Page 67 of Hidden Echoes

"No, honey pie, of course not," Audrey says, exhaling smoke with a smirk. "You’re not a monster. Just high maintenance."

"True," Liv shrugs, completely unbothered, then links her fingers through mine, her cigarette still dangling between the fingers of her other hand.

I think about Zane for a second. Does he smoke? He totally seems like the type who would, but I’ve never actually seen him do it. And he doesn’t smell like someone who smokes… he smells, like, good. Clean. Too clean, actually.

But no. We’re not here to think about Zane. Ugh, Zane’s an asshole anyway.

We’re here to have fun! I’m not wasting another second on him.

"Have you seen Andi?" I ask, referring to the girl who invited me.

"She’s probably out there arguing with her fiancé. Their favorite pastime," Liv says, deadpan.

"It looks bad," I murmur, glancing around the party.

"Sometimes we fight with people we love," Audrey shrugs, like it’s just one of those things, like gravity or taxes or the way people always look at you weird when you talk to the voices in your head out loud.

"You fight?" I ask, turning to her.

"Oh no, Will and I are a couple with zero fights," she says, feigning innocence. "I was just trying to support the cause."

"Oh my God, did you just admit you’re in love with Will?" Liv’s head snaps toward her so fast it could cause whiplash.

Audrey—who was just threatening a man like she wasn’t the least bit scared—actually blushes. Like, full-on, hand-over-the-face,I-want-the-ground-to-swallow-me-embarrassment.

"It’s too early to tell," she mutters. "I don’t know?"

“Oh shit, you do!”

"My brothers will kill me if I show up with a boyfriend. Especially Connor."

"I don’t think Connor is the problem," Liv mutters, but there’s a tightness to her voice that makes me pause.

"Him and I aren't on speaking terms," she says, her voice dripping with sour, resentful undertones, and my curiosity only grows.

Curiosity sparks in my chest. "Who?"

"Her brother," Liv says, and I nod. I think of my own brother.

"He’s not my brother," Audrey corrects, her voice sharp.

"Okay, her foster brother," Liv amends.

"What’s a foster brother?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

They both turn to look at me, confused.

Audrey recovers first. "Someone who lives in your house, and your parents are their legal guardians, but you’re not necessarily blood-related. And he’s not even that anymore because he’s an adult now, one who didn’t accept being adopted by my family.”

"I wonder why," Livia mocks, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Seth is an idiot.”

Something in her tone makes me smile.

"My mother’s brother’s name is Seth," I say before I can stop myself. Then immediately clap a hand over my mouth. If anyone ever caught me calling her ‘mother,’ it would spell trouble for both of us.

The girls exchange a glance but don’t press.

"So," I pivot back to Audrey. "You like Seth?"

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