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that out?”
    “Yeah, but I’m going to look at a few more first, and maybe browse the Internet while I’m at it.”
    “We only have one computer,” she said apologetically, pointing toward the back corner of the library where a middle-school
    aged girl typed furiously on the keys. “Alice Pengres is on it yet again.” She rolled her eyes. “I wish her parents would get Internet service already. She’s here every bloody day for hours on end. I swear she clocks more time here than I do.”
    I shrugged. “Oh well, I’ll just have to wait until we get Internet service at my house. My dad promised we’d have a connection by this weekend.”
    “Well, I’ll warn you right now that the speed is a bit dodgy in this town. Some days you get on fast, and some days it’s as slow as can be.”
    Since my dad was a software designer, he used the best of the best when it came to technology, so Internet speed usually wasn’t a problem, but then again we weren’t in Portland anymore. “Well, I’d better get back to searching.”
    “And I’d better get back to work before Mrs. Landridge returns from break.”
    “I’ll see you tonight,” I said, and as she walked away, I glanced over at Ian and was surprised he was looking at me and not Megan.
    “See, you are making friends already,” he said, sounding happy for me.
    “Looks that way,” I said, excited I’d been invited to Milo’s. I just hoped Shane wouldn’t be pissed I was going.
    The old man cleared his throat loudly, and Ian smiled and took hold of my hand.
    “Come on, we had better get out of here.”

Chapter 7
    I tried to calm my nerves as I walked with Shane up the cobbled stone pathway leading to Milo’s house. The last time I’d been to a party had been the night before the accident that killed my mom. It felt strange, and somehow wrong––and the only thing that kept me walking toward the door was the fact I wanted to spend time with Shane.
    Speaking of Shane, he actually had looked relieved when I told him I was going to the party. Aside from our trip to the castle, I tried to recall the last time we hung out together. We used to attend dances at a gym called “Hoops”, where we’d dance all night with our friends to bad techno music. Back then we’d always got along, and always defended each other if the other one was in trouble of any kind…that was until I started hanging out with Ashley.
    Meeting Ashley had been the beginning of the end for me. I thought she was so cool, so different than Becca and my other friends.
    I was a dancer, on the honor roll, and I didn’t smoke, drink or do drugs, but Ashley did.
    And she convinced me that my life would be so much better if I did too.
    In my starry-eyed mode, I’d turned away from everything I had known, including my family. And then Shane had started acting out, and my parents had blamed me, which in turn made me push them even farther away.
    Music blared through the open windows of the gray stone cottage that had a ginger-bread house look about it. My heart picked up speed with every step that brought us closer. I had spent an hour getting ready and I hoped I wasn’t overdressed. I’d opted for a black, button-up shirt, and dark jeans with a pair of wedge heels. For the first time in months I had curled my hair and put on
    makeup. As I’d been getting ready, I couldn’t help but wonder what Ian would think of the outfit, or how I looked.
    Shane knocked on the door. A second later the door flew open and Milo was there, smiling from ear to ear. “Welcome, American friends,” he said with a terrible American accent.
    His gaze caught mine and he whistled through his teeth as he looked me up and down.
    “Dude, seriously,” Shane said, sounding irritated.
    I had to admit Shane’s behavior surprised me in a good way. I liked knowing he had my back.
    Milo threw up his hands. “Dude, I’m just saying big sister’s smokin’ hot.” The words sounded strange with his Scottish accent, but