Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

are brother and sister, cousins to the other three.

She changed the water for the flowers and rang up a few customers.

Hector wouldn?t be there the first day of school because he

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was still in Spain with his aunt Pandora, though no one in town

knew why.

Helen pulled on a pair of shoulder-length rubber gloves, a long

apron, and dug through the garbage for stray recycling items. Lucas,

Jason, and Ariadne are all going to be in my grade. So I?m

surrounded.

She went to the back kitchen and put a load in the industrial

dishwasher. She mopped the floors and started counting the

money. Lucas is such a stupid name. It?s all wrong. It sticks out

like a sore thumb.

?Lennie??

?What! Dad! Can?t you see I?m counting?? Helen said, slamming

her hands down on the counter so hard she made a stack of quarters

jump. Jerry held up his hands in a placating gesture.

?It?s the first day of school tomorrow,? he reminded her in his

most reasonable voice.

?I know,? she responded blankly, still unaccountably irritable but

trying not to take it out on her father.

?It?s almost eleven, honey,? he said. Kate came out from the back

to check on the noise.

?You?re still here? I?m really sorry, Jerry,? she said, looking perplexed.

?Helen, I told you to lock the front and go home at nine.?

They both stared at Helen, who had arranged every bill and every

coin in neat stacks.

?I got sidetracked,? Helen said lamely.

After sharing a worried glance with Jerry, Kate took over counting