Page 88 of Seven Days in June

“Well, who knew pencils were edible? Did you?”

“Goodbye, Mom.”

“Stop being so mad at me! You know, boys like Shane belong behind bars.” Lizette was grasping at straws now, just trying to keep Genevieve on the phone. Genevieve had always confused her. When you’re pregnant, you think you’re gonna have a little you. A tiny person with your same thoughts, same feelings. But her daughter came out wholly herself. Self-sufficient, stubborn, too clever for the world, and an utter mystery. Lizette never really knew how to raise her, and Lord knows Genevieve never gave any clues.

“I saved you from a world of trouble. Look at who you’ve become! You’re…” Lizette stopped talking then, because her line went dead.

Ah well. It wasn’t the first time her daughter had hung up on her, and it wouldn’t be the last. She dragged herself off the couch and swept back upstairs to Mahckenzee, one out of dozens of girls whom Lizette had made perfect, in her image. With each new student, Lizette had a chance to get it right. Season after season, show after show, again and again.

Chapter 21

What a Coincidence

EVA WAS WAY TOO FRUGAL TO HAVE A HABIT OF UBERING. BESIDES, SHE LIVEDright by the Q train. But tonight, she didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything except getting to Shane.

Cece had agreed to watch Audre for the night. She was only too happy to spend the night with her favorite faux niece, but on one condition: Eva had tovowto attend her party tomorrow. “You know, just an insidery get-together to celebrate the Littie Awards.” With a rushed “Anything you want, of course, yes, I’ll be there,” Eva agreed and zipped out the door.

Eva was barely cognizant of what she was agreeing to. She had only one thought in her brain.

I need him, she thought while ordering a thirty-seven-dollar Uber.Need him, she thought while racing over the Manhattan Bridge and through downtown.Need, need, need, she thought while flying up the stairs at 81 Horatio Street.

It was 9:45 on a warm, weirdly windy Friday night—far from yesterday’s glaring heat and her fight with Shane. Horatio was quiet, but she could hear the distant revelry of rich recent grads cocktailing and carousing at the outdoorBiergartenon Washington.

But here, in front of James Baldwin’s ostentatious peacock-blue door, the darkness was so complete she felt like it might swallow her whole. Heart thundering in her chest, she leaned against the door’s smooth surface, forehead-first, palms flat. She allowed herself a few deep, cleansing breaths, just to dull the thudding in her head, which had been threatening to explode since she’d hung up on Lizette.

And then, for the second time in two days, Eva knocked on this door.

But this time, she pounded. And Shane opened it right away.

She could barely see beyond him. There wasn’t a light on in the house. Just darkness upon darkness. But she saw him, breathtaking in front of her. Tall, strong, solid. Hers.

Eva met his eyes, and something jolted inside her.

“I know everything,” she said, wanting to sound pulled-together, but the hitch in her voice betrayed her.

“Come in.”

She didn’t budge. She had to say what she’d come here to say. And it spilled out of her like a flood.

“My mom told me. And you were young and scared and trying to be tough—and I promised you that you’d never go back. I promised. And she sent you back.” She gulped dryly. “Shane, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything I said yesterday. I’m sorry for blaming you for all these years. For hating you. I hated you so much.”

“I know,” he said hoarsely. “Just come inside.”

“No, listen. I hated you only because…” Eva paused. “It was because loving you wasn’t an option.”

Shane averted his eyes, his jaw clenched.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. “Why?”

“I couldn’t,” he said. He looked years younger, vulnerable.

“There’s so much I need to know.”

“Later.”

“But…”

Shane grabbed her by the front of her dress and pulled her inside the shadowy foyer. He slammed the door and pressed her back against it. The only light came from the moon, dimly shining through the open bay windows across the apartment.

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