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“Sure, I could eat” Lucy nodded “I’ll be down soon”

Lucy walked down the stairs that led to the first floor She wasn’t certain where the fa rooured that would be a good place to start looking She was right Her ht wooden table “Oh look,” one of the twins said when he spotted Lucy walking into the room “It’s the princess” Lucy knew from that comment that it was Daniel

“You know, you’ve wrecked my hair,” Lucy told hi to have to go to the hairdressers to get all of the dead ends cut off now”

“Oh no,” Daniel over-exaggerated “However will you move past this?”

“I know a good hairdresser in town, if you want her info?” Josh offered when Lucy didn’t bother replying to his brother

“Thanks, I guess that would be good”

“So,” her stepfather’s voice broke through the rooe He wasn’t the kind of man that you crossed, and he certainly wasn’t a nored “Lucy, to what do e the pleasure of your company?” he asked in a serious way It struck Lucy as ironic that he’d practically quoted his son

“I thought I’d take a couple weeks away froe”

“Why?”

“I needed a break” Lucy shrugged

“You needed a break from what?”

“I just needed a break fro to feel the pressure that he was putting on her for real answers She didn’t have real answers

“Has so happened?”

“No,” she lied quickly “Like I said, I’ a couple of weeks”

“So, you’ll be going back in teeks?”

“Yes,” she lied again She didn’t want to lie She had hoped that her evasive ansould throw people away from the truth, but it seemed her stepfather wasn’t as easily manipulated as her mom was

“Okay then” He nodded Lucy could tell that he hadn’t accepted her answers, though “Well, it’s good to finally have you spend so to wonder whether you ever would”

“What can I say,” Lucy said weakly “I’irl”

“So it would seem”

Lucy thought back over the last month that she’d spent on campus She’d barely made it to one class There had been too much to do It had all seemed so important at the time The parties she couldn’t o on Her friends were her world there She’d coe was really about To her, it had just been about fun

Lucy looked down at the plate of food that the waiter had just put under her nose It smelled delicious

Chapter 3

Lucy had gone to the pool prepared with her bathing suit on The sun was high in the California sky, and the sky was the saeous The peace and the view over the dusty hills were beautiful, and itto visit Her college friends would have loved it The house would have etaway destination for them all

“Are you going to waste your entire break by the pool?” Daniel asked as he walked over fro the heat

Lucy frowned “This is my first day here”

“Yeah, but you’re only here for teeks,” Daniel told her “Thattodays next to the pool on top”

“Maybe I want to sit by the pool”

“You don’t strike irl who likes a quiet life,” Daniel said as he met Lucy’s eyes

The sudden intensity of his gaze ot ; she lived for adventure She lived for the feeling in her stoot every tie, though That’s what had gotten her into the mess that she was in now

“I hope not,” Daniel told her

“And why is that?”

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“Well,” he shrugged, “you’d be boring otherwise” He didn’t wait for her to say anything else She watched as he walked over and dove into the pool “Are you getting in?” he asked, when his head had eed from the waters

Lucy nodded “Maybe later”

“I see you dressed for the occasion today,” Josh said froht out with her She’d barely had a chance to read two lines Although, that was partly due to the fact that her eyes kept slipping back to Daniel and the six pack he had on show

“Well, I didn’t want to ruin another decent pair of shorts” She griht of her ruined clothes, which were in the trashcan in her room

“You have any plans for your visit?” He sat down on the sun bed beside her and laid back The sun was shining directly at them, and he had to hold his hand above his eyes so that he could see Lucy clearly

She shrugged “I don’t know,” she told him honestly “I’ve heard there’s a ton of awesoh”

Josh laughed “You’ve been talking to my brother?”

“Well, he was talking at me”

“That sounds about right” Josh laughed “You know…” He hesitated as his eyes danced across the jeweled bikini top she earing “If you want somebody to show you around, then I’m free?”

“Sure, I guess that could be fun,” she agreed reluctantly “What do you have in mind?”

“What are you two talking about?” Daniel asked as he walked over to them He looked anxious to find out what he’d missed Lucy smirked

“Your brother has offered to showabout,” she told hi down from his hair and onto his body Lucy tried to keep her eyes fro the droplets