“What did you get?” Grandma Claudia asked.
I smiled at Peter, who was scratching Scooby’s belly. He winked at me.
“I bought a pretty neat witch costume,” I said. “It even has a pointed hat.”
Grandma Claudia’s eyes drifted to the fireplace and then to Peter. “I baked two pies this morning.”
Peter placed Scooby on the floor. “Apple?”
She nodded.
“You didn’t have to do that, Grandma Claudia,” Peter said. He was already on his feet.
“No worries, sweetie. They’re on the kitchen table. Would you like a slice, Alexandria?”
“Uh, no thanks.”
Peter went into the kitchen with Scooby trailing on his heels.
Grandma Claudia leaned back in her rocking chair. “He’s such a delightful young man. I swear he keeps getting more handsome each time I see him. You should snatch him up before someone else does.”
“I’m sure he can hear you, Grandma.”
She smiled mischievously and then began the routine questioning. “How’s your mother?”
“She’s okay. Same as usual.”
Grandma Claudia clicked her tongue in disapproval.
I tried to divulge as little information as possible. I hated being the go-between. My grandmother and Emma had a falling-out years ago. They hadn’t spoken since their fight. I had a theory that Grandma Claudia’s move from Hazel Cove to Salem was the result of their falling-out.
“And Victor?”
“Same.” There was no need to elaborate. I changed the subject. “How’s Aunt Vanessa?”
Grandma Claudia grinned. “She bought a condo in the French Quarter. She’s pulling a lot of late shifts at the hospital and teaching a few classes at Louisiana State University.”
“That’s great.”
My Aunt Vanessa was a surgeon in New Orleans. I made a mental promise to take a trip down to Louisiana when I had the chance.
“And now, the most important question, how are you doing?”
“I’m good. School is going well, my friends are fine and Peter is great—” I stopped mid-sentence because she didn’t look satisfied by my response.
She placed her hands in her lap. “How have you been feeling?”
“Feeling? Fine, I guess. My throat was a little sore last week, but that was probably because of the change in weather. Bradley was sick a few weeks ago, but I didn’t catch it.”
“I’m glad you are not ill.” Grandma Claudia pressed her lips together.
I thought I saw a glint of frustration. “What’s wrong?”
Grandma Claudia took a deep breath. Her bony shoulders slumped when she exhaled. She opened her mouth, but a loud clank sounded in the kitchen. “Nothing, darling.”
I didn’t believe her. Something was bothering her.
Scooby pranced back into the living room and hopped onto Grandma Claudia’s lap. My grandmother’s face transformed back to its cheery demeanor. And that was that. Whatever she wanted to say to me would have to wait for another time.
A low growl rumbled from Scooby as Peter walked toward my grandmother. “Best apple pie I’ve ever had. Hands down.” He kissed her on the forehead and she patted his hand in return.
After a few hours of catching up, the clock over the fireplace chimed four. We needed to head back to Hazel Cove.
As if reading my mind, Grandma Claudia stood up. “All right you two, this old lady needs her rest. Alexandria, I won’t see you until after your big day.” She pointed to a pink gift bag sitting on top of the credenza near the door. “Go ahead and open it. It will be an early gift.”
I reached into the bag and felt a small box under the tissue paper. I handed the empty bag to Peter and lifted the lid. A silver necklace with a charm—the letter ‘R’ inside a silver circle—gleamed from the velvet case.
I’d never seen anything like it. “It’s beautiful!”
“I am glad you like it,” Grandma Claudia said.
“Here, I’ll help you put it on,” Peter said.
I piled my hair on top of my head. He placed the necklace around my neck and clasped it shut. Peter stepped back to view the necklace, but his eyes lifted to my face. “Stunning.”
Grandma Claudia grabbed her glasses from around her neck and put them on. “I never knew you had a birthmark.”
“What birthmark?” I asked.
“On your neck.” She turned me around and lifted my hair off of my shoulders. Dry fingertips brushed the nape of my neck.
“There’s a little brown spot right at your hairline,” Peter said. “You probably never noticed it because you always wear your hair down.”
I touched the back of my neck. “I had no idea. Grandma, are you okay?”
“No worries, I’m just a little tired. The necklace looks radiant. Just like you.”
“Thank you.” I hugged her goodbye.
“Take care of my Alexandria,” Grandma Claudia said to Peter when she hugged him.
As we left Grandma Claudia’s house, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, really wrong.
* * *
Northern Massachusetts sped by in a blur behind the sheets of rain. I rubbed the foggy passenger window with the back of my sleeve.
“Why are you so quiet?” Peter asked.
“Was Grandma Claudia acting odd to you?”
He made a face. “How so?”
“I don’t know, just odd. Like she was hiding something.”
“I thought she seemed fine. And the pie was amazing.”
“You’re probably right.”
“When are Victor and Emma gracing us with their presence again?” The rain pounded off the front windshield. Peter flipped the wipers on high.
“No clue. I haven’t heard from them all weekend.”
