Chapters (68)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Chapter One
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Chapter Two
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Chapter Three
- Ten
- Eleven
- Chapter Four
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Chapter Five
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Chapter Six
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Chapter Seven
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Chapter Eight
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Chapter Nine
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Ten
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Chapter Eleven
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Chapter Twelve
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Chapter Thirteen
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Chapter Fourteen
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Chapter Fifteen
- The Following Summer
- About the Author
- About the Publisher
His refusal sucked the air out of the room. Ali struggled to catch her breath, and tried to come up with an argument that might change his mind. The answer couldn’t be no. The only rebuttal she could think of was the one thing she didn’t want to say. “She’s going to die soon.”
“We haven’t spoken in years. If I go to her birthday party just because she’s going to die soon, what kind of person would I be?”
“The forgiving kind?” Her response made him flinch.
She tried the next thing on her list. “Number two: could Alfie and the Sloanes come? Alfie wants to meet her and Digger.”
“If my family doesn’t want to disrespect Teddy’s memory, they shouldn’t go either.”
Stunned, Ali let Andrew Sloane’s horrible words sink in. She’d come for nothing. There was not going to be a happy ending. A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly brushed it aside. She would not let Andrew Sloane see her cry.
“What’s next on this list of yours?”
Number three asked if he’d let her family stay in the house after Gigi died. Ali crumpled the paper. “Nothing.” A Maya Angelou quote popped into her head: “It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.” She knew Andrew Sloane’s inability to forgive Gigi and Digger must be chewing up his insides, because his refusal made her stomach feel like she’d swallowed poison.
“You need to forgive your mother and Digger, not for their sake, but for yours. Maya Angelou said it’s the greatest gift you can give yourself.”
“Is that what Maya Angelou said?” Andrew Sloane’s tone was mocking. He stood up and loomed over her, his face twisted into a sneer. “I’ll never have peace; why should they?”
Ali didn’t have an answer. She didn’t know Andrew Sloane, but she knew the smiling man in the photos was gone forever. She stood up as well, not wanting to stay another minute.
But Andrew Sloane wasn’t finished. “Whatever they’ve told you about your abilities? It’s all lies. The Sloanes are cursed. Nothing noble ever came from using unnatural powers.”
“Unnatural powers?” Ali stammered. She backed up until her hand was on the doorknob. She’d thrown a stick of dynamite into the room, inviting Andrew Sloane to Gigi’s party, and it had blown up in her face.
Andrew Sloane wagged a finger. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.”
She recognized the words immediately: they were the same ones Digger had used when Ali had suggested he meet Alfie, but now they were tinged with hatred, not love. It all made sense now. Andrew Sloane believed Copycat abilities were wicked, while Gigi and Digger considered them gifts. Nothing Ali could say would change his mind.