Jason raised the swab like a baton. “One condition.”
“Anything.”
“I get to see this amazing cash register.”
Crap.
Shelton’s brows climbed his forehead. Hi winced. Ben’s attention snapped back to the table.
Jason didn’t seem to notice. “You’ll have to show me this machine, one-on-one.”
“‘One-on-one,’” Ben mimicked in a singsong voice. Then he got up and started for the door. “Jesus, this is painful to watch. I’m outta here.”
Jason shot to his feet, nostrils flaring. Ben stopped dead.
The cafeteria went still. Everyone watched the boys square off.
“I’m not a violent person, Blue.” Jason bit off the words. “But I’ve had enough of your mouth. I’ll kick your ass right here.”
Ben’s jaw tightened. “You think so, rich boy?”
“You heard me.” A vein was bulging in Jason’s neck.
Ben’s breathing quickened. The tiniest spark of gold flickered in his irises.
My stomach backflipped.
Oh my God! He’s going to flare!
“Get him out of here!” I hissed at Shelton and Hi. “Hurry!”
Recognizing the danger, Hi jumped to his feet, planted both hands on Ben’s chest and pushed him toward the door, whispering, “Use your head, use your head, use your head!”
Ben tried to hold his ground, but Shelton joined the effort. “Get it together! People are watching. Don’t lose control!”
Slowly, the duo managed to back Ben away, but his glare never strayed from Jason. At the exit, Ben shrugged free and stalked down the hall alone.
I took my first breath since Jason stood.
Crisis averted, but barely.
Excited chatter filled the room. As classmates watched our table, hoping for more drama, Jason hastily retook his seat.
“That was …” I struggled for words. “Jason, I’m so sorry. I don’t know why—”
“You really don’t, do you?” Jason snapped. “Everyone else can figure it out.”
“Figure out what?”
“Never mind. I’ll get in touch with Marchant. It might take a few days for him to call you. That okay?”
“Yes.” It would have to be. “And thank you again.”
But his comment bothered me. “When you said everyone else—”
“I’ve got to get going.” Rising quickly. “We’ll talk again soon.”
Jason strode through the doors, nodding to Shelton and Hi as they hurried back to the table. The three of us huddled close, our lunches forgotten.
“What in God’s name was that?” Hi looked as alarmed as I felt.
“I saw your expression, Tor.” Shelton’s eyes darted, scanning for eavesdroppers. “Ben almost slipped, didn’t he? Almost … changed?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
“Not good.” Hi ran a hand down his face. “Not good at all.”
“We’ve got to keep those two apart for a while.” Shelton dodged my eye. “Let them cool down.”
I rubbed my forehead, in a daze. “They’ve never been this bad before.”
The look in Ben’s eyes when Jason challenged him—it’d been dangerous. Borderline irrational. For him to get so angry he nearly flared in public … How could he allow such a loss of self-control? Would it happen again?
“Ben’s always had a temper,” I said, “but lately he’s off the chain. Do you have any idea why?”
“Um. Huh.” Hi wasn’t looking at me. “I mean, look. I’m sure whatever it is, he’ll get over it. Things happen. We should just give him some space.”
“Space.” Shelton was inspecting a thumbnail. “That’s probably the best thing.”
My eyes narrowed. Did these two know more than they were letting on?
I was about to probe further when Hi spoke. “Jason said we might not hear from Marchant for days. How much time do we have left?”
The Game. I’d almost forgotten.
I rooted inside my backpack, keeping the iPad hidden. Checked the timer.
“Thirty-six hours. Until tomorrow midnight.”
“Then we can’t wait,” Shelton said. “We’ve got to solve the puzzle.”
“You’re right.” I slapped the tabletop in frustration. “I’m tired of being jerked around like a yo-yo.”
“I hate it too,” Hi said. “But for now, we have to follow the script. No choice.”
“We need an idea.” Shelton tapped a finger. “Some plan of attack.”
He was right.
But I didn’t have one.
And we were running out of time.
Tick tick tick.
