Toxic (Denazen #2)(28)

Her expression softened just a bit, but her voice held its hard edge. “Give me a break. I have a long way to go for Mother of the Year, and you’re not making it any easier.”

“I’m sorry about today. It was a stupid thing to do, but I saw you and…” It was hard for me to put my feelings into words. We were several steps above being strangers, yet I loved her with all my heart. Sometimes when I caught her looking at me, expression so full of confusion and fear, I wondered if she felt the same way. “Plus I’m on edge because of this Jade thing, and—”

“Jade thing?”

“You know—her frigging existence? She’s all over him and…”

“And you’re jealous?”

“I guess so. I went from being someone special, the only person on earth he could touch, to being just like everyone else.”

She stood. “You’re still special. That boy is crazy about you. If for no reason other than that, he’ll learn to control this. Things will be fine in the end. You’ll see.”

I slid off the bed and pulled on my sneakers. A situation like this called for a good sulking session. Not a pep talk. “I need coffee. You want?”

She made a face. No hot drinks. Another quirk. “No.”

“Your loss. I’ll be back in a little.”

I took the elevator to the first floor. Kale refused to set foot in the things, but when he wasn’t with me, I was free to use them. My feet appreciated it.

After I’d downed one cup and fixed another for the road, I started back to the room. At the last minute, I decided to detour. The idea of sitting up there with Mom made me squirmy. Going from no Mom to all Mom, all the time, was proving to be a bit much.

I hadn’t seen Kiernan at dinner, and when I’d texted to remind her of her promise to hang, there was no reply. She usually hit the hotel gym before bed each night. I was hoping to find her there tonight. Age-appropriate company I could bitch to over a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream sounded like a good plan. But instead of Kiernan, I found Kale.

And Jade.

Still in the hall, I stood off to the side so they couldn’t see me. Kale was sitting on the edge of one of the treadmills, and Jade was standing in front of him, holding out a plant.

“It’s really all about focus and control. Clear your mind and think about the plant. Don’t over think it. Picture green and pretty.”

Kale scrunched up his nose and cringed away. “It’s not pretty. It looks like a weed. And it smells bad.”

She giggled. “Big baby. Just take it.”

He hesitated but finally reached for the small pot. It didn’t escape my notice how she leaned close and let her hand accidentally skim across his knuckles.

It didn’t escape his, either. “I still can’t get over that,” he said, looking down at his hand with wide-eyed wonder. It reminded me of the way he’d looked at me in Curd’s basement the night we met. A million different emotions swirling around, each vying for attention.

“Touching people, you mean?”

“It’s extraordinary,” he responded.

Jade smiled. A beaming grin that probably would have caught the attention of any male in a five-mile radius. “Go ahead and try again. I’m letting my aura down. Keep concentrating and touch it.”

“Letting it down?”

“Didn’t I mention that? It’s something I can control.” She smiled, playfully punching his arm.

Kale watched her for a moment, deep in thought. When he spoke again, his voice was nearly as dark as his expression. “You can control it? And did you let it down? The other night when I was with Dez?”

“No!” she said quickly. “Not at all. Kale, I would never do that.” The look on his face softened just a bit, and Jade rushed on. “I know Dez and I don’t mesh, but I’d never physically hurt her. I know it would only hurt you…”

“Okay,” he said slowly, and a part of me wanted to smack him upside the head. Really? He was going to believe her that easily? Then again, I didn’t know why it surprised me. Kale’s biggest hurdle to date was understanding when and why people told lies.

She nodded to the plant, still in his hands. “Shall we try?”

Finger extended, Kale touched the tip of the plant with an unsure expression on his face. For a second, nothing happened, and hope swelled. But it was quickly dashed when the leaves shriveled and turned to dust. In seconds, the only thing that remained was a small plastic pot filled with dried-up, graying dirt.

Jade took the pot and handed him another live one. “It’s your first night. Don’t get discouraged. Try again.” She squatted so she was at eye level with him and rested a hand on his knee. “Really clear your mind. Picture green. Think about life. This is all just mind over matter.”

Sighing, he touched the new plant and got the same results. He brushed the dust from his jeans and let the pot fall. It bounced once, then rolled away, dirt spilling from inside. “Why did Ginger pick you to help me? Your gift doesn’t need to be controlled.”

She sighed and sat down on the weight bench across from him. “Mine doesn’t, but my little sister Gabriella is sort of like you.”

I could see his expression from here. Shocked, and a little sad. “Like me?”

“Sort of like you,” she corrected. “Gabi’s gift wasn’t deadly like yours is, but it was a problem when I wasn’t around. Whenever she got nervous, or scared, or angry, she would burn things. The older she got, the worse it was.” She picked up the remnants of the plant Kale dropped and set it straight. “My mom tried everyone she could—no one could help. Gabi ended up living like a prisoner, only being able to leave the house when I was with her.”