There are several shouts of disapproval followed by laughs.

I’m not sure I’m ready for this kind of initiation. I’m barely getting used to Xander. So when he pulls out the chair he’s standing behind and gestures for me to sit, I want to go screaming out of the restaurant.

My stomach twists in tight knots over and over. It doesn’t help that one of the girls on the end is glaring at me. Xander seems oblivious to the fact that I’m coated in mud and underdressed.

“Caymen. Come. Sit.”

I clamp my teeth together because the phrase “Am I wearing a collar?” had been on its way out my mouth. I’m impressed I stopped it in time. I point back the way we came and mutter, “Bathroom,” before I disappear without waiting for his response. Just when I’m almost out of hearing range, a voice says, “You taking in strays now, Xander?” followed by more laughter.

My jaw twitches as it tightens more. Why am I so angry? This only confirms everything I already know about the rich. Xander may be a slight exception, but those people in there are the rule. I change my direction and head to the hostess station instead.

“Can I borrow your phone?” I ask her when she turns my way.

“Of course.”

I call Skye and she agrees to pick me up. Then I go back to face the room one last time. I watch Xander as I approach, before he notices me. He’s listening to someone across the table. He has a small smile on his face, but it’s nowhere close to bringing world peace. It almost looks like a practiced smile.

I tell myself to behave when I reach the private room. None of them acknowledge me so I don’t feel any obligation to do different. I reach Xander and lean over. “I have to go. I’m not feeling so great.” I feel slightly guilty for lying, but then I remember the “stray” comment his friend made and the feelings are gone.

He starts to stand. “I’ll take you home.”

“It’s okay, I called Skye. I’ll see you later.”

“Caymen—”

“No, really. Stay. Have fun.” I push on his shoulder, forcing him back down, then leave the room.

Chapter 18

I grab hold of the shop door and yank, but my arm jerks to a stop.

“Is it locked?” Skye asks.

For the first time I notice the windows are dark. I cup my hand over my eyes and press my nose to the window. My mom isn’t there. Digging the keys out of my pocket, I unlock the door.

“Mom!”

No answer.

“Don’t you normally close at seven on Saturdays?” Skye asks.

“Maybe it was slow.”

Skye looks confused and she has every right to be. We’ve never closed early. She doesn’t say anything about it but rounds a baby cradle and leans against the counter.

“I’ll be right back.” After looking in the party room and stockroom and not finding her, I go to the register and open the drawer. Empty. She must’ve taken the deposit. But why would she close early just to do that? I wasn’t that late.

I rush upstairs and into the apartment.

“Mom!”

I’m greeted with silence. The answering machine we’ve had since I was a little girl doesn’t have the red blinking light of a missed call. But on the counter right next to it is a note.

Caymen,

I had a 5:30 doctor’s appointment. Since you weren’t here, I decided to close the store and take the deposit on the way to my appointment. Don’t worry about reopening. It’s been slow anyway. Hope you had a fun day.

Mom

I reread the note. It’s hard to tell from a piece of paper if someone was angry when they wrote it. I turn it over and run my hand along the back side to see how deeply the words are pressed into the page. Then I hold it up to the light to see if the handwriting looks rushed or angry. It seems to check out as being written by an average-tempered person. I sigh and place the note back on the counter then look around feeling a little lost.

I go back downstairs. Skye’s on the phone so I grab the shelf cleaner from under the counter and start cleaning.

When Skye hangs up she says, “Henry is coming over.”

The bell on the door dings.

“Like right now.”

I let out a laugh. “That was fast.”

Henry waves then looks up. “Why’s it so dark in here?”

I point to the overhead lights. “The lights are off.”

Skye laughs sweetly. “I’m sure he meant why are the lights off.”

I’m distracted. “Oh. Right. We closed early. So what are you guys up to?” I look back and forth between Skye and Henry. They obviously had plans before I intercepted Skye for a ride.

“Henry came over so we could all hang out with you.”

“Oh. Cool.”

Henry flicks at his cheek twice, making a pinging noise. “Um . . . you also invited Tic over tonight. He’ll be here in a little while.”

“What?”

Again he pings his cheek. “We told Tic you invited him to come hang out at the shop.”

“Wow, that was nice of me. Why would I do that?”

Skye smiles. “Because after he kissed you, you were smitten.”

“Is that why I haven’t talked to him in two weeks? Because I was smitten?”

She shrugs her shoulders.

“Tell me you didn’t tell him that.”

“Just relax. Come on, we’ll chill in the back and then you won’t feel like we’re standing around waiting for him.” She pulls me to the stockroom.

“So you did tell him that?” I sink onto the couch in the back room and think about damage control while Henry and Skye talk about some show the band is playing in a couple of weeks. Before I come up with any good plan, the bell on the front door rings and my heart stops.

“We’re back here,” Skye calls out.

What was I going to say? Tic, hey. We kissed? What? Hmm, I don’t remember that.

I look up as footsteps shuffle into the room. “Xander!” Yes, I yelled his name but otherwise remained frozen. He had showered and was perfectly clean and back to his normal self. Looking at him like that makes me feel the layer of dirt on my exposed skin. I rub my arm. Why didn’t I shower?

Xander nods to Skye and Henry then says, “Caymen, you forgot this in my car.” He holds up my sweatshirt. “And I brought food since you didn’t stay and eat.”

That seems to be his theme: Showing up with food. Hot chocolate, muffins, and now French.

He sets it down on the coffee table and unloads several Styrofoam boxes. “Uh, I only brought two forks.”

Skye crawls forward on her knees. “Who needs forks?” She scoops up a hunk of cheese-covered bread and pops it in her mouth. “Hey. I’m Skye. I saw you a couple weeks ago at the club.”

Xander nods and takes Skye in, from the top of her bubblegum pink hair down to her unlaced army boots.

“Xander, this is my best friend, Skye, and her boyfriend, Henry.”

“Her boyfriend,” Xander says.

“Of course.” I remember the day Xander had walked in the store when Henry was singing for me. He had gotten the impression that Henry was my boyfriend. Oops.

He shakes his head. “Good to meet you, Skye and Henry.”

“You, too,” Skye says, taking another bite. “Mmm, this is amazing.”

Xander sits next to me on the couch and hands me a plastic fork. “Are you feeling better?”

“Better?” It takes me a second to remember the excuse I had used to leave the restaurant. “Oh. Yes. All better now.”

He raises one eyebrow like he knew my secret. “So, Henry,” Xander says. “Your band. Very impressive. Have you guys recorded anything?”

“No. We’re working our way up. We have to earn money for studio time.”

“I have access to a studio that you’re welcome to use anytime for free.”

“Are you yankin’ me?”

“I don’t . . . uh . . . yank. Call me sometime and we’ll set it up.”

Henry pulls out his phone, obviously ready to make sure he nails down the phone number before the offer is withdrawn. Xander relays the number.