Read Deep Betrayal for Free Online

At least to me. Jules, poor thing, was sinking like a stone. How well did I know how that felt. I jabbed Calder hard in the ribs.
    “So glad to finally meet you,” Jules said, pushing her hair behind one ear.
    Oh, brother .
    Walking with Calder back toward the picnic table was a surreal experience. It was like two universes colliding: On my left walked my past, steadfast and normal. On my rightwalked my hoped-for future, less certain and one hundred and eighty degrees removed from normal. I wondered which one would implode from the pressure of the other. I couldn’t help but notice Jules stealing sideways glances at Calder. I knew what she was thinking without being telepathic.
    “Quit having impure thoughts,” I whispered in her ear.
    “Oh. My. Goodness,” she said through her teeth.
    Calder squeezed my hand. Of course he heard every word. He probably could have heard it from across the parking lot.
    Jules ran ahead to tell the lifeguard I was safe. I almost wished I was hurt. It would make this so much less embarrassing if I was bleeding. Maybe I could fake a head injury.
    The lifeguard blew his whistle in three sharp bursts and a collective groan came up from the shore. Rob came running, his face pale and sickly.
    “Geez, Lily, where were you?” Then he noticed Calder. “Who’s this?”
    “The figment of my imagination,” I said, more coolly than he deserved.
    Rob pulled me from Calder’s side and nearly suffocated me in a hug. “I thought you were dead,” he said. “Don’t do that again.”
    “Yeah, okay. Fine,” I said, laughing a little. “I’m sorry. I should have told someone I was going for a walk.” I pushed Rob off while electricity fizzed in the air behind me.
    Rob let me go and stuck his hand out toward Calder, who hesitated and blew a long stream of air from his lungs before taking Rob’s hand.
    “Thanks for bringing her back safe,” Rob said.
    “I can take care of myself,” I said, which made Calder wince, though I wasn’t sure why.
    Scott carried Sophie up the beach toward me, cradling her body in his arms. Her face was red and blotchy, making me feel my guilt more intensely than anything else.
    “Honey,” I said as she reached toward me. She was too heavy, and we collapsed on the sand.
    “Hi, Calder,” Sophie whimpered, without really looking at him, as if she expected nothing less than to see him walking me home.
    “I think I’ve had enough sun,” Colleen said. “Maybe we should call it a day.”
    Calder picked Sophie out of my lap and slung her onto his back without any effort. Together we climbed the hill toward the parking lot, dragging our coolers and towels with less finesse than we had hours earlier.
    “I don’t think we have room for you in the van,” Rob said to Calder.
    “That’s okay. I’ve got a car.”
    I looked around for the Impala but I didn’t see it anywhere.
    Calder asked, “Ride with me, Lil? Sophie, too?”
    I took his hand, and Rob jogged to Zach’s van a little faster than normal.
    “There’s something not right with that guy,” Calder said.
    I laughed, looping my arm through his. “Yeah, all right. Remind me to tell you the one about the pot and the kettle.”
    “Robby’s sad and kind of confused,” Sophie said, watching him climb into Zach’s van.
    “Oh yeah?” I laughed. “And what do you know about it?”
    Sophie shrugged. “You just have to look at him.”
    Calder gave Sophie a funny look, then ruffled her hair with his hand. “Get in the car, kiddo.” He held the door open, and she slid into the backseat of a rusty black Buick. I got in the front and sat as close as I could to Calder.
    “You look very pretty, Lily,” Sophie said as she drifted off to sleep.
    Calder’s gaze went to the rearview mirror; then he raised his eyebrows at me. I felt the blood rush into my cheeks. “She probably has heatstroke,” I said.

6
TRUTH
    T he motel where Mom and Dad were staying was a one-story structure with an enormous peak over