The Back Door Of Midnight by Elizabeth Chandler

Author:Elizabeth Chandler [Chandler, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, Young Adult, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9780857070340
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 2010-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

fifteen

“WHERE WERE YOU?” Zack asked. “I looked indoors and out. You just disappeared.”

“The ladies’ room.” The only way for me to lie effectively was by telling the truth—at least, half a truth.

“I thought you were chasing down scallops wrapped in bacon.” The laughter I’d seen earlier in his eyes had disappeared.

“I couldn’t catch up with the tray. Looks like dinner is being served. I’m starved.”

Zack’s frown told me he didn’t buy my excuses.

Good. You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you, I thought, but it bothered me the way the light in his eyes had changed. We went through the buffet line silently, then sat with three other couples at a round table. I found myself talking to the girl and guy next to me and avoiding conversation with Zack. When I surveyed the room, I didn’t see the stalker or his friend.

Dinner was begun with a toast by Mr. Gill. Waiters had scurried around filling champagne glasses with bubbly fruit juice, then he stood up and asked us to raise our glasses in honor of the most beautiful seventeen-year-old in the world, the most wonderful of daughters, the best friend any of us could ever have, et cetera, et cetera.

The girl next to me whispered, “I’m glad this is before dinner. I’d hate to puke,” which made me snort my sip of bubbly stuff, drawing an unreadable look from Zack. It may have been the longest toast and the longest dinner I have ever endured.

Like a wedding reception, cake was going to be served much later. Erika invited us all to dance and told the guys that she expected one dance with each of them. Otherwise, it was a lot like any other event with music: girls dancing with girls, since the guys weren’t enthusiastic about it.

“Want to go out on the deck?” Zack asked.

“Okay.”

We had almost reached the door when Erika caught up with us. “You owe me a dance, Zack. And because you tried to escape, you owe me several.”

Zack smiled. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready now.”

“I’ll be outside,” I said.

Zack nodded and walked with Erika to the dance floor. It was a prime opportunity for me to float around and latch on to a conversation that would provide further information. But my feet stayed planted on the deck close to the doorway. I really didn’t want to, but like the other girls, I watched.

Erika was a video tutorial on seductive dance. Lesson 1: When the song is fast and everyone’s jumping around, dance as if the music is slow; it makes you and the guy seem like you are in a romantic world all your own. Lesson 2: Take off your shoes; drop back your head to gaze into the guy’s eyes, making him feel taller and making your hair longer, so it hangs down your back and touches his fingers. Lesson 3: Loop your hands around his neck, pretending to be casual and easy, then use your fingertips to touch and tantalize. Lesson 4—

“It was the ‘green tunnel’ that I got,” said a girl behind me.

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