Page 26 of These Pucking Boys: Part Two

Since I’m already holding my phone, I point the camera at him and snap a bunch of pictures. “Smile!”

He narrows his eyes. “You jinxed me, you little witch.”

I laugh. “Don’t blame me that you didn’t double bag it.”

“Will you stop laughing and open the door for me?”

“I don’t have the key.”

“I’m sure Jake didn’t lock it.”

Lachy is right. I open the door and let him go in first. My phone rings again, and since my hand is still free, I can answer it. It’s Katrina.

“Hey.”

“June, oh thank heavens you answered.”

The serious tone of her voice wipes the smile off my face. “What’s wrong?”

“I have an unexpected visitor.”

Bill or Danika comes to mind, but I reject the idea immediately. Katrina wouldn’t have let them into her house, and she’d be angry, not cautious.

“Are you going to tell me who your mystery visitor is?”

“It’s your sister, April.”

My pulse accelerates. “What? How? Why?”

“June, calm down and use your words.” Katrina gives me the same speech we use when our students are overwhelmed.

“Don’t ask me to calm down when my baby sister showed up at your door.” I set the other bags down and begin to pace. “She’s only fifteen. How did she even get to LA?”

“She caught a flight.”

“Why didn’t she call me?”

Lachy comes out again. “Lass? Is everything okay?”

I shake my head, but I can’t talk to him right now. I need answers from Katrina.

“I think you should come over and speak to her in person. She’s been tight-lipped since she got here.”

My hands are shaking. Maybe something horrible happened to her. “Is she hurt?”

“No, she seems fine, just acting like a surly teenager.”

Katrina’s reply doesn’t make me less tense. April is impulsive, and a brat sometimes, but she’s never done anything as extreme as catching a flight to LA by herself. Where did she even get the money? She’s met Katrina a couple times, and we went to her house once together when my family was in town, but she wouldn’t know the address, right?

“Okay. I’m leaving now.”

“Drive carefully, please.”

“I will.” I put the phone away and look at Lachy, who’s staring at me with his brows furrowed.

“What happened?”

“It’s my younger sister. She decided to come to LA on a whim and showed up at Katrina’s place. I have to go get her.”

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