The Phoenix Prophecy: Nova by Cara Clare

Author:Cara Clare [Clare, Cara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Plume Noire Books
Published: 2022-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

22

NOVA

“So, Kole… are pancakes your specialty? Do you cook other stuff?” I know it’s a lame question, but his brooding silence is killing me.

“Mack does evenings, Kole does mornings.” Tanner replies for him, shoveling a forkful of pancakes and syrup into his mouth. A bead of syrup catches on his lip. I wipe it with my index finger and, without thinking, put my finger in my mouth. Watching me, Tanner’s eyes look like they might pop right out of his head.

Blushing, I wipe my hand on a napkin then concentrate on moving a blueberry around my plate with my fork.

As Kole gets up to make more coffee, Tanner leans in and whispers, “That was so fucking hot.”

My skin is fizzing. I’m thinking about what happened when I was hiding under Kole’s desk. When I tasted Tanner’s…

“Juice?”

I blink hard and shake my head.

Kole is speaking to me. “Nova?” He is pointing at a jug on the countertop. “Juice?”

“Yes. Please.” I nudge Tanner with my elbow because he’s still leaning in close to me and the warmth of his body next to mine is getting too much to handle.

Accepting the glass Kole offers me, I’m starting to wonder how I’m going to get out of my swimming lesson this afternoon. I didn’t lie when I told him I couldn’t swim—I really can’t—but of course, there’s a much bigger reason I don’t want to be in a bathing suit around him. I’m about to suggest that maybe we just stick to the picnic, at least until I’ve had a chance to buy something to swim in, when Tanner sits up and says, “Sounds like Mack and Luther are back.”

“Back? Where have they been?” I push away my empty plate.

Tanner shrugs. “Work, I guess.” But he exchanges a look with Kole, which tells me something else is going on here.

Kole nods, almost imperceptibly, puts down the jug of juice, and stalks off into the hall.

Tanner is still talking to me about swimming. Describing the lake and the town’s infamous falls. But he stops when raised voices float in from the hall.

A few moments later, Kole is back. His eyes are dark, his jaw clenched. Instead of walking over to the table, he stays by the stove, lingering by the wall like a bodyguard or a cop.

Tanner looks at me, then slowly stands up, angling himself so he’s blocking Kole from my view. “Has something happened?” he asks, gesturing for me to stay seated.

“Mack and Luther need to speak with Nova.” Kole’s voice is almost a growl.

Mack enters the room first. He sees me and walks straight over to the table, sitting down opposite me like we’re in an interrogation room at a police station.

He must have noticed the panicked expression on my face because he pats my hand gently. “It’s okay, Nova, we just need to talk with you.”

Luther is next through the door. With him comes a wave of heat that almost knocks me from my chair. I look at the others to see if they’re feeling it too, but they don’t seem to have noticed.

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