In Between the Lines

Chapter 20: If You Can't Fix It, Then Mix It

She pressed her lips together, clearly making an effort not to ask what the hell I was going on about. But again, she nodded.

"House-sitter?" Lewis turned to her with a shake of his head. "Your neighbors are weird."

I let out a small sigh of relief.

Just then, the distinct noise of a car door opening and closing sounded—and behind me appeared a boy wearing a red shirt and a matching cap. He glanced between all of us before looking down at a small receipt in his right hand, carrying a brown bag in the other.

The unmistakable scent of Teriyaki sauce filled the air as he drew closer. "I have a delivery for a Mr. Desmond Warren."

Dez tore his still skeptical gaze away from me with what looked like a great deal of effort—but he eventually stepped to the side and gave the delivery boy a curt smile. "That would be me."

I took that as my window of opportunity.

"Gina, can I talk to your for a moment? I just had a question about the neighborhood. I would ask the owner next door, but he's not home yet."

Gina patted down a side of her strawberry blonde hair before she straightened, as if the mention of that "owner next door" made her feel self-conscious. She glanced over her shoulder, where the delivery boy had already left, and Dez and Lewis stood watching us once again. "Boys, why don't you go on inside and give us a minute?"

Lewis shrugged and turned away without another word, but the tight look on Dez's face told me that I wasn't off the hook just yet. I pressed a smile towards them. "See you guys later."

"Later," Dez repeated. Promised.

As soon as they closed the door behind them, Gina said, "Okay honey, are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

I stepped away from the door and gestured for her to follow as I lowered my voice and said, "It's kind of a long story, but . . . I don't go to school here in Veranda Grove. I go to Lincoln Valley High School—with them." I gestured towards the door, where I didn't doubt the boys had their ears pressed against it. I lowered my voice further—until I knew for a fact it was only Gina who could hear. "Nobody knows where I live, and it's really important that it stays that way. Absolutely no one can know."

Gina took this in for a moment before something in her expression changed. A hint of sympathy hit her voice. "So what you're telling me is that no one knows that you're wealthy—and you don't want people to find out?"

I tightened my lips and nodded. So easy. So simple.

Why hadn't I thought of it first?

Gina shook her head, her tone softening, "Honey, the boys wouldn't judge you for that. Lewis is used to being in this neighborhood from visiting me, and Desmond is one of the kindest young men I know. They would never judge you for your money."

"I know, I just . . . is it okay if we keep this a secret between us?" I glanced down at my feet, pretending to be so desperate and ashamed that I couldn't look her straight in the eye. "Just until I'm ready? I don't want word to get out at school yet. I've had some bad experiences from my old school with people only using me for my father's money, and it's . . . " I exhaled as I clenched my fists. I hated it—I hated this act. And it was only getting harder not to hate myself for any of it.

The next thing I felt was Gina's arms wrapping around my shoulders. Her sweet, floral perfume fanned into my nose. "Of course. Of course we can keep this a secret between us." She pulled back and those brown eyes were warmer than I'd ever seen them—which did nothing but make me feel worse about all of this. Sick. "Is that why you came over here? Because you knew Lewis was my nephew?"