By the annoyed set of his jaw, I must go too low. Oz rolls his eyes and leans forward. “It’s here.”
His thumb skims the corner of my mouth. My heart stops beating, and heat explodes through my body. A little gasp of air leaves my lips and Oz jolts back like electricity shocked us both.
Oz is up, out of his seat and across the kitchen before I can remember to inhale. The skin that he touched tingles and I twine my fingers together on my lap to restrain myself from brushing my fingertips over the sensitive area.
He flips the handle to the faucet and fixes a glass of water. His Adam’s apple moves as he drinks and I have to work to tear my gaze away. When I do, I’m greeted by a very curious Olivia.
“I had powdered sugar on me,” I say, because it feels like I should say something.
“I noticed,” she answers. “Oz, would you go get me my reading glasses? I left them in the clubhouse. On the bar, I believe. If anyone is there, tell them Eli gave you permission to be in the clubhouse through me.”
“My pleasure,” he mumbles, and the front door creaks open faster than I thought it would.
Olivia opens the wooden box and rifles through it. “We can bake cookies later. You used to prefer sugar cookies and liked it when we iced them. You particularly loved the ones with chocolate sprinkles.”
I sweep some of the powder sugar off the table onto my hand. Does she think I’m five? “Sure.”
“I don’t burn them.”
“Okay.” The garbage can must be the type that fits in a drawer because I’m not spotting one. “I didn’t tell Mom about the picture.”
“Figured you didn’t. You’re still here.”
I rise and dump the sugar into the sink, then turn on the water to encourage the white specks to drain down the pipes. This is the first time I’ve been alone with Olivia since she gave me the picture and I have a sinking feeling that it won’t be my last, but meeting her, talking with her, is the reason I’m here. “Since I am, do you want to tell me this so-called truth of yours?”
Olivia slowly appraises me and she has this evil, heavy-lidded substitute-teacher expression. “It’s not ‘so-called.’ It’s the absolute truth. And no, I’m not going to tell you.”
My head flinches back. “Why not?”
“Because you haven’t agreed to stay.”
Hello? “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“I want you here for the entire summer. You’re a smart girl. I see it in your eye
s. Everyone thinks you’re shy or freaked out, but I know better. You’re observing us. Taking notes. Figuring out how we work so you’ll know how to play us. If I tell you what you want to know now, I have no doubt you’ll be on the next flight to Florida. If you want the truth, it’ll be on my terms.”
I blink to the point that little white lights emerge in my vision. “What do you mean?”
From the box Olivia pulls out a folded piece of paper with serrated edges as if it was torn out of a notebook. “You’re half McKinley and the other part of you belongs to Meg. If that combination doesn’t make you a master con artist, I don’t know what would. Be careful how you try to play me. I’ve never been known for my patience.”
She closes the box, places the notepaper on the table and shifts the newspaper closer to her as if we were done with conversation. I raise my chin. “Don’t talk badly about my mother.”
“You don’t know what your mother did to this family.” She doesn’t even bother glancing up from the newspaper. “This is my roof so we abide by my rules.”
“You’re the one that wants me here so badly so if I do stay, you’ll watch what you say. She raised me. You didn’t. End of story.”
Olivia lifts her eyes to me, her glare set to kill, but then her mouth slowly tips up. “Loyal to your blood. I can respect that. Remember that we’re your blood, too.”
The screen door opens and a second later, Oz’s mother, Izzy, pops her head into the kitchen. “Are you ready, Olivia?”
“Doctor’s appointment,” she says and stands. “Go help Oz find my glasses. The clubhouse is the large building across the yard.”
Olivia pats her hand over the notepaper on the table. Izzy leaves the room and I stop Olivia before she walks out of the kitchen. “What is that?”
“Incentive to stay.”
From the living room, Izzy asks if Olivia needs her jacket and Olivia informs her that she’s not a “fucking child” and Izzy reminds her that “fucking children” are easier to take care of. Something about the ticked-off, heartfelt fondness in Izzy’s tone causes me to grin.