Page 17 of A Cornish Love Story
I would tour the house like Spence wanted me to, and so I could gather all I needed for my article, then I would get out. I would leave Ethan and Sterenlenn behind, and I wouldn’t look back.
Chapter Eight
March 2012
We were sitting in the canteen, talking over the backdrop of scraping cutlery and chattering students when Kira reached into her bag, took out a large cuddly tarantula and plonked it on the table, almost upsetting my water glass.
‘What the fuck?’ Freddy scooted away from the table, his chair screeching against the floor.
‘Look at its eyes,’ Ethan said calmly. Ever since that day on the beach, he’d been hanging out with us at lunchtimes, sometimes meeting up after school too. ‘They’re so red.’
‘It’s my birthday soon,’ Kira announced, ‘and Mum won’t let me have a party.’ Kira’s mum was a wedding planner, their house was showroom perfect, and whenever I went there she seemed to follow us around,picking up glasses and bowls the second they were empty. I was surprised she hadn’t tidiedmeaway. I was not surprised Kira wasn’t getting a party.
‘So you bought yourself a tarantula as a commiseration present?’ I asked.
‘He was pleading with me from the window of that trick shop in Truro, and I thought about putting him in Mum’s bed in protest. I want to dosomethingfor my birthday.’ She waggled the spider in Freddy’s face and he flinched away from it.
‘Beach trip?’ Orwell suggested.
‘Cinema?’ I tried.
‘We can go to the Sailor’s Rest,’ Freddy said. ‘You’re the last of us to turn eighteen, so it would be legit.’
‘I want to do somethingdifferent.’Kira threw the cuddly spider to Ethan and he caught it easily.
‘Is this our talking piece?’ he asked. ‘So, now I have it, it’s my turn to speak?’
‘Exactly,’ Kira said smugly, though I was sure she hadn’t thought of that.
‘OK then.’ He frowned at the demonic spider, then looked up, and we were treated to his half-smile, which did funny things to my insides when it was combined with his thigh pressed against mine under the table. ‘What about that house on the cliffs?’
‘Tyller Klos?’ I blurted.
‘It’s only called that in your romance books.’ Kira rolled her eyes. ‘What is that? “Secluded Place”?’
‘It’s not secluded,’ Orwell said. ‘It’s sitting on top of the cliffs like a big sore thumb.’
‘Creepy though.’ Freddy narrowed his eyes at Ethan. ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘Maybe we could get inside. It’s been abandoned for years, right?’
‘S. E. Artemis moved out over fifteen years ago, the same time she stopped writing books. It’s a really big house, and it’s at the top of that huge hill, so …’
‘You little fangirl.’ Kira squeezed my arm affectionately. ‘You really think we can get inside?’ she asked Ethan. ‘What if it’s all boarded up? Padlocked?’
Ethan shrugged. ‘We won’t know unless we try.’
Kira whooped, drawing looks from the girls further down the table. ‘We could take torches so we weren’t too terrified. Snacks, some drinks. It would be the best birthday.’
‘And Ethan can look at the structural integrity of the building,’ Orwell said. ‘Right, Ethan?’
Ethan stared steadily back. ‘I’m interested in buildings, but I’m not going to ruin Kira’s birthday by carrying out a full site survey. I can bring some gin or vodka – whatever you want.’
‘Yessssss Ethan,’ Kira said. ‘I knew there was a reason we let you into our group.’
‘Several reasons,’ I corrected. Ethan pressed his leg more firmly against mine, and I slid my hand down his thigh, felt his muscles tense beneath my palm. ‘He’s an expert in crisis situations – especially getting gravel out of cuts – so we definitely need him.’
‘Sure your mum will let you have the night off?’ Orwell asked me, mock serious.
