooh.That was totally an Azure response. I even delivered it in a calm tone. He must be rubbing off on me. Finally.
She huffs. “Wheredid you meet?”
“Starbucks. Are you interested in what we drank, too? Because I’m not sure if I remember.”
She scowls. “Don’t be cute.”
“But she is,” Azure chimes in and rests his elbows on the table. “It’s the hair and the eyes. But it’s the personality, too. She’s cheeky.”
I blink wide with shock. He just called me out on being rude, but Harper wouldn’t know that unless she knows British slang.
