“Margo!”
I jumped and turned. Dorian was walking a gigantic dog on a leather lead toward me. I met him halfway, trying to shake off the sudden fear that had engulfed me. The hackles on the dog’s back rose until Dorian laid his hand on the animal’s collar.
“What are you doing here?” he said. “Stalking me?”
“Very funny. My dad is doing some work out here. He dragged me along because I’m a loser and have no friends.”
“His words?” he asked with a grin.
I smiled back. “Almost. So you live around here.”
He nodded at the main houses. “Over there actually.”
“You share their surname,” I said, suddenly realising. “Are you related?”
Dorian’s brown eyes leaned toward a soft toffee colour, and his hair and skin were both far lighter than the older men. He was tall, but kind of scrawny, definitely not as broad as the other men. And he was fair enough to have a million freckles across his crooked nose. His cheeks were constantly flushed. He was kind of cute, actually, in an endearingly earnest way.
“Not a blood relative,” he said, looking uncomfortable. “They sort of took me into the family.”
“Oh,” I blurted. “I’m adopted, too.” I never told people that. Then again, I’d never had reason to. Back home, everyone already knew my story. I gazed at Dorian with interest. He stared back as though trying to figure something out.
The staring contest continued until the dog nudged my hand, making me jump again. “Yours?” I asked, clearing my throat.
“No, he’s Perdita’s. Ms. Rivers,” he corrected.
I frowned, trying to make the connection. “The art teacher?”
He nodded. “I live with her.” He nodded at the men. “And Nathan. They’re my guardians.”
I looked around at Nathan Evans. He had to be in his twenties still. He and Ms. Rivers looked way too young to have adopted a teenager. I was dying to ask more questions, but Dad called me over. Dorian escorted me with the creepy monster dog who kept staring at me.
Nathan ruffled Dorian’s hair. “’Bout time you got back.”
“The hound’s old and lazy,” Dorian said, freeing himself. “Slowing down, just like you.”
Nathan brightened as though he hadn’t just been burned. These people were even weirder than my family. I liked that a lot.
“We’ll head on,” Dad said, and I noticed he had been giving Dorian some serious Dad Eye. “I’ll be back to take some measurements, then I should be ready to start in a few days.”
“If you need help with anything, I’ll be around,” Dorian said.
“Good idea,” Byron said. “I’ll try to round up a few of the kids to help out.”
“That’s not necessary,” Dad said. “I’m used to working alone, and I wouldn’t want to use up their holidays.”
“We like to get everyone involved,” Nathan explained.
Dad nudged me. “Hear that, Margo?”
I groaned. “Oh, God, not me, too.”
Dad’s answering grin told me everything I didn’t want to know. Hedesperatelywanted me to make friends.
As we left, Dorian shouted after us, “Don’t forget the party!”
Chapter 10
Dorian