Overshadow (4 page)

When we got back to my house, Genevra had lunch ready. They had already eaten, but she had saved some food for Logan and me.

“Get dressed,” Logan said as soon as we finished eating.

I looked down at myself. “I am dressed, in case you didn’t notice.”

He laughed. “I know! I meant, go get dressed up.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to go on that big date I promised you.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Logan, it’s going to take me a little while to get ready,” I said.

“That’s fine, I can wait.” He stood and pulled me to my feet. “Now, go change!” He shooed me up the stairs.

I paused in the foyer and turned back to him. “Do you promise you’re not going to take off this time?”

He drew an X on his chest with one finger. “Cross my heart.”

I laughed. “Okay, okay, I’m going!”

Running up the stairs, I ransacked my closet. I needed to find something good to wear. I couldn’t wear the same dress I had chosen the day before when Logan and I were supposed to go out. I grabbed the first dress I found in my closet. It was a pale blue one Logan had bought me. I dressed hurriedly and headed for the bathroom to fix my makeup.

“Going somewhere?” Tanis asked from the doorway.

“Yeah, Logan’s taking me on that ‘big date’ he promised.”

“He’s not going to flake this time, is he?”

I pulled out my flatiron and plugged it in. “That’s exactly what I asked,” I told her.

“So, where are you guys going?”

“I have no idea. He hasn’t told me.”

She gave me a speculative look. “I like the dress.”

“Thanks.” I pulled out my makeup bag and started to re-line my eyes. “Logan bought it for me.”

She frowned. “I thought he bought you the purple one you wore when we went to San Francisco with Mom.”

“Yeah, he bought me that one too.”

“Wow, he sure likes to throw his parents’ money around.”

I slammed my eyeliner down on the counter. It wasn’t a very effective reaction. “Hey! Isn’t that a little unnecessary?”

“Sorry.”

“I thought you liked Logan.”

“I do. It’s just… he buys you a lot of stuff.”

“Not really.”

“He bought you dresses, all those clothes when you guys were hiding out in the hotel — for that matter, he paid for the hotel too,” she said.

“So?”

“Nothing. It’s nice of him. It just seems a little… excessive, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Whatever then. I mean, I think you deserve someone who treats you well, especially after everything with Andrei. I’ve told you that before. I just don’t like it when people throw their money around. Especially when it’s their parents’ money and not their own,” she said.

“Do you think I throw my money around?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“It’s what you were thinking though, weren’t you? All these designer clothes and shoes I have…”

“That’s different.”

“How is it different?” I asked.

“Your situation is different.”

“I’m not sure I understand. How is my situation different? Because my mom is dead?”

“No! That’s not what I said. I just — never mind.” She turned and walked back into her bedroom.

I followed her. “Tanis, I’m sorry. I overreacted. I promised myself I wasn’t going to do that anymore.”

She sat on her bed and looked up at me. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I feel bad.”

“It’s fine, really. Why don’t you go finish getting ready to go?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re okay?”

She smiled. “Yeah, we’re okay. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.” I walked back into the bathroom and picked up my flatiron. It took a few passes to make my hair behave, but I got it straight. Unplugging it, I left it on the counter to cool. I spritzed some perfume and then went back into my bedroom.

I had finally gotten a shoe organizer for my closet, so finding the heels I wanted to wear was easy. I remembered our conversation the last time and grabbed a pair of flats too. I would just leave them in Logan’s car in case I needed them.

I walked downstairs carefully. It would be just like me to slip on the stairs. “Ready!” I announced to Logan as I came back into the living room.

His eyes widened when he saw me. “You look great.”

“I would look a lot better if I had been given more time,” I teased.

“Sorry,” he murmured.

“I’m just kidding.”

“Still, you look fabulous. Is that one of the dresses I got you?”

“Of course.” I twirled around experimentally. “Do you like it?”

He smiled. “Do you even have to ask? It looks beautiful on you.”

I eyed him. “Now then, what are we going to do with you?”

He looked down at the jeans and short sleeve button-up shirt he was wearing. “I guess we’re going to have to stop by my house.”

