Lucid (2 page)

They didn’t know about his ability, just like my mom didn’t know about mine, nor did she know that my “deserter” father had the same ability and had passed it on to me. Ethan had built-up resentment toward his mom and dad because of their inability to support him while his manifesting powers turned his life into a full-blown nightmare. His parents clung to the belief that he was highly emotional and was just acting out. I didn’t want to interrupt the mending he was trying to accomplish now that he’d figured out how to deal with his ability.

Me – 3:48 p.m. ~ What matters is that you’re making progress so you can be on good terms with your parents before you come back to Virginia.

Ethan – 3:49 p.m. ~ Are you sure you’re okay
?
Is Fate leaving you alone
?

My heart swelled that he still worried for me, even while he was dealing with his own personal stuff. I started to respond when Lainey came running up, bursting with excitement.

“Matt is great!”

“Matt, is it?” I teased as she tugged me into step beside her. I’d driven Lainey home yesterday, because she’d needed someone to talk to once she’d seen Jared openly pawing his new girlfriend.

“Matt agrees with me that it’s awfully convenient Tarra dumped him and got together with Jared right before the winter dance.”

I watched Matt drive off in his Jeep. “Convenient? I don’t understand—”

“Don’t you get it?” Lainey grabbed my shoulders. Wide-eyed, she shook me like she was trying to rattle the answer from my brain.

I shook my head and shrugged, waiting for her to fill me in.

“Haven’t you been paying attention to the morning announcements?”

“Not really.”

She rolled her eyes. “Jared and Tarra currently have the highest votes to be Ice King and Ice Queen of the winter dance.”

“Is there an ‘Ice Couple’ award this year?” I snorted at my own joke, but quickly adopted a serious expression when Lainey narrowed her gaze. “Um, what difference does that make?”

Lainey heaved a sigh, then kicked a pebble before she continued walking. “It means, that maybe the reason Jared is suddenly so hot and heavy with Tarra is because he wants to make sure he’s got the Ice King vote locked in.”

I had to rush to keep up with her. The more worked-up she became, the faster she walked. “You think he’s using her?”

When Lainey nodded, I gave up trying to talk logically with her about Jared. “Maybe she’s using him too.”

Lainey tugged her Fossil purse higher on her shoulder, then adjusted her backpack strap on the other one. “That’s what Matt thinks. I’m going to his house this afternoon so we can discuss it. Did you know he lives on the far side of your neighborhood, near the second entrance?”

“Really?”
That’s probably why I’d never seen his car before. I never took that entrance.
“Er, you’re going over there?”
To discuss it?
What she really meant was…strategize. At this rate, she’d never get over Jared. “Why don’t you come to CVAS with me instead? Volunteering is good for the soul. Plus, you said you wanted to see why I spend so much time there. You’ll get to play with kittens and puppies,” I cajoled with a winning smile, hoping to entice her. Helping out at the Central Virginia Animal Shelter would be a perfect distraction for her until soccer started back up.

We’d stopped next to her car and she shuddered as she dug into her purse for her keys. “
And
clean up their poop. Thanks, but I’ll pass. Anyway, you can’t stop by the shelter today. You’re coming with me.”

“What?” I frowned. “Why do I have to come?”

Lainey pursed her lips. “’Cause it’ll feel weird going over there by myself, silly.”

And here I thought you wanted me there for a logical reason—like, to stop you from doing something you might regret later!
Who was I kidding? When it came to Jared, Lainey’s logic was like a circular reference in an Excel spreadsheet—permanently stuck on “no resolution.” I suddenly regretted not volunteering at CVAS this afternoon. Then I’d have a valid I-have-to-work excuse. “Why can’t you just be thrilled Jared and Sophia didn’t end up together and let this Tarra thing go? It’s not like you want to get back with him, right?” I really needed to derail her from this new—and possibly even crazier—path.

“Of course not.” Lainey pointed at me with a jingle of her car keys. “And you’re going!” As she unlocked her car, she glanced at my phone. “Think of your sacrifice as payment due for all the times you ignored me during your Ethan text-fests these last couple of weeks.” A thoughtful expression crossed her face. “How’s he liking cyber school?”