“Do you want to go to my house? I have to write a paper and fix the drain in my mom’s bathroom sink, but at least you won’t be alone.”
For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to say to Peter. I’d tried not to think about it for most of the day, but I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I’d agreed to go to dinner with James tonight. I wasn’t sure why I agreed, but I had. The more and more I thought about it, the more I knew it was a mistake.
I hadn’t told Peter yet. He hated James, especially after that night in the clearing when James tried to kiss me. But it was only dinner and I wasn’t planning on ever doing it again.
Maybe it would be best if I didn’t mention it. I was single. I could go to dinner with whoever I wanted. No sense in making Peter upset over something as insignificant as a one-time meaningless dinner.
“I should go home. I have some stuff to do. Thanks for the offer.” I hated myself for keeping a secret from Peter.
“No problem. I’ve been neglecting things, too.”
Peter lightly bobbed his head to the song on the radio, perfectly satisfied with my response. He never had a reason to doubt me before, why would he start now?
I sank lower into the seat, completely disgusted with myself.
Chapter Eight
“Sergei’s?”
James held open the passenger door of the Range Rover. “What? I like Russian. Don’t you?”
Sergei’s was the new restaurant in town. It was an elegant place with authentic Russian food. A very date-friendly restaurant.
James tossed the keys in the air as we walked through the parking lot. He was wearing a blazer with a white collared shirt and slacks. A very date-friendly outfit.
The hostess sat us immediately. Apparently, James had made reservations in advance. The walls were painted red and filled with pictures depicting Russian history and culture: the Kremlin on a snowy day, the Volga River, a Russian Orthodox church, portraits of Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Anton Chekov and Vladimir Nabokov. Russian music played softly in the background.
Our table was in the corner, away from the main dining area, giving us privacy from the other guests. Tiny tea candles floating in shallo
w water vases lit the table. It looked very romantic.
This was such a bad idea.
James placed the cloth napkin in his lap. “How was Salem?”
“Rainy and cold, but I’m glad we went. We stopped by my grandmother’s house and I finally found the perfect costume.”
“We?”
“Peter and me.”
James’s eyes tightened, but the smile stayed on his lips.
The waiter handed us menus. “Good evening, my name is Nikolai. Can I start by taking your drink order?”
James looked at me.
“May I have a Coke, please?” I asked.
James ordered a ginger ale. He waited for the waiter to leave. “Peter went with you to Salem?”
I could feel myself getting defensive. James asked too many questions about Peter. I took a deep breath before answering to try to take the edge out of my voice. “Yes, Peter went with me. He worships my grandmother’s cooking. I’m pretty sure he ate an entire apple pie today.”
“You two were childhood friends?”
“Our mothers met in Lamaze class. Peter was born two months before me. We grew up attached at the hip.”
“You two have a lot of history.”
I shrugged. “I guess you could say that.”
“Does he have a girlfriend at Hazel Cove High?”
“Peter? No, of course not!”
James cocked his head to the side.
Okay, that came out a little strong. I fiddled with the silverware. I made sure the knife, fork and spoon were equal distances apart. Finally, I looked up at James. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Say it,” I said.
“Why don’t you date Peter? Do you not like him in that way?”
I shifted in my chair. I didn’t know how to respond. Probably because I didn’t know the answer. Why didn’t I date Peter?
James laced his hands together. “I mean, I don’t know the guy, but it seems like he’s pretty head over heels in love with you. He wanted to obliterate me for trying to kiss you. Those are pretty strong emotions.”
I opened my mouth, but the waiter placed our drinks on the table. “May I take your order?”
“Um, sure. May I have the beef stroganoff, please?” I handed the waiter the menu without glancing at it.
The waiter turned to James. “And for you?”
“I’ll have the chicken Kiev,” James said.
Once we were alone again, I took a sip of my drink. James had me flustered and I didn’t like the feeling.
“Don’t be upset,” James said. “I know you don’t like when I talk about Peter. I was only pointing out the obvious. Just like you’re the hottest girl in school.”
I made a face. “Riiight.”
“It’s true, but you’re a tough cookie.”
I nearly spit the soda out of my mouth. “A tough cookie?”
“Extremely tough. You don’t pay attention to any of the guys at Hawthorne. That’s why I figured you and Peter were an item.”
“What about you? Girls are practically throwing themselves at your feet when you walk down the hallway.”
“I try to step over them.”
“Oh, jeez.”
“I don’t like any of them.”
“What about Olivia? She’s crazy about you.”
“The blonde? She’s pretty, but not my type.” James shrugged in dismissal. “Besides, she’s kind of mean, right?”
I laughed. “She’s a little sharp around the edges.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
The waiter placed our entrees on the table. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until he placed the plate of steaming beef stroganoff in front of me.
“Why did you and your dad move here?” I wanted to change the subject away from relationships.
“My Grandpa Van Curen died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“My dad had a really hard time with his death. They were close. A few weeks after the funeral, my dad said he wanted to leave Boston and move north to Hazel Cove. So we made the move,” James said.
“Is it just you and your dad?”
