Page 568 of Dark Love

“You look a lot like your mother.”

Um… okay? “People tell me that all the time.”

“Good to know what I have to look forward to in the future.”

The future? Oh… OH. I scramble down the steps, almost tripping over my own two feet.

Vex grabs my upper arms, stabilizing me. “Careful.”

But I don’t need to be when you’re around to save me.

“How long are your parents staying?”

Forever! “Probably just for the weekend.”

He pulls me close. “I’ll sneak in after they’ve gone to sleep.”

Nope. No. That can’t happen.

“Why are you shaking your head at me? Sneaking in won’t be a problem. They’ll never know I was there.”

Impossible. “My mother will know.”

“Is this like the whole sex thing?”

I put a finger on his lips. “Don’t even say the word. She’ll know we’re thinking about it.”

He chuckles with my finger still touching his lips.

Sexy. A shiver runs down my spine. “You can’t sneak in.”

“How will you sleep?”

I won’t, but Vex won’t take no for an answer if I say that. “My father will be there.”

“Dahl.” He stares down into my eyes with worry and longing. “I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I.”

****

“How many people are we cooking for?” Imogene chops peppers on the island.

That’s a good question, especially since it’s Saturday and this party is supposed to happen tomorrow. But I’m afraid that the solution to that problem will involve me running around the neighborhood knocking on people’s doors.

If she even suggests that, I’m running away and hiding in Vex’s library for the rest of the weekend.

“We got block party signs. Tomorrow morning we’ll put them in the front yard and people will trickle in through the day.”

That works.

“But I think we should go over and invite your close friends personally.”

‘Close friends?’ Imogene mouths behind Mom’s back.

I’m not falling for that trick. Mom’s pumping me for information about Max.

“You know, Dahlia, that boy—” She snaps her fingers like she’s trying to remember something we both know she already knows. “—you made friends with. What’s his name again?”

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