My Life Of Evasion

5. It's Been Lovely, But I Have To Scream Now

"What are you doing here?" Ben asked.

My eyes cut over to Sophie, who was just about to open her mouth to answer before I did it for her.

"Agents Turner and Hudson sent her.  That person that knows something about that treasure?  Yeah, it's her."

"You?" Drew asked.  "But we've known you for years and you've never mentioned this to us before.  Well, we haven't really talked to you in the last two years, but still."

Sophie was about to speak again, but it was Max who cut her off then.  She scowled over at him, narrowing her eyes. 

"Before we talk about anything, I think introductions are in order," he said, and nodded toward Brielle, Dad, and Addy, who was still asleep on Dad's chest.  "This is Callie's father Steven, her stepmother Brielle, and her new baby sister Addy.  Everyone, this is Sophie, my...friend."

"And your ex, who you dated for two and a half years," I said, saying what he wouldn't.  "Can't forget that part."

Max's eyes cut to me and he looked at me like he was silently telling me to calm down.  I raised an eyebrow, challenging him to say something.  He didn't, though.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Sophie," Brielle said, standing up to go over and shake her hand. 

Sophie smiled at her genuinely.  Why didn't I get a smile like that?  "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, and then looked at Dad.  "You, too."

Dad smiled up at her, rubbing Addy's back as she squirmed just a little in her sleep.  "It's nice to meet you, too."

Brielle took her by the hand and looped her arm through hers as she started to lead her to the kitchen.  "Are you hungry?  You must be after a long flight.  Come on into the kitchen and I'll heat you up some food from dinner."

"Actually, I am, so that would be wonderful," Sophie said, her smile brighter. 

As they walked through the archway leading into the kitchen, the rest of us stared off after them.  And after they'd disappeared for a few seconds, Ben finally asked the question that was still running through my head.

"How in the hell is she supposed to help with this treasure?  Like she knows anything!"

I nodded, looking over at Max, who ran a hand through his hair.  "You never know.  You know her father is in politics, so that might have something to do with it.  And it's not like she's told me everything about her life.  This might be a family secret, a government secret that they'd found out about, anything."

"And if you think about it," Dad said, still rubbing Addy's back as she slept.  "Would she really be here if it wasn't true?  And how would she know Agents Turner and Hudson?"

I glared over at him.  "Not helping, Dad," I said. 

He grinned.  "Well, it's true."

It was about twenty minutes later before we saw Brielle and Sophie again.  I was sitting beside Max and he was trying to tell me to stop acting the way I was. 

I'll admit, Sophie didn't look or act as grumpy as she was before, but I still couldn't get rid of that feeling.  When she saw me glaring at her, which I quickly turned into a 'curious stare,' she smiled warmly, much like she did with Brielle earlier. 

"Callie, I have to say that I'm sorry for the way I acted just a little while ago.  It seems that now that I've eaten, I'm in a better mood."

Yeah, a better mood so that you can charm your way into my family's lives and back into Max's.