Page 192 of Positively Pricked

Chapter 65

I sat up. The phone sounded like a landline. Funny, I didn't even realize the house had one – not hooked up, anyway.

I stood and looked around. The ringing was coming from somewhere near the rear of the house.

Suddenly curious, I began walking in that direction, listening as I went. I found the phone in the far corner of a small sitting room, jam-packed with boxes.

The phone was cherry red in a classic, retro design. It was still ringing.

I stared down at the thing. Should I answer it? Or let it ring? After all, the callcouldn'tbe for me – unless, maybe it was Zane?

Reluctantly, I scooped up the phone and answered with a tentative, "Hello?"

But it wasn't Zane's voice that greeted me on the other end. It was the voice of an unfamiliar female, demanding, "Who's this?"

"Uh, Jane. Who's this?"

"Jane who?"

I really didn't want to say, especially considering she still hadn't answeredmyquestion. "Sorry," I said, "but I think you might have the wrong number."

"I do not," she said. "You're inmyhouse."

I cringed.Oh, crap.She sounded close to my own age, which meant that I was probably talking to Bob's daughter, the one who'd been crying out on the front lawn.

I still hadn't responded when she spoke again. "And you're talking onmyphone. Aren't you?"

Heat flooded my face. "Actually, I'm not sure."

"Is it red?"

"Maybe," I admitted.

"What, you don't know?"

I did know. I just didn't want to say.

She said, "So, what's the deal? Are you living there now?"

I glanced around.WasI living here? Zane might say yes, but I'd say no. Splitting the difference, I settled on, "Not really."

"What kind of answer is that?"

Her open hostility was hard to stomach. And yet, I couldn’t exactly blame her. After all, I was in her space, using her things.

Still, I couldn’t help but sigh.Why on Earth had I answered?

She said, "I can hear you breathing, you know."

I winced. "Sorry, it was just a sigh."

"It didn't sound like a sigh to me."

"Well, it was," I insisted.

"So, what are you?" she asked. "His new squeeze?"

And just like that, the house felt several degrees warmer. If she was talking about Zane, I'd been his so-called squeeze for one unforgettable night.