Because I have to go back into that restaurant and choke down a meal with a monster.
“You’re welcome,” Maxx says at the same time that Chasm nods his chin in the direction of the restaurant and murmurs, “don’t mention it. Now get lost.”
I walk backwards for a minute, just so I can keep staring at them, turning at the last minute and slipping back into the restaurant with a little wave.
We’re so close I can taste it. Even if my food tastes like ash tonight, at least I know that much for certain.
Justin decides to spend the entirety of our limo ride singing nineties soft rock songs like You Gotta Be by Des’ree. When we get back to the Vanguards, I practically launch myself out of the backseat, sweeping past Raúl as my bio dad shouts out a cheery goodbye.
“See you on Friday, princess!” he calls as I reach for the handle of the front door. “I’ll send a dress over, so don’t worry about your attire.”
And then Raúl is closing the door, and off the limo goes, back down the driveway, through the gate, and around the corner. Reporters scatter out of its way, snapping photos and recording it as it passes by.
With a sigh, I press down on the door handle and push it in, unsurprised to find Tess waiting for me.
“How was your day?” she asks, huge black circles under her eyes. We’re now sixteen days into Parrish’s disappearance, so I more than understand why she looks the way she does.
“It was … nice. We ate at the Secret Cache Winery,” I offer up, and her eyes narrow to slits. Just like Parrish’s. Guess that wasn’t an inherited trait, but a learned one. The idea makes me smile. Like, do I carry any of the Banks’ habits around the way I absorbed Maxx’s lower lip nibbling? Isn’t that interesting, how humans copy others that they like or admire? Fascinating.
I wrack my brain for a way to ask about that house, the one Tess mentioned Justin buying for her. I want to find it, but I’m going to need the address. Justin’s words from dinner haunt me: you allowed your sentimentality to overwhelm you. You’d have your boyfriend back already if you’d pushed her.
“He took me to look at a house he’s considering purchasing. I was just wondering if maybe it was the same one he bought for you back in the day?”
Tess just stares at me.
“Doubtful. There’s a family that lives there now.” She sighs. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your time with Justin, but I’d love it if you’d keep my warnings in mind.”
“I will,” I promise, disappointment flooding me. A family lives there? Really? What family? I clutch the book against my side, remembering suddenly that Justin all but suggested I show it to Tess. “Look what he got for me.”
I hold out the Agatha Christie novel, and Tess stares down at it like I’ve just offered up a jar full of poisonous spiders.
“Interesting. I see he’s taking cheap shots at me when I’m not even around.” Tess takes off down the hall without another word, intercepting Paul in the doorway to the living room. They murmur to each other for a moment before heading into the kitchen.
Great.
That went absolutely nowhere.
The only positive is that Kimber doesn’t seem to be around. I’d really rather not see her after the shit she pulled in the hedge maze.
I head upstairs to find Maxx waiting for me.
“Chasm had to stay home again,” he admits, sitting on the edge of my bed. I wonder where we’re at exactly after today’s kiss and confession. But if I’m honest with myself, even if we were married, I wouldn’t be in the mood tonight. I need to finish reading this book and see if I can’t puzzle out the answer to Parrish’s location. “What do you need me to do?”
“Well, I asked Justin to show me Parrish, and this is what I got.” I hand over my phone, showing a still from the live feed he allowed me to glimpse for all of two seconds at the table. Parrish was pacing again and cursing up a storm; I have a feeling he’s going stir-crazy in there. “Check it out and see if you can’t place the labels on the wine bottles. Justin all but confirmed that we’re looking for meaningful locales, but it never hurts to double-check.”
“No problem.” Maxx rises to his feet, moving over to sit at my desk where his laptop’s waiting. He pauses for a minute to scratch at the back of his neck. “I spoke to Maxine again today, after Chas dropped me off at my Jeep.”
I go completely still, turning to look at him as I drop my book bag to the floor. Clearly, whatever Maxx has to tell me, he wants Justin to hear. Or else he doesn’t care either way. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.
