Page 24 of Head Under Water

I drop two pancakes onto my plate, smothering them with syrup.

Back at the table, Will eyes my food. “My god.”

“See, you wouldn’t have done it right. Don’t judge just because you prefer your pancakes with only an essence of syrup.”

“And you prefer yours with a side of heart attack. You need a spoon.” His tone is teasing, but there’s an edge to it.

I lift my fork, twirling it in slow circles as the syrup drips off in lines. He tracks the movement, his focus dropping to my lips. My skin prickles under his scrutiny. He stays locked there, his throat bobbing with a hard swallow, until the very second I open my mouth. His gaze snaps away so forcefully it’s as if he just realized he was staring.

I bite back a grin.

Mom chuckles. “Ahh, just like old times with you two. Speaking of, Will brought me two steaks for dinner. Want to join us? I won’t eat a full one anyway.”

“Oh, uh…”

Why is Will bringing my mom dinner? What the hell is he doing? My mind spins, trying to assign a motive. Decide what he gets out of this. Why he’s being…nice.

“Actually,” Will says, before I can come up with a response, “I forgot I have something to do later. Why don’t you and Opal just share them?”

“Are you sure?” Mom asks, looking confused.

“Yeah, of course. It works out.” His eyes flick to mine, holding my gaze just long enough to make me shift uncomfortably, then drop to his last bite of food. “You deserve time to catch up, anyway. I should go see Mom. Unless…you want me to stay.”

He’s asking her, but looking at me. I press my lips together. A flicker of disappointment I don’t understand spikes through me. “You’re free to go.” My answer comes before Mom says a word.

He grins, but it’s small, tight. Then he stands, sleeves rolled up, and heads for the sink.

“You leave those,” Mom says, waving him away. “I told you last time. You’ve done enough.”

“Not happening, Betty. You and Opal catch up. I’ll get these washed and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

I catch him watching me for a fraction of a second, his head quirked to the side, and I dart my eyes away. My chest flutters with confusion and annoyance.

When he finishes the dishes, he hugs Mom and brushes his hand over my arm, eyes locking on mine for the longest second of my life.

“See you at home.”

I scowl, rubbing away the warm outline of his palm. For some strange reason, it seems to linger on my skin long after he’s gone.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

PRESENT DAY

Later, I’m on the couch when Mom’s phone buzzes on the coffee table. She’s still in the bathroom, so I lean forward and tap the screen.

The message is from an unknown number.

I pick up the phone just to be sure I’m reading it right.

What did we do?

What does that mean? I open the text thread, but this is the first message. My heart skitters, blood chilling. With a racing pulse, I use my phone to search the number online.

Nothing.

There are no results.

“What’s wrong?” Mom is standing at the edge of the living room, drying her hands on the sides of her pants.