Page 6 of Head Under Water

“Because I already know you’re a lizard person.”

“Because she doesn’t have to worry about me being attracted to you.”

I laugh out loud, then pretend to fan myself, pretend to bat back tears as I don a fake Southern accent. “Oh, whatever will I do? Fitzwilliam Kendricks doesn’t think I’m pretty? Heavens. Alert the authorities. Alert the press.” I step back, rolling my eyes as he just stares at me, a mixture of annoyed and amused. He’s always staring at me like I’m the strangest person he’s ever met. “Look, I’m just going to go.” I turn, moving toward the stairs.

I’m on the second step when he calls, “Wait!” Too fast. Too sharp. He sounds like he regrets it immediately, even as the words leave his mouth.

I pause but don’t move. “Why?”

“It’s…” He waits, eyeing me. “Come back. We should talk about this like adults.”

“I’m an adult. Debatable for you.” I fold my arms across my chest, unbudging. “Come to me.”

He huffs but walks, barefoot, toward me across the landing. The floorboards don’t creak in here like they did on the stairs. He looks exhausted already, as exhausted as I feel. “Look, this is officially my least favorite idea ever, but…it’s probably important to our moms. They’ve been… Things’ve been hard on them since Ruth, and well, with the investigation and everything⁠—”

“Investigation?” That has me turning fully around. “What investigation?”

His jaw drops, but he doesn’t answer fast enough.

“They’re investigating Ruth’s death?” I ask. “No. I thought it was ruled an accident. Mom didn’t mention…”

“I don’t think it’s a big deal, but as far as I know, they still haven’t closed the case. I know both our moms have been questioned a few times.”

“Questioned? Like suspects? They were her best friends.”

He scratches the back of his neck. His eyes slide away from mine. “I think more like witnesses.”

I puff out a breath. Why didn’t Mom tell me about that? Why wouldn’t she mention she’s been under such stress? Or that the police are still circling?

This is ridiculous. No one would’ve hurt Ruth. Everyone loved her.

But in reality, we both know that’s not true. Ruth was abrasive until you got to know her. She was cold. She closed down like nothing I’d ever seen. Of the three moms we had, she was the one to hold a grudge.

When I was nine, I was with Ruth at the grocery store when the cashier refused her one-day-expired coupon. From that day forward, she drove twenty-eight minutes to the next town for her groceries and never stepped foot in our local store again.

She’s the woman who stopped speaking to her cousin for a year because she gave away Ruth’s favorite casserole dish.

When the people on the property next to ours planted trees for privacy, Ruth was certain they’d planted one over the property line. She had the land surveyed, and when it came back that the tree covered three inches of our property, Ruth re-measured it every year. She kept a log and everything.

So maybe not everyone loved her, but the people who counted did. The ones she chose.

“I’m sure she’s just protecting you. She doesn’t want you tangled up in the middle of it,” Will says eventually.

I rest my hands on my hips, sizing him up. “Okay, fine. Mom doesn’t want me at her house, but…this will never work. We’ll kill each other.” With Will, I’ll let the figure of speech slide.

He puts a hand on his chest. “Opal, I promise not to kill you.”

Something unreadable flickers across his face. It’s gone before I can name it.

“This is serious. We can’t live together. I hate you.”

“Trust me, the feeling is very much mutual. I’m not suggesting we make this permanent, and we can put a pin in getting matching tattoos and friendship bracelets, but I do have a spare room, and you do need a place to go. Why don’t you stay here for a few days until you can figure something else out? We’ll keep to our sides of the apartment, and it’ll make our moms happy. Clearly, they want you somewhere safe.”

“And the side of the interstate was taken?”

He laughs under his breath, dropping his head. Then deadpans, “You’re really very funny, Opal. You missed your calling when you chose grim reaping.”

I shake my head, thinking over his proposal. I feel gross here, like I’m dripping in…Will. His air. His space. His saltwater scent. I shiver, brushing the feeling away from my skin. “I still don’t know. What is this place? Your little love shack?”