Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(43)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“I thought that’s where you might be,” Gran said while she finished cleaning up the spilled coffee grounds.

I made a noise of agreement while I wondered if the orchard was the best place for the boys to be training. What would happen if someone saw us like Cole did?

“He seems to be accepting everything fairly easily,” Gran said, drying her hands on a towel and coming to sit across the table from me.

Embarrassment heated my cheeks. We had been so busy explaining all the supernatural aspects of our lives that I completely forgot to ask Cole how he was doing. “Did he say how his mother was handling things?”

Gran grimaced. “I don’t think she’s very happy with me right now.”

“I met her once. She wasn’t very happy with me, either.” At least I finally understood why she seemed to hate me so much that day at the ice cream shop. She knew who my father was. Of course she felt angry and hurt that he essentially chose me and my mom over her and Cole.

“It’s been hard on her. Jason could have handled the situation better.”

“Why do you think he did it, Gran?”

Gran sighed. “I don’t know. I think he wanted to be part of Cole’s life, but his mother wouldn’t allow it after he chose your mother. I think Jason decided not to fight her and keep Cole a secret like she wanted, so he didn’t upset your mother too.”

I shook my head, trying to imagine what the situation would have been like and what I would have done in my dad’s shoes. But it was no use. I had no clue what I would have done and I can’t imagine having to choose between your children. Looking at it that way made me wonder why Cole wasn’t angry.

“Do you think Cole is angry?” I asked quietly.

“I asked him, told him it was okay if he was,” Gran said, taking a sip of coffee. “He said he wasn’t angry because he already had a father who loved him and he never felt abandoned.”

I nodded.

“I think he’s upset that his mother is so hurt by all this, but I think he is glad to know.”

I thought of how relieved I felt when I found out. It made sense of so many feelings that I didn’t understand. “Thank you for telling us.”

“It was a hard decision, but in the end I thought you had the right to know and… with Jason being gone…” Her eyes turned sad, but then cleared and she smiled. “I really wanted to know my grandson.”

I reached out and grasped Gran’s hand. We sat quietly for a while, Gran drinking her coffee and me drinking my orange juice until Gran cleared her throat and said, “It’s been really wonderful having you here.”

“I love it here too.”

“You and your mother are really getting along these days.”

My eyes went up to Gran’s face. What was she trying to say? Did she want me to leave? I didn’t want to leave. I liked it here. “She did agree to let me go to Italy,” I said, glancing at the clock, making sure I wasn’t running late for our meeting at school.

“She stops more often to see you,” Gran pointed out, like she was trying to remind me of the other good things Mom was doing of late.

I nodded. “I like spending time with her, but I’d really like to stay here, if that’s okay?” What would I do if she didn’t want me here any longer?

Gran smiled and her shoulders seemed to relax. “As long as that’s what you want.”

“It is,” I confirmed.

“I don’t want you to feel like you can’t go home when you want.”

“I am home.”

“It’s settled then.” Gran smiled and grabbed up her mug and took it to the sink. She seemed lighter than before. Had she really been worried that I would want to go back home? Sure, things were going great with my mother lately, but only for like a week. Then, there was Henry. How much time was he spending around Mom’s house? I suppressed a shudder. For whatever reason, the thought of seeing him anymore than I had to was more than I could handle.

*   *   *

Sam was leaning against the side of his pickup when I pulled into the school parking lot. My heart lifted at the sight of him. He had my door opened and was reaching in to grab me before I even had the engine of Gran’s car turned off.

He hugged me tightly, his nose pressing into the side of my neck. Something was wrong; he was upset about something, sad. What’s the matter? I spoke with my mind because when I tried with my mouth his lips covered mine. I didn’t have much (okay, practically none) experience in the kissing department, but even with my lack of knowledge, I knew that Sam was an expert kisser. But even with his expert kissing, I couldn’t forget that something was bothering him. Sam, what happened?

He pulled away, reluctantly, with a sigh and leaned his forehead against mine. His whiskey-colored eyes were heavy-lidded, but they were also clouded. Behind him the door to the truck opened and I glanced over Sam’s shoulder to see Logan jumping down from the cab of the truck.

My eyes flashed back to Sam, searching for an answer, searching for something because I knew this was why he seemed upset.

“Hey, Heven,” Logan said as Sam pulled back from me.

We’ll talk later.

“Hey, Logan! I didn’t know you were coming to the meeting.”

He seemed a little self-conscious like he didn’t know what to say, so instead of pressing for an answer, I hooked my arm through his and pointed us in the direction of the school. “I’m glad you came. You can sit next to me.”

Sam shot me a grateful look and I smiled. “I told Logan that he and I could go out for pizza after the meeting. You know, have some guy time and I figured there was no harm in him coming to the meeting.”

“The teachers won’t even notice.” I laughed as we approached the doors. Sam stepped ahead of us and held open the door and we stepped inside. The meeting was being held in the gymnasium and Mrs. Britt was already seated on the bottom bleacher of the room with a stack of papers beside her. Students talked in low tones around her, all clustered into several small groups. Kimber was sitting a few rows up by herself and she glanced at me, but her eyes strayed to Logan who was walking beside me. I stepped toward her and she glared at me, but I ignored it and sat next to her anyway with Sam taking up the space on my right and Logan right next to him.

“Hey,” I said, trying to sound like nothing was wrong between us.

“Come to gloat?” Kimber sniffed.

“Gloat?”