“No,” Logan scoffed. “Troy’s dad thinks they’re just trying for insurance fraud.”
“It is not insurance fraud,” I snapped, and glared at Logan, not that it fazed him. Nothing seemed to faze him, except Gabe’s threats of violence. “Something really attacked the tigers.”
Logan held up his hands in a gesture of peace, but the arrogant smirk remained plastered on his face. “Whatever you say. You guys must be the only carnies out there not scheming or looking for a quick buck.”
“Logan!” Selena swatted him in the arm hard enough to make him actually flinch. “Be nice to her! She’s my brother’s girlfriend.”
My irritation with Logan momentarily disappeared when I heard the word girlfriend, and I felt my whole body flush. I’d kissed boys and gone out with them before, but I’d never hung around anywhere long enough for me to really be someone’s girlfriend.
Even now, seeing Gabe nearly every day since we’d gotten to town, I wouldn’t really consider myself his girlfriend. That was a title reserved for something more serious, something that lasted longer than a week.
Still, a warmth grew in my chest and butterflies filled my stomach at the thought of actually calling Gabe my boyfriend.
“Why don’t you go make yourself useful and get me a drink?” Selena suggested to Logan, who’d just stared sullenly at her since her outburst.
“Fine,” Logan agreed.
He tried to take the umbrella with him, but Selena snatched it from him, so he pulled his jacket over his well-manicured blond hair as he walked into the rain. He muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t hear, but it caused Selena to narrow her eyes at him.
“I’m sorry about Logan,” Selena said, still glaring after him. “He’s a grump sometimes.”
“Yeah, I figured that,” I said, since I didn’t know Selena well enough to ask her what she saw in Logan or why she was dating someone who was so obviously a massive jerk, when she seemed so nice.
She turned her attention back to me, giving me a sympathetic smile. “So everything is okay? I hadn’t heard anything about the animal attack.”
“I think everything’s okay now.”
“Good.” She nodded, then repeated it to herself again. “Good.” A bright smile returned to her face. “I just thought I’d say hi and see how you were doing. I wanted to get to know the girl that has so totally captured my brother’s attention and his affection.”
I smiled because I couldn’t help myself, and my cheeks warmed with embarrassment. Unsure of how else to respond, I lamely replied with, “I like your brother too.”
“He told me that you’re leaving on Sunday,” Selena said. “Have you thought about staying?”
“I … um, I…” I stammered, unable to tell her what I was really thinking.
I’d love to have a home base somewhere, with a house that isn’t on wheels, and I’d love to see Gabe every day, not just for this week but the week after that and the week after that.
But there was no way that I could stay in a town like Caudry. It felt small and claustrophobic, with people like Logan, who knew everybody’s business and looked down on them for it.
And that was without even getting into the supernatural issues with the Nukoabok Swamp and purple fireflies and the creature that stalked our camp.
On Sunday, regardless of how I felt about Gabe, I would be leaving Caudry forever.
“Sorry, I’m being nosy,” Selena said quickly, apparently noticing the distress in my expression. “That’s something you should talk about with Gabe, not me.”
“It’s okay,” I told her, and forced a smile.
“Anyway, I should go find Logan before he gets himself into trouble.” Selena glanced around, looking for her boyfriend.
“It was nice seeing you again,” I said.
“You too.” She started walking away, but then she paused and turned back to me. “And, Mara, if you have any more problems with that animal, you should let Gabe know. I’m sure he’d love to help you, if he can.”
“Thanks,” I said, but something about her expression felt very strange.
In fact, the whole day had felt off and strange, like the uncomfortable stillness before a storm hits, and I realized that I didn’t want to be at the carnival a moment longer.
33. lusus naturae
I was soaked through by the time I reached Gabe’s. As I’d walked up the cobblestone driveway toward his house, the branches from the willow trees seemed to be reaching out for me.
Despite the warmth of the air, I felt a chill run through me as I walked up his steps. I took the heavy iron knocker in my hands and stared up at the white mansion that loomed over me.
The appearance of the antebellum architecture meant it was most likely hundreds of years old. There had to have been so much that happened inside the walls of the house. So much life, and so much death.