The Black Coats(44)

Bea smiled. “It’s complicated. He won’t remember the events of today, only that he had a nervous breakdown over his own guilt.” She grinned. “Also a little extra present: Raphael will find himself violently ill at the thought of hurting a woman.”

Thea leaned her head back against the seat with a sigh. “You’re amazing, you know.” Thea’s mind was churning as the car flew down the highway, the noise of her team fading to a background din. All she could see were Raphael’s eyes on her underwater, desperate and afraid. She had seen herself reflected in his eyes, and ever since then, doubt had pressed uncomfortably against her chest: Was what we just did to Raphael justice? Or was it torture?

As their car sped back toward Austin, Mirabelle spun around, reaching for each of their hands. “Something has changed,” Mirabelle whispered. “Can you feel it?”

Thea pushed her negative feelings aside and leaned forward, her eyes like embers in the dying light, the last strangled rays of gold passing over her strong features. Her voice was soft but strong when she spoke.

“We’re not Team Banner anymore. We’re Black Coats.”





Part Two





Seventeen


The sunset is stunning from here, Thea thought. Only a month had passed since she and Drew had lain on the blanket in her yard and in that time it seemed like an entire season had changed. Beyond her view, a yellow horizon hovered under a cluster of dusty-blue clouds. Underneath it was the wide stretch of land belonging to Drew’s father. Wind swirled around her shins, lifting her white sundress momentarily before it settled around her. Thea wiped the sweat from her brow, unsure if she was sweating because of the ungodly hotness of this evening or because she was about to eat dinner with Adam Porter—Drew’s dad—who was incredibly intimidating.

“What do you think of our patio, Thea?”

Thea turned back to Drew’s dad, a handsome man in his early fifties with salt-and-pepper hair and eyes that looked just like Drew’s. He was standing at the edge of the porch, his rigid posture intimidating. One hand was shoved in the pocket of his khaki shorts, the other clutched a beer. In all honesty, it seemed he was a bit nervous, too.

Thea cleared her throat. “It’s lovely out here. Is that the end of your property there? By the horse?”

Adam Porter smiled. “Oh, you mean Applejax? He’s got one foot in the grave, but we keep him around to trim the fields, I guess. A goat would probably do a better job.”

“True,” acknowledged Thea. “But then you would have to have a goat.”

Mr. Porter laughed before pointing at her. “I like you, Thea.”

Drew came out onto the patio, carrying a steaming platter of barbecue. “Okay, the beef is sauced, and I think we can all prepare ourselves for the meat sweats.” He set it down on the splintered wooden table next to corn on the cob and homemade honey buns, courtesy of Thea’s mom. The three of them settled around the table. After a quick grace, they dived in. Thea ate delicately while the two men attacked their ribs.

“So, Thea, how exactly did you and Drew meet?” asked Mr. Porter between bites.

“Dad.” Drew shook his head. “This isn’t our engagement party. Chill out.”

Mr. Porter slapped his son on the back. “Don’t be embarrassed, Drew. I’m just curious how a goofy guy manages to win the heart of a very interesting girl.”

This is going well, Thea thought happily. On the drive over, she had had nightmarish visions of his dad—what if he was a bigot, a racist? What if she said something that accidentally offended him? What if he hated that his son had begun seriously dating someone right before college? What if, what if, what if . . .

Thea was happy to see that her fears were unfounded, when upon opening the door, she had been greeted with a friendly bear hug from Mr. Porter. Now, as Thea sat at their table, across from the men, she felt content and nervous at the same time.

“So . . .” Mr. Porter leaned forward, a meaty rib in his hand.

“Oh yes, how did we meet?” Thea cleared her throat.

Drew didn’t let her answer. “Thea was swimming in a fountain outside of school.”

Mr. Porter almost choked on his beer. “I’m sorry?”

“When I met Thea, she was swimming around in the Bucket,” he continued.

Mr. Porter’s eyebrows raised. “That disgusting fountain outside the school? Oh, Thea, why? That water is not even close to blue. Why on earth were you in it?”

“It’s still a mystery.” Drew raised his eyebrows as he squeezed a lime over the corncobs. “She says she dropped her schedule, but I have my doubts.”

Thea leaned back in her seat, her heart beating a little faster than she would like. Think of a lie. Quick. “Okay, you got me. I had dropped something else. A ring.”

Drew tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “A ring? Why didn’t you say so?”

Thea’s heart ached at what she was about to say. “It was Natalie’s. I didn’t want to talk about it.”

The silence could have cracked the wood table in two. Drew put down his corn, his eyes full of sorrow. “I’m so sorry, Thea. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay.” You lying cow, Thea reprimanded herself. What am I doing?