Page 44 of Ghostlighted
Liam’s eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”
“Once again, sorry. I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m Maz Amani.” I pointed at my house. “I live there.”
I’d expected Liam’s attitude to improve with the news that I wasn’t some random guy trolling for work in a wet T-shirt at seven in the morning, but instead he added a layer of disapproval to his disdain.
“Maz? You’re the one who got Avi’s house.”
He made it sound as though I’d snatched it out from under somebody’s nose at a Black Friday sale at the mall. “I inherited it from my uncle?—”
“Third cousin,” Avi murmured, amusement clear in his tone. He wasenjoyingthis, and it occurred to me that this was thefirst time in a while that he was speaking to me in the presence of somebody who didn’t know about him.
Well, I’d let him have his fun. I didn’t especially care about Liam’s opinion of me, because it couldn’t possibly be lower than my opinion of him.
He folded his arms. “Don’t you think it would have been more appropriate for the house to go to family?”
I met his gaze. “It did.”
“I mean Avi’s family.”
“It did,” Avi growled. “Oren was my family.”
“Regardless of your thoughts on the matter”—my voice might have been a touch too loud, judging by Liam’s flinch—“the house belongs to me.”
He snorted. “I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt, but now that I see how little respect you have for family ties?—”
“Benefit of the doubt for what?”
“For assuming you had the authority to arrange travel plans for my grandmother.”
I tried to givehimthe benefit of the doubt, keeping my voice level. “I’m not making any decisions for her, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“What I’m afraid of is that she’s not a well woman, and with your impulsive disregard for her health, you could well be the cause of her death. I could sue.”
My jaw sagged. “I’m sorry. What?”
“For hospital bills. Funeral expenses. Physical and emotional distress.”
Heat built in my throat and behind my eyes. “In the first place, Sofia is not dead.”
He snorted again. “Not yet.”
“You’re not either,” Avi growled, “but maybe something could be arranged.”
For some reason, Avi’s clear rage made it easier for me to dial back on my own. “Look. Kudos to you for making the effort to come see her so close to your graduation.”
He blinked at that. “Yes. It was very inconvenient. Finals.”
“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to see you, but from what I’ve heard so far, she’s in no danger.”
“Regardless, I’m the only person who should be making decisions for her.”
“I’m pretty sure she’s capable of making her own decisions.”
He glanced up at the house. “That’s debatable, considering she’s living alone in a house that’s entirely too big for her to manage at her age. If she could regulate her own medications, she wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“I don’t think?—”
“Maz!” With that shout to announce her, Ricky’s sister Felicia leaped off the curb at the corner of Iris Lane and Main Street and flew toward us, her long black hair fanning behind her like a shining banner.