“Let me tell Genevra that we’re leaving, okay?”

“I already talked to her while you were upstairs. She said to have you home by tomorrow.”

“She said what?”

He laughed. “I’m just kidding. She said to have you home by midnight. That’s technically tomorrow.”

“Technically. Okay, well let me just tell her we’re leaving then.”

I wandered into the family room where Genevra was watching a movie. “That’s a rare sight,” I told her.

She looked up. “Hi, Raena. What do you mean?”

“I almost never see you relaxing. You always seem to be cooking or cleaning or running errands.”

“I’m not much of a TV person.”

“I know that. I just meant… never mind.”

She smiled. “I know. So are you and Logan leaving now?”

“Yeah, if that’s okay.”

“Of course it’s okay. I already gave Logan my permission.”

“My curfew really isn’t until midnight?” Usually she and Shane wanted me home by ten, or eleven at the very latest.

“You’ll be with Logan. He’ll keep you safe. Besides, it’s a long drive.”

“You know where he’s taking me?”

“Yes, I know where he’s taking you. It’s part of my job as your guardian to know where your boyfriend is taking you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, I guess we’re going to leave now.”

“Have fun,” she said.

Logan was already waiting for me in the foyer. “Ready?”

“Sure.” I held up the shoes in my hand. “I even remembered flats this time.”

“So I see.” He held out his hand. “Shall we?”

I took his hand and reached for my purse.

Logan stopped me. “Allow me.” He picked up my purse in his free hand.

“You’re going to carry my purse?”

“Why not? Is there a problem?”

“No, of course not. I just never expected to see you carry a purse.”

“Raena, don’t you know by now I’d do anything for you?”

I looked into his eyes. “Yes, I do.”

“Good.” He wrapped the arm holding my purse around my waist and pulled me close. “Don’t ever forget that,” he murmured just before he pressed his lips to mine.

I would never get used to the electricity that passed through me when Logan kissed me. It was enough to steal the breath from my body. My heart began to pound as his mouth moved on mine.

He pulled back all too soon. “At this rate, we’ll never leave.”

I almost didn’t want to, but I couldn’t breathe enough to form the words. I nodded instead.

He released me, although he still held onto my hand. “Let’s go.”

We walked slowly out to his car and he helped me get in. After he shut the passenger door, I tossed my flats into the backseat. Then I kicked off my heels so I would be comfortable during the drive. “So are you going to tell me where we’re going?” I asked Logan as he climbed into the car.

“Nope. It’s a surprise.”

“I’m going to figure it out when we get there,” I told him.

“Right, when we get there. But I don’t think you’ll figure it out until we do get there.”

There was no way I was going to get anything out of him. We stayed quiet on the way to his house.

“Do you want to come in?” he asked as we pulled into the driveway.

“Umm… I guess so.”

“Nervous?” he asked.

“How did you know?”

“Don’t worry. My parents are going to love you.”

I finally agreed to go in with him, put on my shoes, and got out of the car.

“Mom! Are you guys home?” Logan called as he threw the front door open.

“Logan, is that you?” a female voice called from another room.

“Yeah!”

An attractive blonde woman, who looked like she was in her mid-forties, appeared from around a corner. “We weren’t expecting you until much later.” She stopped when she saw me. “I didn’t know you brought company.” She came up to me and took my hand. “You must be Raena.”

“Yes. Hello, Mrs. Conner. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh please! Call me Laurie. Mrs. Conner is Tom’s mother.” She laughed.

“Sorry. Laurie.”

“Oh, honey, no need to apologize. I can tell your parents taught you manners. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

She reminded me of my own mother. Tears started to well in my eyes and I hurriedly blinked them back.

Unfortunately, Laurie noticed. “Oh, sweetie, I didn’t mean to make you cry! Come on into the kitchen. Let me get you something to drink.”

“Oh, you didn’t make me cry,” I reassured her. “It’s just...”

“Raena’s mom died a few months ago,” Logan explained.

Laurie gave me a sad look. “Honey, I am so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I told her.

“I had no idea…” She trailed off.

