Page 46 of The Family Guest

“That’s an excellent idea, Paige.”

“What are the two of you doing?” At the sound of her voice, I spun around.

Tanya! Wearing my sister’s shimmering pink robe, she swanned into the kitchen. I was surprised she wasn’t walking stiffly. And she looked amazing. Her bottle-blonde hair freshly washed and blown, her face a lot less swollen. Almost back to normal.

“Tanya!” cried my alarmed mother, dropping her peeler. “What on earth are you doing out of bed?”

Coming our way, she raked her hand through her long locks. “I couldn’t sleep, and I was getting bored.”

My mom studied her and smiled. “Darling, you look so much better.”

“Thank you. I took a long hot bath and it really helped. I feel much better too.”

Doused in that rose-scented perfume and her skin as fresh as morning dew, she looked and smelled like an English rose. Like one of those girls in that Madonna picture book my sister and I both loved as kids. My sister thought she looked a lot like the beautiful blonde one. She did. And so did Tanya. I, on the other hand, identified with the bespectacled outsider one. Figures.

My mom broke into my thoughts. “Sit down, Tanya. I don’t want you on your feet with your concussion.”

“It’s just a mild one.”

“Please, sit.” Our miraculously recovered exchange student took a seat across from me. “We’re making soup. It’ll be good for you.”

“Thanks, Natalie. You’re the best.” She eyed my mother’s half-depleted glass of wine. I was just waiting for her to ask if she could have some, but instead she surprised me by inquiring, “Have you heard anything about the car?”

“Not yet. Matt’s heading over to our mechanic during his lunch break.”

She gazed at me. “Sorr-y, Paige.”

There was not one bit of sincerity in her singsong voice. Then something dawned on me. I mentally smirked. It was worth a shot.

“It must have been so scary for you to drive on the other side of the road. Especially making lefts.”

She cocked a brow and grimaced. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

Ha! Gotcha!

“You know, how in the UK, cars have their steering wheels on the right and you have to drive on the other side of the street.”

“Oh, r-right.”

I stifled a wicked smile. My arse. Our befuddled exchange student was as much from Britain as I was.

Not picking up on Tanya’s faux pas, my mom piped in. “Yes, Matt told me he had a horrible time driving in London when he went there in April on a business trip.” She looked at our exchange student. “It’s a miracle you didn’t kill yourself yesterday.”

Too bad she didn’t.

I was now more convinced than ever she was no exchange student.

And no English rose.

Just a poisonous thorn in my side, which I needed to pluck out from under my skin.

If only they made mega-size tweezers so I could rid myself of her forever.

TWENTY-FOUR

PAIGE

Seated on the top of his geek throne, Will was glued to his laptop when I returned to his room. Faithful Bear was curled up in a big ball on the floor, snoring. He was getting old. I was eager to find out what my brother had learned about the person Tanya’s computer was registered to.