CHAPTER 19
“TORY! GET DOWN here for dinner!”
Blargh.
I slipped the iPad into a drawer. No progress, though I’d scanned and uploaded the image. Shelton was combing the Internet for a match.
“Tory!” Kit’s voice had reached level two.
“Coming!”
Gathering my hair with chopsticks, I hurried downstairs. Whitney was there, of course. I hadn’t been informed she was dining with us. Of course.
Coop padded over and nuzzled my hand.
“Good boy.” I pointed to his corner. “Place.”
Coop yawned, then retreated to his doggie bed in the living room. Whitney eyed him, wary of a wolfdog sneak attack. Please.
Recently, I’d been working on Coop’s begging. Kit had put his foot down—no four-leggers tableside during meals. No exceptions.
Coop obeyed me most of the time. When it suited him.
I didn’t mind if Coop ruffled Whitney’s feathers—she was a self-important, dog-hating whiner. But it put Kit in a tight spot. Best not to make waves.
Another accommodation for the bimbo.
Kit had come home early that night, surprising us both. Grocery bag pressed to his chest, he’d announced he’d be grilling. Whitney had practically squealed with delight.
The menu was a given. Kit cooked a mean cheeseburger, and that’s about it.
I’d watched him hustle down to the communal grill, charcoal in tow. Mr. Devers had joined him with a trio of steaks, followed by Hi’s father with marinated chicken breasts.
The temperature was a pleasant seventy-five degrees, one of those perfect October nights in the Lowcountry. The men had shared a few beers, waiting for the meat to cook.
I was happy Kit could still relax with the neighbors. He was their boss now, but it hadn’t changed things back on Morris Island. They’d laughed and swapped stories, three dads hosting an impromptu barbeque, at ease in one another’s company.
Kit makes that happen. He doesn’t set himself apart, and they sense it.
“Dinner is served.” Kit set three plates on the dining room table.
Whitney oohed and aahed like a moron. I dug right in.
Kit cooked his burgers a true medium-rare. Pinker than Mom used to make, but I was coming around. Juice dribbled down my chin as I took large bites.
“Tory darling, have you made a decision?” Whitney sipped pinot grigio from a crystal-stemmed wineglass that she probably brought from home. “Who will be the lucky boys?”
“Do what now?”
“Your marshals, Tory.” Whitney rolled her eyes. “This is only the third time I’ve asked you about it. The ball is next Friday.”
Shoot. I’d managed to block that out.
In the last few days, I’d been to Loggerhead twice, accidentally detonated a bomb in Battery Park, stopped by Claybourne Manor, and watched Ben explode like an Indonesian volcano.
But Whitney wanted an update on my cotillion plans. FML.
“Still working on that.” Chomping ground beef. “Lots of factors in play. Don’t want to make a poor choice, right?”
“Don’t speak with your mouth full, champ.” Kit gave me a disapproving head shake. “Whitney needs those names ASAP. You know that.”
“What about that nice Taylor boy, from Mount Pleasant?” Whitney tapped her lip
with a cherry red fingernail. “James? No, Jason! The lacrosse player with the blond hair.” She gave me a conspiratorial wink. “He’s cute.”
Gross.
Whitney discussing my friends was straight-up creepy.
Though he is cute. No denying that.
“I dunno, maybe.”
“Would you like me to speak to his mother?” Whitney leaned close. “If you’re uncomfortable inviting a boy, we could arrange for him to ask you.”
I wanted to punch her face.
He already offered, you dolt. Everything’s not as simple as you are.
“I can handle it.” Crunching the last of my pickle. “May I be excused? Big chem test tomorrow.”
Kit nodded. “Whitney needs an answer tomorrow night. No more delays. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Slapping my leg for Coop to follow, I scurried upstairs and flopped onto my bed. Fought off an anxiety attack. I’d been avoiding this decision since learning I’d have to make it.
Whom to invite? Upon which gallant young men should I bestow the honor of walking me across a ballroom three times?
Such a hot ticket. I don’t want to start a riot.
