He stared at her for a moment; those piercing blue eyes examined every inch of her, face, dress, finally the hair. All the warmth drained out of Josie as Mr. Byrne’s eyes lingered on her newly dyed locks. Dammit, she was going to get caught. He knew she wasn’t Jo. How stupid had they been, thinking they could fool their respective parents? Panic swept over her. How was she going to explain this?
Josie was debating whether or not to make a run for it, when a smile spread across Mr. Byrne’s face. “I’m just teasing you, princess. Don’t look so serious.”
Josie let out a breath. So Jo’s dad was a trickster. Ha. Ha-ha. So funny. “Sorry,” she said. “I guess I’m just tired.”
“I’d say.” He strode across the room and sat down at one of the place settings. “You looked as if you’d seen a ghost or something.”
Teresa reappeared as if by magic and scurried to Mr. Byrne’s side. She loaded his plate with scrambled egg whites and toast, then poured him a cup of coffee and whooshed out again without a word.
Josie smiled, but her eyes drifted toward the door, hoping someone else was going to make an entrance. Where was Jo’s mom?
“Is everything okay?” Mr. Byrne asked.
She hesitated. “I was just . . .” Crap, what should she say? Jo must have left something out. Maybe her mom was traveling for work? She was supposed to know that.
“I know,” he said softly. “I miss her too.”
Right. Jo’s mom wasn’t there. Phew. Would it have been so hard to mention that, Jo?
With renewed confidence, Josie helped herself to a piece of toast. Her stomach was in knots and she prayed the sustenance would calm her nerves.
Mr. Byrne ate in silence, fingering his tablet on the table next to his plate. Josie didn’t say a word. This seemed to be their normal morning routine, and she didn’t want to do anything out of the ordinary.
“Are you going to see Nick after school today?”
“I think so,” Josie said.
“Good. I like that boy, despite what happened.”
What happened?
“And it was nice of him to return the necklace to you.”
Return the necklace?
Mr. Byrne shoved the last morsel of toast into his mouth and drained his coffee. “Remind him about my offer, will you? Could really use a boy like that around the office. A government job right out of high school is an excellent opportunity, even if he has to work a few years at the Grid before he could transition into my department.”
Josie’s head was spinning as Mr. Byrne stood up and walked around to her side of the table. Something happened? What was the Grid? And Nick returned the necklace? Josie thought it had been a gift from boyfriend to girlfriend, just like the one Nick had given Madison. What was Jo’s dad talking about?
“Have a fantastic day, princess.” Mr. Byrne planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll be home late, so don’t wait up.”
TWENTY-ONE
7:15 A.M.
JOSIE’S MIND WAS A BLUR BY THE TIME SHE CLUMSILY grouped together what she assumed were her school things and closed the door to Jo’s room behind her. She was missing a piece of the puzzle. Had Jo not told her something? Or was she blowing Mr. Byrne’s comments completely out of proportion?
Stop trying to figure it out, Josie told herself. She was just a visitor and would be back in her own miserable life before she knew it. So what if Jo’s mom was away on business? At least Josie got to spend some family time with Mr. Byrne, who was sweet and attentive and not a heartbroken mess dating a former prom queen half his age. Besides, the most important part of her day was still ahead: Nick.
Josie slipped Jo’s cheat sheet out of her satchel as she headed downstairs. “Car’s in the garage off the laundry room behind the kitchen.” Got it. She took a right into the kitchen and tried to look easy and casual as she passed Teresa. The housekeeper stood at the sink meticulously washing the breakfast dishes. She didn’t look up as Josie walked by.
As in every other part of the house, bright lights flooded the Byrnes’ garage, glistening off the chrome fixtures. But Josie barely noticed the flood of lights. Her eyes were locked on the sleek black car before her.
The two-door BMW coupe looked as if it had just come off the showroom floor. Gleaming black with enormous performance wheels and a smoky glass moonroof, it looked like something James Bond would drive. She climbed into the leather driver’s seat and sat there, afraid to touch anything. While her old Focus had exactly two buttons on the dashboard—air-conditioning and hazard lights—Jo’s car was like the command center on a nuclear submarine. With a tentative finger, she engaged the push-button ignition. Instantly, the car came to life as the mirrors, steering wheel, and seat all moved into the perfect position for Josie’s frame. The in-dash navigation screen welcomed “Josephine” with a personal greeting, and a series of flashing lights and beeps told her that everything had been checked and rechecked, and they were ready for launch. Er, for her drive to school. Same thing.
Josie almost felt sorry for Jo, who’d have to limp through suburban Bowie in the shuddering, temperamental disaster that was the Teal Monster. She probably should have warned Jo about that tricky ignition.