Ethan!
I glanced down at my phone to see he’d sent another text. It was hard to resist looking at it, but I managed. Her question made me realize I hadn’t asked him how his online schoolwork was going. Lainey didn’t know his issues. Just that he was spending some needed time with family. “It’s fine.” Ethan was naturally smart. I was sure he’d aced all his tests.

“I’d be bored out of my mind,” she said, then wrinkled her nose as she gestured toward the three ravens hanging out on top of my car. “It’s like they’ve adopted you since Ethan left.”

“They’re just birds.” Lainey eyed them warily and started to say something else, but I cut in, “Fine, I’ll go with you. See you in an hour.”

I waited until she drove off before I grabbed some kibble from a baggie in my backpack—the last thing Lainey needed to see was me feeding them—then scattered the hard bits on my car’s roof to occupy the birds. Once they began to chow down, I leaned against my door and read Ethan’s text.

Ethan – 3:50 p.m. ~ You there? Don’t leave me hanging here, Sunshine. I need to know you’re okay.

Me – 4:00 p.m. ~ Sorry! Lainey was in a chatty mood. Fate hasn’t shown up. Really, I’m good
.

Of course, I hadn’t had to butt into anyone’s life these past couple of weeks, either. Just because I’d outsmarted Fate to keep him from killing me in my dreams didn’t guarantee that he’d leave me alone while I was awake if I started interfering in people’s lives again. Thankfully things had settled into uneventful normalcy.

I considered mentioning the oddness that had happened this morning since Ethan understood what it felt like to see things he couldn’t explain, but decided not to. It would be too hard to explain via text, and I hadn’t felt threatened in any way. I’d tell him about it once he got back.

Ethan’s text came through at the same time the most dominant raven, Patch (I’d named him that because of the patch of white feathers around his right eye), walked right up behind me to lean around my shoulder, looking over it.

“This is private,” I said, shooing him away before I opened Ethan’s message.

Ethan – 4:01 p.m. ~ Glad to hear it. I’ve got to go for now. TTTWFO
.

The meaning behind that very special sign-off made me tingle all over. He rarely used it, but when he did, it felt as if the sun was rising inside me. Smiling, I texted back.

Me – 4:02 p.m. ~ Cross my heart
.

While I drove home, I sighed with wistful longing as I recalled the first time Ethan had used that acronym.

Chapter Two

Two weeks ago

“Are you kidnapping me?” I loved the fact I had no idea where Ethan was taking us. All I knew was we’d left our hometown of Blue Ridge behind and were heading north.

His dark blue eyes slid my way as he laid his hand casually across the steering wheel. “It’s a surprise.”

Instead of excitement, his gaze held something else. He’d looked at me the same way the last fifty times he’d stolen a glance—like he wanted to stamp my features in his memory.

My chest tightened and I reached over to clasp his free hand. “What kind of surprise?” I asked, my voice sounding scratchy.

He pointed our locked fingers toward the window, indicating the sunshine streaming across the dash. “It’s a beautiful day. I just want to spend it alone with you.” His smile was genuine, but his expression still seemed pensive.

Twenty minutes later, the rumbling Mustang took a hairpin turn, gravel pinging the car’s fenders as we took what appeared to be a back access road. Sunlight dappled through the thick canopy of firs lining our path, warming the car’s interior to the point I’d cracked open the window. Somewhere far off in the distance, a grill billowed a delicious mesquite aroma. Looked like others were enjoying this rare warm November day too. When I turned my nose toward the window and inhaled, my stomach suddenly growled like a bear waking up from a long winter’s nap.

Releasing my hand, Ethan laughed and patted my noisy belly. “Don’t worry. We’re going to eat.”

The easy way he laughed set my questions about his mood aside, making me smile.

I was pretty sure we were on Montpelier land, because I’d seen the “Home of James Madison” signs as we drove near the area. Montpelier was a historic landmark and private land, so I was surprised we were able to just drive in without being stopped by someone. “Um, don’t we need to like ask permission to be here?”

He gave a sly half smile. “We’re not actually on Montpelier property, just near it, but if anyone asks, this is when having a brother with government connections comes in handy.”

“Samson got permission? Wow, that was nice of him. What’s the catch?”

“Catch?”

