Page 209 of The Blairville Legacies

“Then you’re out of luck.”

Larissa jumped up from the desk and knelt down in front of Bay’s bed.

“Come on,” she said, “we’ve done so little lately.”

Guilt automatically spread across Bayla’s face.

This was definitely not what I’d meant when I’d advised Larissa to talk to Bayla in our business English seminar.

“Please, please.”

Larissa’s puppy eyes were stage-ready.

Bayla seemed to be thinking.

“Okay... This one time,” she finally said warningly.

“Oh my God, I knew you couldn’t keep your nose out of such exciting things!”

Had they honestly just gone over my head and decided to look for Erik’s sports record? I couldn’t believe it.

“Where are the files stored at Vanderwood?” Larissa asked.

“In Professor Copeland’s office...” I began, but realized in mid-sentence that I shouldn’t have said that.

Bayla looked at me urgently when the name Copeland came up.

“Perfect!Then we’ll look there.”

Before I could warn Larissa, someone else appeared in the room.

“Whereare you going to look forwhat?”

Grace was standing in the doorway. When I saw what she was holding in her arms, I forgot all my problems for a moment.

“In a café...” I stuttered.

Grace walked over to my bed, sat down and placed the little tuft of golden fur on my white blanket. It had its eyes closed and was sleeping peacefully.

“Is that a puppy?” Bayla sounded confused.

Larissa laughed. “What do you think? That this is what a kitten looks like?”

“Possibly,” Bayla said, annoyed, and Larissa rolled her eyes.

“Kittens are small, naked and ugly,” Larissa whispered and came over to the bed. “Oh, howcute.”

I looked at the sleeping puppy, which was the size of a paperback book. He turned his head briefly and curled up even more so that the tip of his nose disappeared under his paws, and his long, floppy ears covered his eyes.

Then I looked at Grace, who was sparkling at me with her brown eyes.

“It’s for the fish. I thought you might need some company when I’m not around.” She winked at me, and I couldn’t help but hug her with gratitude. “I thought he’d live a little longer.”

Her words drove away the pleasant feeling inside me that the puppy had just triggered. Instead, a feeling of unease spread through me.

What if I had another outburst?

I stared at the bundle of fur.

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