I decided to make a list. I like lists. They help me frame an issue. Plan a strategy. Sort the possible from impossible.
Grabbing paper and pen, I wrote Chance Claybourne. Immediately crossed it out.
Get real. My subconscious was an idiot.
First, Chance didn’t like me after what I’d done. Second, he knew too much about the Virals, and suspected more. And third, I wanted to avoid the spotlight, not do the Dougie on center stage. Chance was the worst possible person I could ask.
And yet, that’d be pretty badass, right?
Moving on, I recorded my default trio. Hi. Shelton. And Ben.
I circled the third name, then drew a question mark beside it.
Lately Ben had been a live wire. I loved hanging out, but the last thing I needed was a scene at my debutante ball. These days, the slightest blip seemed to set Ben off. Could he control his temper?
I wrote Jason’s name beneath Ben’s. Totally unfair, but Whitney’s approval was a huge strike against him. I racked my brain for other options, came up empty. Then I snorted at my own silliness.
What other options, exactly? This was always the complete list.
I knew the easy route—take the other Virals and hide in a corner all night. Whitney and Kit would be there, but they couldn’t force me to branch out. A few hours killing time with my friends, then a quick spin down the runway. Boom. Over.
So why was this difficult?
Because Jason is the perfect choice.
Jason had attended debutante balls. Knew the drill. My crew would have to conduct research on YouTube. Jason was popular on the cotillion scene. My guys weren’t even on the radar. Asking Jason would get Whitney off my back. Inviting only Morris Island boys might plummet her into a depression.
Jason would add credibility to the Tory Brennan Debutante Ball ticket. And he’d already asked me for the gig.
And he might be, you know, a real, actual date.
I sat up abruptly. Where had that thought come from?
My eyes returned to Ben’s circled name.
On one count I had no illusions: Ben would be hurt if I choose Jason over him. He’d never show it, but I knew Ben Blue well enough to be certain.
Back to square one.
Frustrated, I fired up my Mac. I needed help from Google. A few searches later, I’d made my decision.
My list contained four names.
According to the Internet, four was an acceptable number.
“Jason and Ben as marshals.” I jotted an M by each of their names. Older, they’d get the higher honor. “Mumbo and Jumbo as my stags.”
I wanted Hi and Shelton there. As always, safety in numbers. I scribbled a big S beside those two.
Running the choices through my head, they appeared sound. Whitney would be so happy that I’d chosen “a boy from a fine Southern family” that she’d accept the Virals filling out my entourage. Everybody wins, right?
So why was I still as tense as a banjo string?
I wish Mom were here.
Tears spilled before I knew it. Sobs threatened to follow. Somehow I managed to hold the grief at arm’s length.
It happened like that sometimes. The pain struck out of nowhere.
“Enough.” I backhanded moisture from my cheeks.
Mom would’ve hated the frivolity of a deb ball, but she’d have loved helping me pick my dates. We’d have laughed about it. Together.
I probed the space in my heart where her love used to reside. Found only a void. And nearly went down again.
I miss you, Mommy. Every day.
Coop was on me like a Velcro Snuggie. Planting paws on my knees, he catapulted into my lap, nearly toppling my chair.
“Easy!” I rolled to the floor and wrapped him in a bear hug. “You’ll kill us both.”
Coop rested his head on my chest. I closed my eyes and stroked his muzzle.
“Thanks, dog breath. I needed that.”
CHAPTER 20
THE NEXT MORNING I waited by my locker.
I hadn’t taken the shuttle. Dentist appointment. Six a.m. Kit drove.
After forty excruciating minutes of scraping, poking, polishing, and flossing, I’d finally been paroled. My tongue kept probing my teeth, making sure all were still in their sockets.
I had a plan. Invite Jason first, just to make sure he’d still go. If he said yes, then I’d go down the line. Ben. Then Shelton and Hi.
If Jason said no, I’d die from embarrassment. After that, I’d ask Ben to be my only marshal. Perhaps that would make him feel better. But I didn’t want to talk with Ben about Jason if I didn’t need to.
