Page 99 (1/2)

“You owe hie hadn’t been there? And now I need to find a way to repay him”

I have a terrible thought: Perhaps I should offer randmother’s romance novels whose family forces her to marry a man she doesn’t love And then Sebastian will have to rescue me Except he can’t, because my father has forbidden any of us to leave the house without adult supervision We’re not even allowed to talk on the phone unless we clear it withe

I shove the box of stories under the bed and pick up the phone Maybe George is still asleep Or out At least I can say I tried He answers on the second ring

“How are you holding up?” he asks

“I’m okay”

“And Dorrit?”

“Locked in her room” I pause “Anyway, I want to thank you We couldn’t have ed without you” I do my best to sound sincere on this last statee doesn’t seem to notice, however

“No probles happen Glad I could help”

“Thanks again” Having doneoff when I e,” I ask “Why did she pick you?”

He laughs “That almost sounds like an insult”

“It isn’t You’re a great guy—”

“Aerly

“Well, sure,” I say, trying to figure out how to get out of this trap “But she’s thirteen It seems so extreme to steal a car and drive all the way to Providence—”

I hear a telltale ping indicatingin

“I’ve beenhis voice “I could come by next week”