The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1)

“Why do you think she’s dead?” My fingers travel up and down Isa’s back and my touch seems to soothe her.

“Lynn just told me she was.” Her voice is hoarse. “She said she was a bad person and that she is rotting in her grave now.”

I shake my head. Fucking Lynn. That woman is a bitch, just like her Mini Me Clone daughter. “Isa, you know Lynn could be lying to you? She’s not a reliable source.”

“Yeah, I know.” She sniffles into my shirt. “But what if she’s not lying? What if she’s telling the truth?”

I think about the papers I tucked away in my back pocket about an hour ago, the papers Big Doug gave me from all the information he dug up on Isa’s mom.

“But she might not be.” I want to tell her what I know, but I’m worried she’ll completely break apart if I do it right now. Isa’s a strong girl—she’s had to be with all the shit she’s put up with at home—but this is big. If I wait a few days, she’ll be able to handle the news better, and that might give me enough time to get some more information on why her mom’s in jail in Virginia. The papers said for murder charges, but didn’t give all the details. I’m not buying the story yet. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last couple of months, it’s never assume things are what they appear to be.

“Why do your stomach muscles keep tightening?” she asks, pulling back to look at me. Her eyes are swollen and she’s got the whole raccoon look going on, but she still looks beautiful. “Am I hugging you too hard?”

I snort a laugh. “Yeah, your tiny little arms are giving me booboos.”

That gets her to smile, but then she instantly frowns as her eyes well up again.

“Hey, I have an idea.” I drape my arm over her shoulders and steer her toward the house. “How about we go inside, get you some chocolate, and watch Zombieland.” I know she won’t refuse, because sugar and zombies are the key to her heart.

“Thanks, Kai, you’re such a good friend,” she says, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. “Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

My lip twitches at the friend reference, but I remind myself that it’s for the best, at least until I get this shit with T sorted out, because the last thing I want to do is drag her into that mess. After that, though, all bets are off. That kiss in the tree will happen, but when she’s ready.

She may think she likes Kyler, that he’s the one for her, but she’s wrong. Kyler doesn’t get her like I do, doesn’t know how to make her laugh, doesn’t know how to talk comic book and superhero crazy talk with her like I do.

I just hope one day she realizes that.