She tossed her red hair. “I heard, but I know he’s just skipping town for a while.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Oh, is that so?”
She nodded. “Yeah, he left me a message on my cell phone earlier today.”
We both stared at her in shock. “You’re kidding? Did you tell Sonny?”
She nodded. “I just got back from talking to him. I even had him listen to the voicemail, too.”
“Sonny must be pissed,” muttered Nathan. “Setting up this big search party and now finding out he just skipped out of town for a while.”
“You could say he was a little pissed,” she answered.
“What did he say?” I asked. I was hurt and confused. I’d left him several messages and he’d called Celeste?
“Duncan said he was confused about you,” she said, staring at me with amusement. “That Ethan was still trying to come between you two and even went so far as to attack him the other night, just to get to you. He said he hit a tree and blacked out, when he woke up the next morning, you were gone and he assumed you’d left with Ethan, just like last time. He said it pissed him off so much that he drove to Minnesota where his mom lives. He needed time to think.”
The story didn’t make any sense at all. It didn’t sound at all like Duncan, either. He wouldn’t have left town that easily, especially without checking to make sure that I was okay. “We didn’t hit a tree,” I said. “We flipped, right here, as a matter of fact.”
“Where’s the truck then?” asked Nathan.
Great, now he was questioning me again. Like always.
I glared at him. “I don’t know but we definitely flipped. I was there.”
“So was Duncan,” said Celeste. “Anyway, you can talk to him about it when he gets back.”
I nodded. “Oh, I certainly will.”
If he ever came back.
“So, what kind of plans did you have in mind for tonight?” smiled Nathan, all thoughts of Duncan replaced by his raging hormones.
She removed her sunglasses and gave him a sultry look. “I was thinking about checking out that new club. You in?”
“I thought you were waiting until Saturday?” I asked.
She nodded. “I was. But then my friend, Julian – he’s a bouncer there – said they’re having a private party tonight and I should invite some friends. Julian says this party is going to be off the charts!”
“You’re just lucky you graduated last year, Celeste,” said Nathan. “We aren’t allowed to go clubbing on a school night.”
She gave him a pouty look. “Oh, come on. Your mom’s probably staying at my dad’s tonight, anyway; she won’t even know.”
He sighed. “Nikki’s grounded and I have to work tomorrow night. I’d be wiped out by then.”
Something changed in her expression and I watched as Nathan’s eyes seemed to dilate as he stared at her in wonder.
“Meet me there at ten o’clock,” she murmured, running her nails over the hand he’d planted near her window. “I promise you won’t regret it, Nathan.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” he answered, his eyes his face flushed.
“What the hell, Celeste?” I snapped.
She looked at me wide-eyed. “You’re free to tag along.” She smiled, giving me a hint of fang. “I won’t bite.”
I was so angry that I wanted to punch her, but I knew she’d kill me, literally. Instead, I just gave her a murderous look. “No, we’re both skipping tonight’s club invite. Sorry.”
Nathan turned to me. “That’s rude, Nikki. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, but don’t be such a bitch to Celeste!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled, shaking my head.
“Don’t worry, Celeste,” he said turning back to her. “I’ll be there.”
She gave me a triumphant smirk and then restarted the engine. Batting her eyes at my clueless brother, she said, “See you later, Nathan.” Then she took off, kicking up rocks and dust in her wake.
“What was that all about?” he asked, turning back to me. “You don’t have to be so damn rude to her all the time.”
I shook my head. “She just put you in some kind of trance. Don’t you even realize that?”
He scowled. “You’re completely nuts.”
I grabbed his arm. “Don’t go out tonight. Mom will kill you if she finds out, Nathan.”
He didn’t answer me, just shook my hand away and started walking back towards the cabin.
Chapter Eleven