Brielle’s face when Olivia materialized on her porch. And he remembers something she told him on the way to church, something he wasn’t sure how to process.
“Brielle said the halo responded strangely to Olivia. That it flashed hot all of a sudden. Is that—is that normal?”
“The halo is a mysterious thing, Jake. I don’t understand how or why it does any of the things it does. She said it flashed hot?”
“Her exact words.”
Canaan is quiet. Thinking.
“Olivia was next door today,” Jake says. “With Keith. The halo spooked Brielle pretty bad. I don’t think she likes Olivia much, but Mr. Matthews seems to enjoy her company.”
Canaan chuckles, but there’s no humor in it.
“Sounds about right. Eyes open, Jake. She wants something, and I don’t imagine it’s Keith Matthews.”
7
Brielle
K aylee’s waiting for me on Tuesday when I wrap up my tap class. I’m working to detangle one of my teeny tiny dancers from the stereo cord when I see Kay standing in the doorway. I have to laugh. She’s on the carpeted side staring at the hardwood dance floor like a first-time swimmer about to launch into the deep.
“You can come in, Kay. The water’s fine.”
“This place terrifies me,” she says, watching my students file past her and into the arms of their parents waiting out front.
“Why?”
“Everyone here’s all coordinated and stuff.” Coordinated gets air quotes.
“Not everyone,” I say, winking at the little dancer I’ve finally freed from the stereo.
Kay and I leave the studio, crossing the street and heading up Main. We pass The Donut Factory and the Photo Depot. Jake’s inside, his head bent over his work. I’m tempted to feign some sort of dramatic predicament just to pull him away—we’ve done nothing but text since Sunday—but I settle for knockingon the window and waving. Of course, Kay’s not content with that. She presses her face to the glass, leaving a smear of lip gloss that someone will have to clean up later. Probably Jake. But he laughs at her and smiles at me. His eyes linger, making me reconsider that dramatic predicament idea. But I’ll see him tonight. We have plans. And according to the text he sent me at 3:14 this afternoon, he has that surprise all ready for me.
Kaylee tugs me on. We pass a real estate office and the Auto Body before turning down a side street that will take us up to the community center. I heft my duffel bag higher on my shoulder and let her step in front of me as we approach the center. I love Kaylee dearly, but she hasn’t shut up about the wonderment that is Olivia Holt. I just nod and blink, a realization setting in as we climb the steps to the front door.
Getting rid of Olivia isn’t going to be an easy thing. Her money’s found a home here, the city council is practically falling all over themselves for her time, and closer to home, Kaylee is madly in love with anything and everything the woman touches.
“I have to show you what Liv got donated for your dance classes, but first things first.” Kaylee makes a big sweeping gesture with her arms, and I look up. “Meet Teddy.”
We’re in a foyer of sorts. To the right is Kaylee’s office. To the left are the bathrooms, and there above the entrance to the multipurpose room is what appears to be the head of a dead animal.
I squint into his marble eyes. “What is it, exactly?”
“I don’t really know,” she says. “It’s like a deer or a moose. Maybe a yak. I really have no idea. I bet your dad would know.”
“I bet he would,” I say, tilting my head. “His nose is too wide or something.”
“I know. And the antler thingys are gigantic.”
Our laughter echoes off the walls, and a scissor-wielding scrapbooker pokes her head out of a room to our right.
“Sorry, ladies,” Kaylee says, lowering her voice. “So, Teddy. The mayor had him installed yesterday. Some kind of tribute to the history of the center. I guess he used to hang in the Elks Club that was
“Brielle said the halo responded strangely to Olivia. That it flashed hot all of a sudden. Is that—is that normal?”
“The halo is a mysterious thing, Jake. I don’t understand how or why it does any of the things it does. She said it flashed hot?”
“Her exact words.”
Canaan is quiet. Thinking.
“Olivia was next door today,” Jake says. “With Keith. The halo spooked Brielle pretty bad. I don’t think she likes Olivia much, but Mr. Matthews seems to enjoy her company.”
Canaan chuckles, but there’s no humor in it.
“Sounds about right. Eyes open, Jake. She wants something, and I don’t imagine it’s Keith Matthews.”
7
Brielle
K aylee’s waiting for me on Tuesday when I wrap up my tap class. I’m working to detangle one of my teeny tiny dancers from the stereo cord when I see Kay standing in the doorway. I have to laugh. She’s on the carpeted side staring at the hardwood dance floor like a first-time swimmer about to launch into the deep.
“You can come in, Kay. The water’s fine.”
“This place terrifies me,” she says, watching my students file past her and into the arms of their parents waiting out front.
“Why?”
“Everyone here’s all coordinated and stuff.” Coordinated gets air quotes.
“Not everyone,” I say, winking at the little dancer I’ve finally freed from the stereo.
Kay and I leave the studio, crossing the street and heading up Main. We pass The Donut Factory and the Photo Depot. Jake’s inside, his head bent over his work. I’m tempted to feign some sort of dramatic predicament just to pull him away—we’ve done nothing but text since Sunday—but I settle for knockingon the window and waving. Of course, Kay’s not content with that. She presses her face to the glass, leaving a smear of lip gloss that someone will have to clean up later. Probably Jake. But he laughs at her and smiles at me. His eyes linger, making me reconsider that dramatic predicament idea. But I’ll see him tonight. We have plans. And according to the text he sent me at 3:14 this afternoon, he has that surprise all ready for me.
Kaylee tugs me on. We pass a real estate office and the Auto Body before turning down a side street that will take us up to the community center. I heft my duffel bag higher on my shoulder and let her step in front of me as we approach the center. I love Kaylee dearly, but she hasn’t shut up about the wonderment that is Olivia Holt. I just nod and blink, a realization setting in as we climb the steps to the front door.
Getting rid of Olivia isn’t going to be an easy thing. Her money’s found a home here, the city council is practically falling all over themselves for her time, and closer to home, Kaylee is madly in love with anything and everything the woman touches.
“I have to show you what Liv got donated for your dance classes, but first things first.” Kaylee makes a big sweeping gesture with her arms, and I look up. “Meet Teddy.”
We’re in a foyer of sorts. To the right is Kaylee’s office. To the left are the bathrooms, and there above the entrance to the multipurpose room is what appears to be the head of a dead animal.
I squint into his marble eyes. “What is it, exactly?”
“I don’t really know,” she says. “It’s like a deer or a moose. Maybe a yak. I really have no idea. I bet your dad would know.”
“I bet he would,” I say, tilting my head. “His nose is too wide or something.”
“I know. And the antler thingys are gigantic.”
Our laughter echoes off the walls, and a scissor-wielding scrapbooker pokes her head out of a room to our right.
“Sorry, ladies,” Kaylee says, lowering her voice. “So, Teddy. The mayor had him installed yesterday. Some kind of tribute to the history of the center. I guess he used to hang in the Elks Club that was
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