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Claire was keeping so carefully guarded there.
In the kitchen, for just the briefest second, there was
something different about her. When she’d stepped in, Haley
had immediately noticed an energy running just under Claire’s
surface. Had she been nervous about meeting Haley’s friends?
It made Haley realize just how much Claire had been herself
when they were together. It wasn’t just layers and masks. It
made her more determined than ever to break through that
distance.
“Something romantic,” Haley mused. She studied the keys
for a few seconds, watching as Elva seemed to brace herself at
the window. Amy kept her head nestled on her shoulder.
“Okay. Here’s one.”
She had a list of about a hundred songs, pop and classical
and everything in between, that she could think of. She chose
the top five and decided to make it a challenge and blend them
together. She’d pull Elva out of her mysterious funk and get
Amy roaring with laughter as they tried to guess which they
were. Maybe Snake would even join in.
Haley started playing, and the only thing missing, the tiny
piece out of the puzzle of her joy for the day, was the fact that
Claire wasn’t there to share in the moment.
Chapter 13
Haley
“That’s not anything I recognize.”
Her hands stilled on the keys. The room went silent except
for the cadence of her harsh breathing. Claire’s hand slipped
from her shoulder and tiptoed to her neck. She pinned Haley to
the bench, her fingers wrapped around her throat lightly.
“I’m sorry if I kept you awake. I know it’s late,” Haley
