“Who's Kieran?” I asked, realizing that I would probably never know all of these guys by name.
“Another go-getter who I'm glad is doing an exchange semester in the United States,” Grace snorted.
I'd heard the name Kieran before. Wasn't that the guy Emely had talked to on the phone in the student residence?
“What happened between Julian and Nash?” Bayla asked with interest.
Julie and Grace looked at each other like it was a secret. But when I pierced Julie with my gaze for longer, she seemed unable to keep quiet.
“There had been an accident with Julian's mother,” she began, blushing again as Grace looked at her in warning, as if indeed it had been a long-kept town secret.
“It kind of drove them apart. The Bardots moved away from there, and since then there's been radio silence,” Grace finished the story.
“That sounds very sad. Did Julian tell you about it?”
I looked at Bay, but she shook her head slowly.
“Where were you today?” I asked and she looked up.
“Julian showed me around town.”
Grace's jaw dropped. “Didn't I tell younotto do so much with the...the Copelands?”
Julian wasn't a Copeland. But that was what Grace seemed to call every guy who'd ever been around Nash.
“Apparently, he doesn't have that much to do with them, after all...” I said, confused.
A slight mistrust of Grace spread through me. She seemed friendly, no question, and yet... she seemed to have somethingagainst the Copelands and the Copelands and the Bardots seemed to have something in common. It was about time I got to the root of this strange gut feeling.
“Remember, we're going costume shopping tomorrow!” I tried to change the subject and winked at Julie.
I knew she'd like to sink into the ground right now.
Grace stood up again. “I'm going alone.”
“Why?” Bayla and I asked at the same time.
“I don't want to spend my time with a traitor.”
I looked up at her in astonishment. And then I remembered that she and Mady were at war.
I had asked Mady a while ago, and she had been so excited about this party, but that had changed when I had told her that Grace and Julie were going with us. I had tried to convince her, but she had just shaken her head in panic and hurried away.
“Mady canceled,” I sighed.
My good mood was about to disappear.
Grace just smiled and tied her apron again. “Well, I'll see you tomorrow.”
She smiled and turned to leave.
I understood if she had something against the Copelands and also if she didn't trust the DeLoughreys. However, I drew the line at myMadymouse. I thought it was childish and not fair toward her.
But in this case, I had decided to prioritize helping Julie and unfortunately Mady was not going to be convinced anyway.
Maybe the two girls would make peace at some point. Because this couldn't go on without someone always being excluded.
Chapter 60