Luck was with me. Jason appeared in the hallway before the others.
I waved awkwardly. “Got a sec?”
“Yeppers.” Jason pivoted and sauntered my way.
“Yeppers?”
“I was trying it out.” Jason leaned against the locker next to mine. He was wearing the standard Bolton uniform, but with one of the recently approved alternate ties: midnight blue, dotted with tiny white Griffins. “Wanted to see how it felt.”
“I’d go in a different direction.”
“Agreed.”
My mouth opened, a prepared speech at the ready.
Jason spoke before I had the chance. “I want to apologize for how I acted in the cafeteria.” His face grew serious. “I don’t know what Ben has against me, but it’s gone too far. We need to squash it. Fighting like this is pointless.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Ben was being a jerk.”
“Yeah, but I took the bait.”
“He set the hook.” I sighed. “I’ll talk to him. Ben’s a good guy, I’m sure we can figure this out.”
“Figure it out.” Jason shook his head. “Right.”
That look again. What?
Jason changed the subject. “I left that CPD guy a message and gave him your cell number. That okay?”
“Yes, that’s perfect. Thanks so much.”
“Like I said, it might be a few days.” Jason glanced at his watch. “Bell coming. What did you need?”
Shoot! With Jason bouncing between topics, I’d had no opening.
I adjusted my backpack. Hid a deep breath. Unfortunately, my brain chose that moment to short circuit.
“Debutante ball,” I blurted.
Nice job, genius!
“I know, right? It’s so soon. Should be a blast.” Jason’s tone became oh-so-casual. “Who you taking? Anyone I know?”
No sir! You will not wrest control of this invite from me.
“I was hoping your offer still stood.”
Jason blinked. His mouth dropped open. A beat, then, “Yeah. Yes, of course.”
His reaction alarmed me. Did he still want to go?
Half the blood in my body flooded into my cheeks. Words tumbled out. “Y
ou don’t have to. I mean, if you’d rather not, or if you’re planning on escorting someone else, then—”
“No, no! I’m just … surprised. When I offered, you didn’t seem too excited.” He grinned like a chimp. “I’d be delighted.”
Whew.
“Great! You’ll be a marshal, of course. Ben will be the other, and Shelton and Hi will sing backup. My stags,” I clarified lamely.
“Ben, huh.” Jason’s grin twisted at the corners. “Should be interesting.”
“They’re my best friends, Jason. I couldn’t leave them out.”
He nodded firmly. “Nor should you. We’ll make it work. I promise.”
“Thanks.”
Jason’s mature outlook reassured me. This would be okay. Right?
The bell rang our five-minute warning. Jason and I said good-bye and headed to our respective classes. I slid into my desk just as Shelton and Hi filled the two beside me.
Calculus dragged. Mr. Terenzoni’s pinched, nasal voice droned on and on about an equation scrawled on the dry-erase board. Though I tried to pay attention, my mind wandered.
The Gamemaster’s clue was still a mystery. No matter how I attacked it, the arrangement made no sense. Shelton was testing different coding systems, but so far had struck out. Hi was equally baffled, and Ben didn’t seem to be trying.
The timer was counting down to midnight. For the first time, I began to doubt we’d actually solve the puzzle.
What would happen if we failed? Who would pay the price?
“Miss Brennan?”
My eyes shot to the front. Mr. Terenzoni was stroking his thin, black beard, irritation etched on his face. “We are waiting.”
“Twelve?” Stock answer. I had no idea what the question was.
“No, Miss Brennan. The answer is not twelve. The answer is Green’s theorem.”
Snickers floated around me. Mr. Terenzoni wagged his head slowly.
Red-faced, I pushed aside my concerns and focused on not sounding like an idiot twice.
I caught my next target just before lunch.
“Ben?” Pulling him aside. “I need to ask you something.”
“Okay.”
“My debutante ball is next Friday night.”
No reaction. Ben sometimes made conversation difficult.
“I’m supposed to invite escorts. Marshals for the ceremony, and stags, too.”