From Micah’s POV – Chapter 6, Scene 1

Natalie Kane had told us on her theater camp application that she had Asperger’s syndrome, and that she was bad with details. So it wasn’t a surprise when she forgot her lunch on the second day of camp.

It was a surprise that she couldn’t get anyone from her family to return a text.

I offered to take her home, which meant I was spending my lunch break driving into town, with Natalie in the backseat and the camp manager riding shotgun.

As we pulled to the curb before her house, Natalie announced, “I don’t have a key.”

Well, okay. There was another item for my mental checklist. Ask obvious questions before leaving the arts center. I twisted around to look at her. “Is the house locked?”

“Probably, but someone’s on the way.” She slipped out of the car and ran to the porch.

“Guess I’ll follow,” I said and got out too.

I’d barely reached the porch when a car roared into the driveway and screeched to a stop.

Natalie paused in her pacing. “That’s Brooke. She’s a scary driver.”

I tried not to laugh. No argument here.

Heels tapped on the sidewalk. Turning, I watched as the stepsister halted at the bottom of the steps. She would be pretty, if she weren’t trying so hard not to be. She’d scraped her gorgeous dark hair into an ugly knot. Her makeup was too heavy. And her outfit looked like something her elderly aunt must’ve lent her. Ouch.

“Are you Micah?” she asked, glaring.

Whoa. What had I done to deserve that? “Yes.”

“How do you know my sister?”

Natalie snorted. “Stepsister.”

“We met at camp,” I said.

Brooke’s eyes stayed narrowed on me. “She says you aren’t a camper or a counselor.”

“All true.”

“Then why did you drive her home?”

Where was this coming from? I was doing them a favor. “It was a better plan than letting her starve.”

“Chill, Brooke,” Natalie said. “Dad gave the camp staff permission to drive me if necessary. Can you let me in the house? I need my lunch.”

The stepsister stalked up the steps and unlocked the door. Then she whirled around. “So you’re camp staff? How old are you?”

“Seventeen. How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

I made a deliberate sweep of her from head to toe. Still ouch. “I would’ve guessed much older.”

Her cheeks flushed bright red. She brushed her fingers against her neck self-consciously, then dropped her hand. “I thought camp staff were adults.” Her voice had grown huskier. Had lost some of its attitude.

“That would make me the exception.” If I didn’t look like staff, did she really think some random guy would’ve just taken off with her stepsister? The thought left me feeling…odd. Natalie would always be safe with us. “You must have a low opinion of your parks and rec department if you think they would’ve let a stranger drive your stepsister anywhere.”

Something flashed in her eyes. Embarrassment? Apology?

Before I could decide, Natalie banged out of the house.

“I’m ready. We can go.” She tore down the steps and across the yard.

“Right behind you, Natalie.” I nodded toward Brooke. “You’re welcome.”

In the car, I pulled away from the curb and jerked the wheel into a sharp U-turn.

“What happened back there?” the camp manager asked softly.

I shook my head. Not going to discuss it. Ever.

Natalie had described her stepsister as some kind of goddess from on high who had come to shower the earth with rainbows and sunshine. Brooke managed to hide those magical qualities from me today.

“Actually, Micah,” Natalie said, “I’ve never seen my stepsister act that way before. She’s nice to everybody. It must be you.”

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