Dark Heart (Dark Heart 1)

He gives me a shoulder clap. “No closing doors,” he says, and it’s a fatherly tone. “A young person’s education is very important. My daughter’s going to NYU, but I heard Elise O’Hara will be going to Columbia.” He taps his forehead. “Smart girl. They’re good people.” He says it in passing, but there’s a tenor to his voice as if he’s trying to sell me.

“I agree.”

He nods once more at me, his eyes holding mine a millisecond too long.

“Watch out for your mother,” he says.

Then we’re off, moving in opposite directions. I hear a car door slam a half second before I pull the store’s door open and the bell tolls again.

I step inside. I’m pulling the scent of leather, rubber, polish into my nostrils, replaying Roberto Arnoldi’s words. When someone jumps me from behind, I’m on the floor before I know what hit me.Chapter NineteenEliseWe’re leaving for the Hamptons Monday. I’m not sure why I’m so surprised. We go every year after school lets out, and we pretty much always stay for at least two months. Dad stays the first few weeks, then only comes some weekends. Mom helps organize a charity speedboat race that happens on the Fourth of July.

A few months ago, Becca was so sick that I didn’t think we’d do it this year, but she’s a lot better now. We’ll take some extra nurse staff, but besides that, I think it’ll be the same as always. I’ll spend time with Dani, Jace, Franco, Lorenzo, Isa, and Max. Dani’s parents own a home a few doors down from ours, so she and I will be inseparable.

When Mom sprung it on me earlier this afternoon, she promised Ree could visit for a week—which means she’ll be with me one week and Dani the next, so the three of us can be together two weeks.

I love Southampton more than almost anything, but I’m fighting tears as I slip into a hot bath. I don’t want to be away from Luca. Not for a day, and definitely not for more than a month. I don’t know how I’ll do it. Maybe I should sign on for a camp or special lessons of some kind—to keep me in the city. I mentioned my plans for tennis and Italian to my mom, and she looked at me like I must have lost my mind.

“You’ll do it when you get back,” she said simply.

I could sign on for some summer classes at Columbia. Unless it’s too late. Is it too late?

I lean back against my sunken tub’s pillow and put a hand over my eyes. I’m so tired of sneaking around, tired of leaving Luca out of all my conversations with my parents. And it’s unfair. I know life’s not fair—boy, do I know that—but he is such a good guy. I wipe my eyes again and sit up, dumping more bath salts into the water.

I feel better when I realize that when I tell him I’ll be in Southampton, he’ll find a way to come and visit.

I’m aware of some sound then, and for a moment, I don’t know what. Then I realize—it’s my cellular phone. I hop out of the tub and dash into my bedroom wet and naked. Usually I don’t lunge for it, but it’s late, and all my friends call our home line…

I answer quickly with my damp fingers and bring the thing to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Elise?”

I know something’s wrong because his voice is weird and off-key.

“Hey—what’s the matter?”

There’s a long pause, during which my poor heart starts to hammer so hard, I feel weak with fear. I don’t know how I know, but I just know. Even before I hear him exhale and he rasps, “Can I come to the roof?”

“Of course.” My pulse surges. “Where are you right now?”

“Payphone.” I think the word sounds groaned, but he’s too quiet for me to be sure.

“Can you come up now? I’ll call the doorman.”

“I don’t want…to get you in trouble.”

Something is so wrong. I can feel the blood drain from my cheeks as I say, “No, it’s not going to be trouble. I’ll meet you upstairs right now?”

There’s another little pause, and then he says, “Okay.”

My mind spins as I call the lobby, find my shoes, say “bye” to Becca and Maura, and sprint toward the elevator. My parents are out to dinner and a show.

I feel like I can’t breathe by the time the elevator lets me out beside the rooftop garden. No Luca. I pace, hearing sirens, feeling the breeze, seeing the bleary flowers and cement walls and the city lights all around. And then he’s walking out onto the rooftop.

His head is down. When he looks up, his eyes find me—they’re a fraction too wide. Then he shuts them, and my heart sinks.

I feel like I’m floating as I move toward him. “Hey…what happened?”