Secret Whispers (Heavenstone 2)

“And my uncle Perry, my father’s younger brother.”

“He’s not married?”

“No.” I paused and added, “And won’t ever be, to a woman.”

He raised his eyebrows.

Our food was served, and he quickly changed the topic of conversation, describing his plans to go to graduate school for business—but first, he thought he might get out into the real world and experience some of it firsthand.

“That way, when I learn theory, I can either accept or reject it and explain why.”

“That sounds very smart, Ethan.”

“And you?”

I shook my head. He was surprised I had no plans, no ambitions, and hadn’t even applied to any colleges.

“You’re going to work in your father’s business, then?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure what I could do.”

“Sometimes it’s good to take some time off to think things out carefully,” he offered. “You can do it, so you should.”

After dinner, we went for a walk and talked some more. Actually, he did most of the talking, but he was always interested in what I thought about something he had said. On our way back to my campus, he told me he had enjoyed being out with someone who was not an airhead. When we drove up to the dorm, he got out quickly to walk me to the door.

“How about we go to a movie tomorrow night?” he asked.

“All right,” I said. “As long as I get permission.”

“Permission? To go to a movie? What kind of school is this? Ellie might not have been exaggerating when she said there were practically bars on the windows.”

“They take guardianship seriously,” I said as an abbreviated answer. I certainly didn’t want to get into why Collier was populated mostly with girls who’d had serious problems at one time or another, and I especially didn’t want to mention my own.

“Well, you’ll let me know. I’ll come by at six so we can grab a quick bite to eat at the mall first. Is that okay?” he asked when I didn’t respond.

I nodded. This was beginning to feel more like a dream I wished would never end. I’d stay asleep forever to keep it going.

He looked at me and smiled. “You’re a very beautiful girl, Semantha. I’m glad you’re shy,” he said. “That way, no one got to you before me and stole you away.”

I started to laugh, when he kissed me. My first reaction was that fear that always lay just under my heart whenever a boy had looked at me with interest or had gotten too close since my pregnancy, but those feelings seemed to recede as he held me longer and then kissed me softly again. I felt myself relax and then respond. It surprised me more than it surprised him. He pulled back but held me.

“Good night,” he whispered.

I watched him walk back to his car, where he paused to wave before getting in.

As he drove off, I felt Cassie at my side. She had been trying to step between Ethan and me all night. I had refused to let her get a word into me and, except for when I had seen her looking in the window, had avoided looking at her wherever she was.

I could feel her rage. At the moment, she was very angry, too angry to say a word, which was very unusual for Cassie. She always had something to say.

But I really didn’t care.

“I thought you would never be jealous of me,” I said. “I thought we would never be those gunslingers you described,” I added.

Which only made her angrier.

Exposed

I NEVER BELIEVED the friendship between Ellie and me would last much longer than our time together at Collier, so her indifference and coolness toward me as the school year drew to an end weren’t particularly upsetting or surprising. Ethan and I were seeing each other every weekend now. Mrs. Hathaway not only approved but commented about my improved disposition. Ethan and I went to movies or to dinner and often spent entire weekend days together, having picnics or going for drives.