Page 53

Corey

THREE HOURS OF SMALL TALK, AND SOMEHOW COREY HAS SURVIVED.

His dad and grandfather dragged him all over the party, making sure Corey said hello to everyone important—investors, company VPs, old graduate school classmates, executives at rival companies who can’t help but be impressed the Barrions pulled off a party like this in a place like Idlewood. Through it all, Corey smiled, and shook a hundred hands, and listened to multiple people say he has his dad’s “presence” but “must favor your mom.” Which is an unsubtle way of saying Corey looks Black.

James trained him well. Corey barely broke a sweat, and his smile didn’t waver. When there’s finally a lull in the conversation, he takes the opportunity to “get some water,” and instead he hides in his bedroom.

Now Corey stands on his balcony, which overlooks the woods. He checks his texts. There’s one message from Dylan, which he doesn’t even bother to read. There’s another text from Penny asking where he is, but it’s from over an hour earlier. He texts her back, but there’s no response.

It’s getting closer to eleven—almost time for the curse-breaker. Corey should go find her so they can head to Elkie Lake.

Excitement fills Corey’s chest, making him lighter. Every time his dad introduced him as the “future CEO,” Corey felt the words settle on him like boulders. His dad still hasn’t asked him how he feels about the sudden change, or about the fact that Julian’s life—and Corey and Julian’s relationship—is ruined. But after tonight, it won’t matter. As soon as they break the curse, Corey’s future won’t be set in stone. His entire family will be free in a way they’ve never been before.

And Corey will figure out what kind of future he actually wants.

Corey turns to leave, but there’s a silhouette in the doorway.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Dylan says.

Corey doesn’t bother to ask how she got in. “Is Royce here?”

“He wasn’t on the guest list, so no. Then again, neither was I. Julian let me in.”

Corey lets out a bitter laugh. Of course he did.

Dylan pauses. “I wouldn’t have brought Royce anyway.”

“I don’t even care. Do what you want,” Corey says, and he brushes past her.

“We should talk,” she says.

He stops at the top step, because even after everything that’s happened, he can’t let himself think he’s better than her, or anybody else. “Not tonight. I’m going back to the party.”

“That’s it?” she asks, but he ignores her as he takes the stairs two at a time. Then she says something that makes Corey’s heart stop.

“Pretty sure I saw Alonso out back,” Dylan says. “You might want to put a collar on him before he causes a scene.”

Corey doesn’t acknowledge what she said. He keeps walking, hands fisted at his sides. But inside, fear tears him apart.

Because if Alonso is here, that means their entire plan is on the verge of imploding.

When he steps outside, Corey heads directly for the woods. He brushes past several people on his way out, including Naomi.

“Have you seen Penny?” she asks.

“No, sorry,” Corey says, and he almost asks if she’s seen Alonso, but Corey doesn’t want word to spread that he’s around. When he looks back, Naomi is marooned in the middle of the crowd, staring at her phone with a pained expression.

How could Alonso be here? Why is he here? That second question is easier to answer: Penny.

After fifteen minutes of searching, Corey hasn’t found them. His stomach twists in apprehension. Are they together? He checks his phone again, but there’s still no text from Penny or from the Cozy Mystery Book Club chat. He decides to make his way to the lake; they’ll have to be there eventually.

When Corey reaches the tree line behind his grandfather’s house, someone calls his name. Julian appears behind him, clutching his side and breathing hard.

“Where are you going?” Julian asks.

“So you’re talking to me now?”

Julian manages to straighten up. The gel in his hair can’t hold up in the heat, and he pushes a few strands out of his eyes. “Yeah. I guess I am.”

“I was taking a break from all the intros,” Corey says, crossing his arms and trying not to look at his phone again. The full moon is already high in the sky; they need to cast the curse-breaker, and soon.

Julian lets out a bark of laughter. “Cut the shit, Corey. I saw Penny with Alonso.”

Corey grits his teeth. Of course Julian saw them. Deflect, deflect, deflect. “Why would Alonso be here?”

“I don’t know, but I think you do.”

“So you’ve figured me out?”

“Almost. I’m missing something, but I can’t figure out what it is.”

They face off, glaring at each other. Julian nods behind Corey. “Where were you heading?” His eyes go wide. “Doesn’t this path lead to Elkie Lake?”

“Most of them do,” Corey says, but Julian is already moving past him. “Where are you going?”

“I’d like to take a walk, too,” Julian says. “See you later.”

Julian is forcing Corey’s hand. Either Corey can let him go and discover Penny and Alonso, or he can stop him. Either way, they’ll get caught. This will be over before they have a chance to cast the spell.

And Corey can’t let that happen.

Out of the corner of his eye, Corey spots his grandfather’s shed, the door slightly ajar, the key protruding from the lock. A plan forms quickly.

Corey steels himself. Then he runs up behind his cousin.

Julian is almost Corey’s height, but he’s skinny. Corey, on the other hand, is all muscle—so grabbing Julian under the arms and lifting him off the ground is easy.

“What are you—” Julian says, but he cuts off as Corey drags him to the shed.

It’s only a few feet away, but Julian thrashes, knocking Corey in the cheekbone with his head and spitting ugly words that Corey will never unhear. Corey manages to get the door of the shed open with his foot, and he throws Julian inside.

Julian crashes into some gardening equipment, and before he can stand up again, Corey closes the door and locks it from the outside, pocketing the key.

“Let me out!” Julian calls from inside. “I swear to god, I’ll fucking kill you, Corey.”

Corey blocks out the words. Breaking the curse will help everyone, including Julian, who is too busy drowning in jealousy to understand that Corey would always put Julian’s future—his family’s future—above himself. And when Corey tells his family he doesn’t want to be the CEO of their company, Julian will thank him.

Corey takes off running toward Elkie Lake.