Dreams of the Golden Age (Golden Age 2)

But this was personal. And if she didn’t want to talk to Teddy, maybe Eliot would help her.

“Enough business,” Suzanne announced. “Food’s up.”

While Arthur helped Suzanne with the food, Anna contrived to help Celia clear off the table and got a look at some of the pages, including the name of the company that was suing West Corp: Superior Construction, with an address in a downtown skyscraper.

Suzanne called for Bethy, who ran in and launched into a bunch of chatter about homework, and Anna finally realized that Bethy didn’t talk so much about her homework and math quizzes because she was worried, but because she actually liked math. Definitely taking after their mother. Anna almost felt better, knowing that at least one of them would be able to take over the business.

“You guys remember I’m leaving on that trip tomorrow, right?” Celia said. “Don’t destroy the place while I’m gone.”

Anna smirked, because the instruction was perfunctory, the kind of thing she’d said when they were nine. She was trying to be funny.

“What’s the trip for?” Bethy asked.

“I’m checking out a real estate development in Clarkeville for investment potential. Never trust the brochures, you know. It’ll only be for a couple of days.”

“Well, have fun. Take pictures,” Bethy said cheerfully.

“Will do.”

Everything was normal, nothing to worry about. Her father wasn’t looking up from his food.

“Be careful and hurry home,” Suzanne said.

“I always do,” Celia replied.

* * *

That night, Anna grabbed her backpack full of gear and went looking for Eliot. He’d never bothered e-mailing her, which pissed her off, and it was time to call him on it. While riding the late bus to the campus, she followed his progress on her mental map from the gym to Pee Wee’s and hoped he would stay there long enough for her to catch up with him. He did. She swung open the front door, stomping in out of the cold—and Eliot was sitting in a booth with a girl. A cool college girl with dyed purple hair and a ring in her nose. They had books and papers spread over the table, and they were smiling at each other. Study date or something.

Anna felt like throwing up right there, she was so mortified. Eliot hadn’t e-mailed her because why would he? Why would he find her, a lowly high-school kid, even the least bit interesting? Worst of all, he looked up and caught her eye right before she turned around and stomped back out.

She was across the street and halfway to the bus stop when she heard him shouting.

“Hey! Hey, Rose, wait up a second.” His footsteps pounded.

She slowed, then stopped. Reluctantly. It would have been more dignified to keep on walking. She didn’t need him.

“Rose.” When she didn’t turn, he stepped around until he faced her. Him and his smug college boy expression. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“Why didn’t you e-mail me?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I didn’t have anything to e-mail about.”

That wasn’t the point … She stopped short of stamping her foot in frustration, which would have made her feel like she was about six years old. That was something Bethy would do. “Well, I’ve got something, and how was I supposed to tell you about it?”

“Seems like you’re doing just fine,” he said.

She maneuvered around him. “You’re busy. This can wait.”

“No, seriously, we’re just brushing up for a chemistry test, it’s not important. What have you got?”

She didn’t have anything, now that she thought about actually trying to explain it. “It may be nothing. But you know about the planning committee? The downtown development project?”

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s been in the news.”

“There’s some weird stuff going on behind the scenes—one company trying to block another from having any influence. It reminded me of what you said about the Executive, and I thought this might be something he’d try.”

“What’s your proof?”