“I’m going to decline that offer, thank you,” Edan said, ducking out of Grayson’s grip.
Grayson grabbed him by the back of the neck and easily kept him in place. Edan muttered something that made Grayson laugh.
“Should we call the cops or something?” Patrick asked, still clutching his wallet.
“I’d prefer we didn’t, if you don’t mind,” Grayson said. “He’s harmless.”
“I am not. How dare you?” But Edan said the words with a trace of humor, a grin spreading across his face.
I would have known that boy was trouble even if I hadn’t just seen him rob someone. He was super hot, and he knew it. He had thick brown hair that was a bit longer on top and still looked great after being tackled. When he smiled, one side of his mouth rose higher than the other. It was the smile of someone who was definitely plotting the fastest way to screw you. In more ways than one, maybe.
“Put your wallet in your front pocket,” Grayson said to Patrick. “I’m Grayson, by the way.”
“I know. Patrick.” He shook Grayson’s hand.
Grayson stretched his hand out to me.
“Clara,” I said.
He clasped my hand briefly. “Nice to meet you. I’m glad you guys are here.”
“I’m glad to be here,” I said. It was the understatement of the century.
8
In the morning, I remembered.
I woke at six a.m., panic crawling through my veins, and I remembered why I’d never left before. Mom and Laurence.
I lay in bed for a few minutes, my brain cycling through every worst-case scenario. Dad could have seriously injured Laurence. He could have thrown my phone at Mom’s head and hit his target this time. I’d never protected Mom and Laurence any more than they’d protected me, but there was a certain amount of safety in maintaining the status quo. We all worked our hardest to keep Dad at the lowest possible rage levels.
Until I’d blown everything up.
I tossed the covers off with a shiver. I’d turned the a/c down too low last night, and the room was dark and chilly. The bed across from me was untouched, even though I’d been told I’d have a roommate.
The phone and the mini bar had been removed from the room to avoid racking up extra charges, so I’d have to find a phone somewhere else. Maybe I could ask in the lobby.
I showered and threw on the least wrinkled clothes in my bag—jeans and a gray Wonder Woman T-shirt—and slipped out of my room. We didn’t need to be at the other hotel for the welcome session for two hours, and the lobby was far quieter than it had been last night. A group of men in suits milled around the front desk, and two women stood near the doors, holding paper coffee cups.
I approached the front desk, and a woman with a name tag that said JAN smiled at me.
“Do you have a phone I could use?” I asked.
“Sure thing, hon. There are courtesy phones around that corner.” She pointed to my right, in the direction of the restaurant.
“Thanks.” I walked around the corner to find three phones on the wall. I picked up one and dialed the only number I knew by heart—Mom’s.
She answered on the third ring. “Bueno?”
Mom didn’t answer the phone in Spanish unless she knew it was one of her sisters. Or if Dad was sitting beside her, and she knew there was only one person who would call her from a Georgia number.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hola, Julia. Cómo estuvo tu viaje?”
“The trip was fine. I’m here.”
She then said something I didn’t understand, her words too fast.
“The only word I understood in that sentence was crazy,” I said.
She made an annoyed sound.
“Well, whose fault is that? You should have taught me Spanish when I was little, like my cousins.” It was Dad’s fault, since he didn’t want Mom to teach me and Laurence. He probably thought we would talk shit about him right in front of his face. (We would have.)
“I said that you have lost your mind, and you need to come home immediately, before you get yourself killed.” Mom’s words were hushed now, probably spoken from behind the door in her bedroom.
“I just called to see if you’re OK,” I said.
“If I’m OK—mija, I am very much not OK. Have you been watching the news? They say this Grayson man is a fanatic who’s going to get you all killed.”
“I met him yesterday, he didn’t seem like a fanatic, whatever that means.” Maybe a little too willing to brush off robbery attempts, but otherwise normal. “How is Laurence?”
“Your brother is gone. He packed his bags and left maybe an hour after you.”
I didn’t realize how much tension I was holding in my body until I let it out. “Really? He’s OK?”
“He’s fine.”
“Can you give me his number? I don’t have it memorized, and I left my phone there.”
She let out a sigh but rattled it off for me. I found a pen but no paper, so I wrote it on the inside of my wrist.
“I know you don’t believe this, but your father is worried sick about you. He would have jumped in his car and stopped you at the bus station if Laurence hadn’t held him back.”
I felt another surge of affection for Laurence.
“Maybe you won’t make the cut.” Mom sounded hopeful now. “Are there a lot of people there?”
“Yes. Mom, I should go. I just wanted to check on you.” I didn’t want to think about what I’d do if I didn’t make it. Apparently they’d hired the buses for a round trip, so we had a free ride back if we didn’t make it. The thought was terrifying.
“You’re dropping out of high school, then?” Mom asked, undeterred.
“Seems so.” I blew out a breath. “Don’t be afraid to leave if it gets bad, OK? I know it’s scary, but sometimes it’s worse to stay.”
She was silent.
“OK. I don’t know when I’ll be able to call again. Just . . . assume I’m fine if you haven’t heard from
