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

“Yeah,” Ace says distractedly, his gaze focused on a list of study questions I slid his way. “Sure, Tina.”

A beautiful dark-skinned woman who can only be Ace’s stepmother pokes her head in the room.

“Hi,” she greets, addressing me. I falter where I was writing something down. “I was just wondering, Ace, if your friend would—”

Ace immediately looks up, eyes wide, and shoves our notes underneath his comforter. I make a face, thinking of all the crinkles we’re going to have to straighten out, but I don’t say anything with his stepmother in the room.

I catch a glimpse of Ace’s expression, which is a strange mixture of panic and warmth. His voice is strained when he says, “Sorry, Tina. What was that?”

Is he okay? Why does he look like he stubbed his toe and he’s happy about it?

“Dinner is in five minutes. I was wondering if your friend would like to stay?” she asks. “We can set an extra plate.”

I inhale sharply. I’m pretty sure my oxygen went down the wrong pipe. I look at Ace for help, but he has a passive expression on his face. “I—er—really should get going.” I motion hopelessly toward the windows, but Ace’s stepmother is too busy looking at Ace.

I have absolutely no idea what she reads on his face, but her expression lights up. “Nonsense. I’ll call your parents if I need to. You’re having dinner with us. I’m glad that’s settled.”

I don’t even have a chance to refuse again before she walks out. I open and close my mouth twice before looking at Ace. “I really shouldn’t—”

“She’s not going to let you leave,” he says. Instead of an apologetic smile, he’s grinning cheerfully. There’s something seriously wrong with him. “Might as well accept your fate. I’ll do my best to get you out of here as quickly as possible.”

I don’t believe him. “I don’t believe you.”

“Consider it a practice in trust,” Ace says, before holding out his hand. “Come on.”

I ignore his hand but climb off his bed with a sigh. I had a pillow between us for separation but, when he stands, we’re entirely too close. It makes our height difference extremely apparent, since the top of my head barely comes up to his chin.

His shoulder grazes mine, and I take a step back, hoping my blush isn’t visible on my cheeks. “Let’s go.”

15

T-MINUS 23 DAYS

I don’t know how it slipped my mind that dinner at the Clyde residence means dinner with everyone. That includes multimillionaire businessman Albert Clyde, who’s sitting at the end of a small table.