BooksBarbecue
Back Counting Down with You
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  7. Part 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. Part 2
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. Part 3
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

That clears up a lot but also so little. She’s not romantically involved with Ace, but they must have some kind of personal relationship. I don’t think I’ve seen her before, so she’s probably not in our grade, but that leaves me at a loss as to how Ace knows her.

Ace opens the door to the passenger side, gesturing for me to get inside. I hesitate, glancing at Mia but she’s already slipping into the back seat.

I slide into the seat slowly, my skin prickling. Did Ace invite someone else to his family dinner?

Once Ace is inside, he double-checks his mirrors and pulls the car out in one easy glide.

“He’s a good driver, don’t worry,” Mia says from over my shoulder. I jump in my seat, not expecting her to be so close.

“Jeez, you came out of nowhere,” I say, rubbing my chest as I try to calm down. “So, uh, how do you and Ace know each other?”

“Ace is my stepbrother,” Mia says, which is news to me. I didn’t realize there was another Clyde sibling at our school. As if she can read my mind, Mia adds, “I’m a freshman and my last name is Jackson instead of Clyde, so it makes sense you didn’t know.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, offering my hand. “I would say I’ve heard so much about you, but Ace hasn’t said anything. He is annoying.”

Mia snickers and takes my hand. “I like her.”

Ace shakes his head and fiddles with the console. Instrumental music starts playing through the speakers.

Mia leans back in her seat and hums along. Ace smiles, his gaze flickering to his rearview mirror to look at his stepsister before turning to me.

“Ready to rumble?” he asks.

“Ready to study.”

He grins. “Same thing. My stepmom is going to love you.”

“I’m not talking to your family,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I’m leaving as soon as we’re done studying.”

Ace laughs and changes the gear from Reverse to Drive. “Whatever you say, Ahmed.”

I wrinkle my nose as a sense of foreboding rushes through me. I watch him tap his fingers against the steering wheel and try to push the strange feeling away.

It’s just a study session. What’s the worst that could happen?

14

T-MINUS 23 DAYS

The Clyde estate is huge. I knew Ace’s father was rich, but seeing it is an entirely different thing. There are actual gates in the front of the house and a keypad that Ace has to pull up to so he can type in a lengthy code.

We drive past a beautiful garden, a huge fountain, and a perfectly trimmed lawn, elegantly designed hedges scattered every few feet. There are even marble statues littered across the estate. I try not to gape.