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down, daring him to lie to her. He just kept up that annoying

grin. He had a good poker face and there was no way she was

getting under his skin to get at the truth. “Were you following

me? Watching me? Keeping tabs on me or whatever?”

He shook his head. “No.” He was still totally impassive.

Haley didn’t believe him. “You go on ahead to the kitchen.

Claire’s there alone. She’s been giving Jean some lessons,

teaching him all the things no one else would ever show him,

and he’s been loving it, but today she gave him a break. He’s

out back, enjoying the beach with Jenny.”

“Are you for real?” Had everything gone haywire since

she’d left? Claire seemed like a different person. Maybe that

made sense, given that Haley felt like a different person as

well.

“I’m for real. I’ll take your grandma out there to relax for a

little bit if you want to go into the kitchen alone.”

“No, that’s okay, I—”

“That would be perfect.” Her grandma tittered, hiding her

smile with her hand when Snake offered his arm like a

gentleman.

Great. Snake was charming her grandma right in front of her

eyes. Her grandma even waved over her shoulder as they

walked through the house together, heading for the back patio

door that opened up to the sprawling grounds and beach. The

water was probably so much warmer. Not that much time had

passed between when Claire had come out and given her shit

for swimming out there. Not much and so much. That was her

life now. So many contradictions.

Like now.

She couldn’t wait to get to the kitchen, but she hung back in