“Well, there she is. I was wondering if I’d ever see you again.”
I smile back, suddenly feeling shy. His arms are bent and clasped behind his head, and his body wears a natural tan like he’s been sunbathing just like this all week long. Then I look around, half expecting Iris and Ava to pop out from nowhere. “You alone?”
His smile widens. “Not anymore. Sit with me.” He pats the seat beside him.
“Okay,” I say with a slight note of hesitation. “But only for a few minutes. I promised Charlotte I wouldn’t be out long.” I lie back in the chair.
He chuckles. “Ah, now I get why you’ve turned away all my calls and visits. You’re a prisoner.”
If only he knew how close to the truth that was. Heat rises up my neck as a pang hits my chest. “I haven’t been turning you away. That’s all Rose.” I’ve already thought about this lie, but actually letting the words roll off my tongue is harder than I thought. “I told you how I’m finishing up school virtually this summer. Well, the truth is, I didn’t exactly leave my last school on the best note. I got into some trouble, and my mom had pulled me out to homeschool me. She died before we ever got a chance to start, and I have quite a bit of catching up to do.”
Alec reaches out and squeezes my knee. “I’m sorry to hear all that.”
“It’s okay. I’ve already been officially accepted into the School of Gaia in the fall, so it’s not too bad.”
He sits up straight, slipping off his sunglasses, and his face brightens like a ball of sunshine. “Really? So you’re staying in Apollo Beach for good?”
I shrug, not wanting to promise too much when I haven’t even thought it out myself. “I’m staying for now.” I smile. “But it wouldn’t suck hanging out with you while I’m still here.”
He scoots off his seat and onto mine, then he cups my chin between his fingers and tilts his head. “There’s something different about you.” His head is so close to mine, I can smell his minty breath. “I can’t figure out what, but I like it.”
I look down, wondering if he’s referring to what my Enchantment did for me. As Rose and Charlotte explained, there’s a new type of energy running through my veins, one that supplies me with the best source of nourishment my body needs to survive in its healthiest state. That’s why my hair and eyelashes have grown longer. Even my skin is blemish free, and my eyes appear brighter.
“Never mind,” Alec says. “I figured it out.”
I look back up at him, catching his gaze dipping down to my lips then back up to my face.
“It’s your confidence. You’ve come a long way from the new girl who ran away from me on the beach a month ago.”
I laugh, but something in his expression makes me stop—a seriousness in his eyes I can’t quite escape. Then he’s leaning in and pressing his mouth to mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Go out with me,” he murmurs against my lips. “Tonight.”
I pull back slightly to see his face. “Like a date?”
He raises his brows. “Yes, like a date. Just you and me this time.”
My chest aches just at the thought of telling him no, but there’s no doubt Rose will throw a fit if I even try to step foot outside of the house again. “I can’t. Not tonight.”
He frowns. “Then when?”
“You’re still having that Fourth of July party, right?”
“Yeah, but that’s a week from now. Seriously, Kat? It’s summer. It’s time to get out of that old manor and see the town. And whatever happened to that job you were going to get at Island Grille.”
I cringe just thinking about the reason I never got past my audition. Johnny. I’ve tried to push all thoughts of him away since my party. “It doesn’t matter. I’m busy now anyway. Maybe I’ll try to talk to Roy when I’m done with school.”
“Fine,” Alec says. “Fourth of July, it is. And then I can take you on a real date.”
I lean in, brushing my lips across his. “Deal.” I pull myself away and stand. “I need to get back.”
“I’ll walk you.”
He starts to stand, but I panic and put my hand out to stop him. I don't touch him, but he’s flying back down onto the lounge chair.
“Whoa, that was weird.” He laughs. “I swear I haven’t had a thing to drink.”
My heart starts to triple its speed. This is exactly why Rose and Charlotte wanted me to stay home. I have no idea what I even did to cause Alec to fly backward like that.
“Maybe it’s the sun,” I say, hoping my voice doesn’t give away my rattling nerves. “Don’t worry about it. I brought my bike here, anyway.”
He nods. “All right. Seven o’clock on the Fourth. Don’t be late, Summer Girl.”
Of course Rose doesn’t agree with my wish to go to Alec’s Fourth of July party. We’ve been arguing about it ever since I got home from my bike ride an hour ago.
“Rose, it’s the Fourth of July. Everyone will be there. I really want to go. You don’t think I’ll have learned a thing or two in the past week?”
Rose sighs. “You’ll learn a great deal by then, but we can’t be sure how much control you have over your powers. It’s just not safe.”
“What could happen?”
“A lot could happen.”
“Like what? Tell me. Help me understand.” I cross my arms.
“I don’t know. Maybe you’ll accidentally use your powers like you did back in Silver Lake. Accidents can happen when you’re being reckless.”
“Reckless? Maybe if you’d actually teach me something instead of forcing me to read all about it, then my magic wouldn’t seem so reckless.”
Rose lets out a breath. “Maybe so. But even then, you are a rare Solstice. Your powers are sure to grow more powerful than anything we’ve ever seen. It’s best to take it slow and play it safe for now.”
A new sensation overtakes me—a determination stemming from a lifetime of untold truths. “I’m going to the party, Rose. While I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and all that you’re teaching me, I don’t need your permission.”
Charlotte looks at Rose while placing a gentle hand on her arm. “She will only be a minute away. If something were to happen, we could step in. Until then, we teach her all that we can.”
There’s a dark cloud over Rose’s expression, one she doesn’t even attempt to hide. And after a simple nod of agreement, she stands and gives us both one final look.
But when she turns and begins the retreat to her quarters, the words she speaks so faintly ring loudly between my ears. “You’ve been warned.”
Three more days of “lockdown” have passed, and I’m itching to get out of the house for another accidental run-in with Alec, even though I know it’s out of the question. Rose promised to stop screening my calls if I would heed her warnings and not leave the house again until Alec’s party—after I’ve had some hands-on training. I agreed. So tonight is the night—my first true lesson. And I can’t shake the nervous flutters from my belly.