Spark (Elemental 2)

More of the confused stare. “It’s too late to play ”

“You heard me!” Layne snapped. “I get straight As, and you don’t give a crap. I take care of Simon, and you don’t give a crap. I spent the last ten years trying to get your approval, and you didn’t give a crap. Now that I’m perfect, you want to play mom. Well, I’m not playing. I want you to leave.”

“Layne, I am your mother ”

“Too late.” Layne cut a glance at her father. “Can you make her leave?”

“I can’t make your mother do much of anything.”

Her mother folded her arms. “Layne, I am not listening to this ”

“Go,” Layne hissed. “Or I’m asking the nurse to call a social worker. And I’m going to tell them all about how you ran off with some guy from the country club, and how you don’t show up for visitations, and how you ”

“Layne!”

Layne jerked the oxygen tube away from her face. “Go. Or I will. How will that look to all your perfect friends?”

Her mother staggered back, her mouth working but no sound coming out.

Then she turned on her designer heels and walked out of the room.

Layne squinched her eyes shut and told herself not to cry.

She felt her father step in front of her. “I won’t ask if you’re okay,” he said.

She opened her eyes. He was looking right at her, no sign of his iPhone.

“You can ask,” she said, “because I am now.”

Then she leaned forward to give him a hug.

CHAPTER 43

School was closed for the week.

It didn’t stop Gabriel from waking at five the next morning.

He wandered into the kitchen and flipped on the dim light over the sink, rinsing the coffee carafe to start a new pot. Then he found a package of chocolate chip cookies in the cabinet and dropped into a chair at the table.

A purse had been left on one of the other chairs, and Gabriel raised his eyebrows. Quinn or Becca had spent the night.

His brothers sure were getting daring.

Or maybe Michael was getting more lax.

It made Gabriel think of Layne.

He missed her.

Light footsteps crept down the hallway, and Gabriel grinned, wondering which girl he was going to catch doing the walk of shame.

When Hannah tiptoed into the kitchen with wet hair and wearing an oversized T-shirt with jeans, he almost choked on a cookie.

“Damn,” she whispered, her cheeks pink, but a rueful smile on her lips. “I knew it was a mistake to leave my purse down here. Nick or Gabriel?”

“Gabriel.” He pushed the cookies across the table. “Have a cookie. Is that my brother’s shirt?”

Her cheeks turned redder and she grabbed her bag. “I think that’s my cue to leave.”