“My mom passed away when I was seven.”
“I’m sorry.”
I felt horrible for James. He didn’t have any family except his father and I clearly remembered meeting Mr. Van Curen in the attendance office on James’s first day of school. No wonder James acted the way he did. I couldn’t imagine having Mr. Van Curen as my only source of interaction. At least I had Mya and Bradley at my house.
“Do you like Hazel Cove?”
“I’m starting to,” James said.
I dropped my eyes to my plate.
James didn’t miss a beat. “Your parents are throwing the party on Saturday for your birthday?”
“No. The party is for Victor and Emma. My birthday just happens to fall on Halloween.” I forked a beef tip and placed it in my mouth.
“I take it you’re not too close with your parents.”
“Not at all. I was raised by our maid and Peter’s mom. I think Bradley, our driver, went to more of my childhood dance recitals than my parents.”
James reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry.”
No arrogant smile. No calculating eyes. Just sympathy. Like he knew exactly where I was coming from.
* * *
I locked the front door behind me. I had to admit, I had a nice time with James. Sure, a few moments were awkward, but not too many. It was exactly what he’d promised—a fun night out at dinner.
I jogged up the stairs. A thin strip of light emanated from underneath my bedroom door. I didn’t remember leaving any lights on. For some reason, a wave of nervousness washed over me. I pushed opened the door.
Peter sat in the chair by my bed. “Lex! I was—” He stopped mid-sentence.
“You scared me,” I said. “What are you doing in here all by yourself?” I turned away from his stare and tossed my purse on the desk. A knot quickly formed in the pit of my stomach.
“I stopped by to see if you wanted to watch TV or something. I finished my paper and fixed my mom’s sink.”
“Oh.”
“You never actually do homework when you say you’re going to,” Peter said. “I figured you’d be bored to death here by yourself. I didn’t know you were out.”
“I went to dinner.”
Peter’s eyes drifted from my face to my dress and then down to my heels. “With Sadie?”
“No.”
“With Olivia? Jillian?”
“No, Peter. I went with James.”
“Ah, James. That new kid at your school.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.”
A light brown eyebrow raised into an arch. “The one you slapped when he tried to kiss you? The one I almost got into a fight with to protect you? That one?”
“Peter….”
He was upset. Really upset. I was upset. But why? I didn’t do anything wrong. I had dinner with James. That’s it. Peter wasn’t my boyfriend. There was no reason to feel guilty. But I did.
Extremely guilty.
“He asked you out?”
“Last night at the haunted house he asked me to have dinner with him,” I said. “It wasn’t a date, just dinner. No big deal.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I answered truthfully. “I don’t know.”
Peter leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. “James likes you.” Again, it wasn’t a question.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.” I sat down on the bed.
Peter lowered his gaze. “And you like James.”
“No. It’s not like that.”
“What’s it like, then?”
“We’re friends, I guess. I never thought we’d be. He can be an idiot sometimes, but he’s actually not that bad.”
“I thought you hated him.” Peter lowered his head and stared at the floorboards between his feet.
“Peter
?”
He shook his head.
I pulled a loose string from the blanket, wrapping it around my pinkie, waiting for Peter to say something. He didn’t. We sat in an uncomfortable silence for what seemed like hours, but had to only be a few minutes.
I touched his knee. “Why are you so angry with me?”
Peter stood up abruptly. “Why are you dating this dirtbag?”
“I’m not dating James,” I said.
“Didn’t you just go out to dinner with him?”
“Yes.”
“Did he kiss you goodnight?” Peter grimaced.
“No, of course not!”
“You knew all along that he liked you.” Peter scanned my outfit again. “And you got all dressed up and went out with him, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Seems like you’re dating to me.”
“You’re overreacting,” I said.
“Don’t turn this on me. Why can’t you realize—”
I stood up. “Realize what?”
Peter shook his head. “Nothing. If I have to spell it out to you, then it’s pointless.”
“Peter.” I stepped toward him, but he put out his hand.
“Listen, I don’t care who you date, but I don’t appreciate being lied to. You’d think after all these years you could at least give me that.”
It was a verbal punch to the gut and I literally felt it. “I wasn’t lying! There’s nothing to lie about!”
“If that’s true, then why didn’t you tell me?”
“We just went to dinner.”
“You know what? You’re absolutely right.” Peter flipped his hood up. “You’re a grown-up, you don’t need to report to me.”
“Peter.”
“I’m going home.”
“Don’t go.”
Peter stared at the floor. He couldn’t look at me. And that made me panic. I reached out to stop him, but he shook his head and stepped back.
I flinched as if he’d struck me.
“Goodnight Lex, I’ll… I’ll see you around.” Peter walked out of my bedroom without looking back.
I started hyperventilating. Breaths came in quick shallow bursts. The room spun. Sweat beaded my forehead and neck. Bright spots flashed before my eyes. I was going to faint. I rushed to the bathroom sink to splash cold water on my face, but I didn’t make it. I slumped to the floor, just before I passed out.