Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1)(90)

“That’s so sweet,” Jenny said, her tone sounding like Miranda when she talked about Perry sucking her earlobes.

Della wondered if the chameleon knew that some of the experiences Derek meant were probably X-rated. But then again, it didn’t matter. Jenny was right. It was sweet.

Just because Della wasn’t ready to bask in all the gooeyness of romance didn’t mean she couldn’t admit it had its good sides. Someday she might even get her life straightened out enough that she could enjoy some of it, too.

“He really likes me,” Jenny said.

“Told you,” Della said. “Now can I go talk to Derek and check out the book that cost me a month’s allowance?”

At ten that night Della lay in bed flipping through the high-school yearbook. She stared at the faces of all the Tsangs, but especially those of her missing aunt and uncle. Before leaving, Derek had taken note of who her uncle and aunt had been seen with in photos and planned to contact them via Facebook to see if they had any more information.

“It’s amazing how many PI and police cases are solved using social media,” he’d said.

Della started feeling bad about depending on him and offered, “I could do that.”

“If you want,” he’d answered, “but you need to be sly how you ask, or it could backfire.”

In the end, she’d agreed to let him handle it. Besides, it wasn’t as if she didn’t have enough to worry about.

Her phone dinged again, reminding her she’d gotten another text when she’d been talking to Derek. She’d glanced earlier. It was from Steve. She hadn’t read it. Didn’t want to read it. Didn’t think she could read it without getting drowned in missing him, in getting super pissed at him for kissing Jessie, and even more pissed for allowing Jessie to call him. Three times!

Turning the page of the yearbook, she released a deep gulp of emotionally charged air. Nope. She wasn’t ready to deal with Steve. Maybe in a couple of years. Groaning, she buried her head in her pillow for a few minutes before returning to flipping through the book.

In one picture of the debate club, she noted a familiar face. There were too many in the photo to list names, so she wasn’t sure if it was her uncle or her dad. They had to be identical twins. She traced the face with her fingernail, wondering if she would feel the connection to her uncle she used to feel with her dad.

Or still felt. He’d been the one to give up on her, not the other way around.

She closed her eyes again, emotion tightening her throat.

Swallowing back the hurt, she heard someone walking in front of her cabin. Shit! What if it was Steve? She inhaled to see if she could catch a scent. Nope. Her nose still wasn’t working.

Her heart did a tumble. She wasn’t ready to face him.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Della concentrated on the cadence of the steps. Not Steve. Too light.

The footsteps sounded like … The cabin door opened.

“Anyone home?”

“In here.” Della headed to the door, remembering she still needed to apologize to the witch for getting pissy this afternoon about the whole bird-watching/aura issue.

“Hey,” Miranda said, and she didn’t even look upset.

Della considered letting the apology slide—she hated eating crow—but she owed it to the little witch. “I’m sorry about earlier, I was a bitch.”

“Yeah, you were. But that’s okay,” Miranda said. “I told you, I’m overlooking your pissiness due to all the crap you’ve got going on. I figure you’ve got a week or two of me overlooking your attitude. Then I bring my pinkie out.”

What attitude? Della bit back the words and forced herself to play nice. “I appreciate it, but I’m still sorry.”

“I accept.” She smiled. “Is Kylie here?”

“No, she and Lucas took a late-night stroll to suck face.”

Miranda walked to the fridge and pulled out two sodas. Della dropped in her chair. The witch handed her a can and studied Della a little hard.

Della figured out what the witch was up to: aura inspection. “How is it?”

“Still dangerously dark.” Looking concerned, Miranda opened her drink, but kept looking at Della as the fizzing sound filled the room. Finally she asked, “What happened with you and Steve?”

“Jessie kissed him.” Della didn’t like talking about it … again. But if the witch found out she’d told Kylie and not her, she’d get her nose out of joint. Or perhaps her pinkie out of joint. And that could be dangerous.

“So he’s dumping you for her?”

“No,” Della said. “We had an argument and I told him I couldn’t deal with it.” Then again, she hadn’t read his text. He might be telling her he was in love with Jessie now. But even pissed, she didn’t think that was the case.

“Did he apologize?” Miranda asked.

“Yes, but…”

“But you’re still furious, right?”

Della slunk deeper into the chair. “Yeah, but it’s not like we’re going out.”

“That’s nonsense. You two were going out. You just didn’t tell anyone you were going out.”

Della wanted to deny it, but couldn’t.

Miranda sipped her soda. “Do you believe Steve when he said Jessie kissed him? Or do you think he kissed her?”