Page 42 of Where the Darkness Goes

“Do you want to prove me wrong?” she asks, the question eerily reminiscent of the one she asked me Friday night.

“I always want to prove you wrong. It’s one of my three favorite hobbies.”

She drops her head back, then pretends to stand up. “Is it too late to get off this bus?”

I grab her arm, pulling her down. “Sit, woman. You aren’t going anywhere.”

She drops down beside me, and the smile washes from her face in an instant. She swallows, eyes traveling to where my hand is still on her arm.

I should let go, but I can’t. Not yet. Instead, my fingers run down the length of her skin, goose bumps lining every surface.

“Are you still dating Brendan?” It’s the question I’m desperate to have answered but am terrified to know the answer to.

She’s quiet, like she’s trying to gather her thoughts—or maybe prepare me for the blow of her response—and finally, she says, “We got engaged actually.”

Time stops.

“And I’m having his baby.”

Then a smile.

“You’re an ass.”

Her smile cracks open wider as I shake my head, clutching a hand to my chest.

“Are you trying to kill me?”

She opens her mouth to answer, but Mrs. LeClere calls our attention to the front of the bus where she begins to remind us about the rules for the trip. They range from “don’t wander away from the lodge” to “don’t hit your classmates with ski equipment.” She looks at Will specifically when she says that last one.

As she’s taking attendance, a wad of paper hits me in the back of the head, and I whip around just as Mrs. LeClere shouts, “Becker, do I need to kick you off the bus before we even leave the parking lot?”

I snicker as Will ducks behind the seat in front of him and calls back, “No, ma’am. Sorry. I, uh, sneezed. My bad.”

The bus rattles with laughter, and Will lifts up finally, meeting my eyes and pointing to a blonde head sitting next to him in his seat. Cassidy Cole.

I nod, understanding that my original seat is now taken, and I’m staying right here. I steal a glance at Tessa, knowing I hadn’t truly planned to go anywhere. A corner of her mouth draws inward as she tries not to look at me, not to smile.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

TESSA — PRESENT DAY

With Garrett out of the room, I pick up the brush from Mom’s nightstand and run it through her hair slowly, remembering how she’d do the same for me so often as a kid, even when I was much too old for it to be necessary. For a long time, the minutes right before bed were spent sitting on the couch just in front of Mom while she brushed and braided my hair. Never in a hurry. Never too busy to do it. Looking back, those moments were when we had our best talks. It was easier to ask her the hard questions or say the embarrassing things when I didn’t have to look her in the eyes.

I can’t remember now when that stopped or why. I suppose it was inevitable we’d outgrow the practice someday, but I wish we’d known which time would be the final one.

Mom’s eyes scan the room, like she’s searching for something.

“What is it?” I ask this without expecting a response, more out of habit than anything.

As the words leave my mouth, Mom’s eyes freeze, then lock on mine.

“Mom?”

Her eyes are wide, unblinking. Fearful.

“Mom? Can you hear me? Is something hurting?”

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