Logan looked embarrassed. “Sorry, I never mentioned it.”

“It’s okay, really,” I repeated.

“So what are you two doing here?” Laurie asked.

“I need to change. I’m taking Rae somewhere,” Logan told her.

She looked at my dress and heels and then glanced at Logan’s casual clothing. “I was wondering about that.”

Logan turned to me. “Will you be okay down here while I get some nicer clothes on?”

I was a little uncomfortable being left alone with his mom so soon after I’d met her, but I wasn’t about to say that. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“Don’t worry, hon. I’ll keep Raena company,” his mom reassured him.

That’s sort of what I was afraid of. I sincerely hoped she wouldn’t question me further about my mother.

Logan ran upstairs. “Do you want to sit down?” Laurie asked me.

“Sure.”

She ushered me into the living room. “So, you and Logan met at school?”

I was relieved that she wasn’t still talking about my mom. “Yes. We were in all the same classes last year and a few of the same classes this year.”

“That’s nice…” She paused. “He was beside himself when you disappeared a few months ago.”

Great. We were going to talk about that. I wondered how much she knew. “I don’t know what would have happened to me if it wasn’t for Logan.”

She nodded. “It’s a good thing he found you.”

I didn’t know what else to say, so I just sat there quietly.

“You know, I used to work for the police department.”

I paled. “Oh?”

“Yes. It was long before all of this. I quit when we adopted Logan. I can’t believe they haven’t caught the kidnapper yet,” she said.

“Well, I think they went to his house, but it looked like he hadn’t been there for a while.” Yeah, because the house was also a front. I couldn’t send the police to the Shadow Imperium to arrest him. They’d probably think I was crazy. Even if they ever did try to capture him, I didn’t think they’d be able to stand against him.

I breathed a sigh of relief when Logan came running back downstairs. I was glad to have this awkward conversation about Andrei interrupted.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Well, you sure clean up fast.” He was dressed in all black again, but this time it was black slacks and a black button-up shirt with a matching tie.

“Yep!” He turned to his mom. “I’ll probably be home late.”

“All right,” she said.

As Logan and I walked out the door, I whispered to him, “Your mom doesn’t ask where you’re going?”

He grinned. “You’re not going to get it out of me! She already knows where we’re going.”

We got back in the car and drove toward the freeway. Wherever we were going, it was certainly a long drive. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep at one point, a fact Logan either didn’t notice or didn’t mention.

He finally pulled off the freeway in Sacramento. He followed the signs toward the Old Town. “There’s our destination!” he finally announced.

I looked up. Directly across from us was an old steamship. “There?”

“Yes.”

“We’re going on a ship?”

“Well, it doesn’t travel anymore. It’s permanently docked. It’s a restaurant, theatre, and hotel now.”

“So we’re going to dinner there?” Why had we driven all this way just for dinner?

“Actually, we have tickets for their murder mystery dinner theatre.”

“Oh. That sounds like fun!”

“We’re early, but I thought we could walk around Old Town and check out the different shops.”

I almost rolled my eyes. Only he enjoyed shopping nearly as much as I did.

We spent about an hour going through the shops. We walked along the wooden sidewalks and — of course — hit all the clothing stores. We stopped at the Military Museum, and then hit a few more stores. Finally it was time to head onto the ship for the dinner show.

The dinner was fantastic, as was the play. It was a lot more interactive than I had expected. The actors were mixed in with the audience. The murderer was sitting next to me the whole time, and I never suspected! Afterward, we walked through Old Sacramento a little more and got some ice cream.

“Want to go to the beach?” Logan asked suddenly on our way back to Capitola.

I stared at him like he was insane. “Now? It’s dark.” The moon wasn't out, and the sky was completely black.

“So? It’s not that cold.”

“But we’re all dressed up.”

“And? It’ll be fun!”

I finally consented. Logan drove straight to the beach and parked at the beginning of the pier. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“But Logan, look at where we are.”

We were at the site of my nightmares. I shuddered, remembering the dreams where Andrei had chased me, clawed at me. So close to the site of our escape from the Shadow Imperium.