“Yeah. Why’d he do this? Your birthday is already past and mine’s not for a few weeks. Seems like a lot of trouble…”

Ethan shrugged. “I asked and he found us a way in.”

I squinted in suspicion. “Just because?”

With a resigned sigh, Ethan slowed his car until we rolled to a stop in the middle of the road. “You’re not going to let me surprise you, are you?”

His steady gaze made me squirm. All it took was that look to remind me I still had a hard time
not
knowing every step of my life before it happened.

I gave a sheepish smile and laced our fingers together once more, setting our hands on my thigh. “Surprise away.”

Relief rolled through his features and his grip on my hand relaxed. Why was he so tense? I wondered, but then brushed aside my anxious musing. Today was about spending quality time alone. Ethan and I really hadn’t had much of that since I’d faced off with Fate a couple of weeks before. As soon as my mom got home from her trip and found out about Lainey’s car accident, she’d taken me on two back-to-back girls’ weekend trips.

I was glad Mom and I were finally starting to reconnect, but the trips had eaten into my time with Ethan. I was definitely ready for some alone time.

I tensed when Ethan turned off the dirt road, driving straight through a narrow pathway between a group of trees. It looked so overgrown, I wondered if we were going into uncharted territory and would unknowingly plunge into a ravine. Before I had a chance to ask, the Mustang emerged from the thicket into a clearing.

A patchwork blanket of fall-colored leaves completely covered the secluded quarter acre of land surrounding a gorgeous pond. Several geese quietly maneuvered around maple leaves the size of dinner plates, while the sun sparkled off the rippling water. The idyllic scenery could have been plucked right out of a Kinkade painting.

“It’s gorgeous!” I whipped out my phone, but after a couple of attempts, I frowned that my phone couldn’t come close to capturing the breathtaking colors. “Cheap camera,” I grumbled and tucked my phone away.

While Ethan carried the basket he’d hidden in the trunk of his car, I grabbed the huge blanket he’d brought along. The noon sun shined, making me giddy as it warmed me from cheek to toe. As soon as I laid the blanket out, I slipped out of my jacket and shoes, then plopped onto the middle of the blanket, throwing myself back to stare into the crystal blue sky. If I didn’t
know
it was November, I would have sworn it was early September, where only the mornings were brisk and cool.

“You couldn’t have picked a more perfect day for this.” I sighed happily, resisting the urge to make a “snow angel” against the blanket’s soft lamb’s-wool lining.

Ethan nudged my foot with his black army boot. “Scooch over and give me some room, blanket hogger.”

I snickered and rolled onto my belly. “What’s in the basket?”

“Something I slaved over.” Ethan set the basket down with anticipation lighting his eyes.

“Ooh, you cooked?” I sat up, reaching for the basket to see what kind of meal he’d put together.

Ethan swatted my hand away. “A fine meal like this should be savored.”

I waited with barely controlled patience as he made a show of first pulling plastic plates, cups, and napkins from the basket. My mouth watered when he finally reached in. What would it be? BBQ chicken? Grilled steaks? When he pulled out a cracker and cheese tray, a small fruit tray, then a couple of candy bars—all courtesy of our local grocery store—we both laughed.

I shook my head and smiled. “Slaved over, huh?”

Ethan shot me a cheeky grin as he opened the food containers. “It’s the thought that counts.”

Leaning over, I kissed him on the jaw and whispered, “It counts for a lot. And so does bringing me here.”

Before I could pull away, Ethan pressed his mouth to mine. I smiled against his lips and kissed him back. When he cupped my face to pull me closer, tiny shivers rippled through me. I melted into him, wanting to drown in the closeness we’d both missed lately. While I’d been out of town with my mom for a long weekend, Ethan had been working on a home project with Samson. If Ethan spent time away from me, his power’s effect on me faded and he no longer continued to absorb my dreams. They’d returned to me last night, but since Ethan never appeared in my dreams, I’d only dreamed that I spent this afternoon reading at home.

Dates like this—surrounded by nature and Ethan’s own heady smell of outdoors and spicy deodorant—oh, yeah, I was already addicted. Ethan’s warm fingers slid under my shirt, splaying wide across my bare skin. He pressed me to him as if he couldn’t get close enough. My heart thumped and I started to tug him back onto the blanket when my stomach had the nerve to growl, ruining the moment.