NorthangerAlibiInterior

by Jenni James

  “Never want to—?” What does that mean? “No, it’d make me want to see it more.”

  “Oh, then it’s clean. It’s the cleanest room you’ve ever seen.”

  Is he joking? I laughed. “Okay.” Now I’m dying to see it! “What are you hiding in there?”

  “Hiding?” Tony’s face went white. He tugged on my hand and started walking again. “What do you mean, hiding? I’m not hiding anything.”

  I had never heard anyone sound guiltier in my life. Yeah, right. “Good try.”

  We wound down a hallway into a large loft area. Tony remained silent.

  “You’re really not going to tell me what’s in your room?”

  “Look.” He stopped and pushed his hair out of his eyes. “There is something about me that I’d love to share with you—but I can’t right now. My parents would lose it if I did. As soon you as walked in my room, you’d realize what I can’t tell you. It’s pretty obvious.”

  Duh! He’s a vampire. He’s probably stressing because he doesn’t have a bed in his room. I’m such an idiot.

  All of a sudden, I had an urge to tell him not to worry because I already knew who he was. It was ridiculous to keep hiding something so obvious, anyway. But just as I opened my mouth, he spoke first.

  “Okay, so are you ready for your surprise?” Tony dropped my hand, walked over to the stereo on the far wall and rummaged around a bit, and then quickly shoved something behind his back.

  He was the most adorable guy on the planet when he walked up to me. His smile was beyond contagious. What is he doing? By the time he stood right in front of me, my heart was beating at warp speed. I couldn’t say anything even if I wanted to.

  “So, Nora says that you love the Twilight books.”

  “Twilight?” Oh my gosh! Is he going to say it?

  “And that you’re a big fan of the movie as well.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Well, I have something for you.”

  “Okay.” Spill.

  “It’s nothing major. Just, sometimes I get the opportunity to meet some cool people, and, well, I ran into this band, and they—”

  “Band?” I wasn’t following.

  “Yeah, I’m sure you’ve heard of them before. Anyway, they gave me a couple of signed copies of their CD, so I was wondering if you wanted one.” Tony pulled a Paramour CD from behind his back and gave it to me.

  “No way!”

  “I know it’s not their new album, but I thought you’d like it anyway, since it has songs from the original Twilight movie on it.”

  Holy cow! “Like it? Tony, this is awesome! I love it!” I flipped it over in my hands. It was signed by every person in the band. “But are you sure you want to give this to me? It’s probably worth something—”

  Tony shook his head. “It’s only worth what someone will pay for it. And I have a strong suspicion you’d pay a lot more for it than I would.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Keep it. I have enough CDs to last me a lifetime or more.”

  I was so blown over by his generosity, I didn’t know what to say except thank you. I let my smile say the rest of what I couldn’t.

  Tony liked the smile—I could tell by the way he watched me. I thought he might try to kiss me again, but all at once he cleared his throat and straightened. “Look, we should go so my parents don’t get worried.”

  Oh. Darn. My smile went taut, and I fidgeted with the CD. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I’m sure Darlene and Roger would be worried too.” I knew they wouldn’t be—they probably didn’t even know I was missing, but I had to say something.

  “And Claire?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Just know that if I could tell you something about me right now, I would. But I can’t. Maybe one day we can get this whole thing sorted out, but for now, could you be patient?”

  “Yes.” Besides, I already know what your secret is.

  ***

  For the next three weeks, Tony took me all over Seattle and taught me what it was like to be a true Seattleite. I could see why he loved the place as he did. It was so beautiful! I’d never laughed so much or done so much in so little time as I did with him. Each day was a new adventure through the eyes of my very own vampire. Every night he’d send me a series of texts about the silly things that had happened that day, making me giggle. He never tried to kiss me, so I pretty much stopped worrying about that first kiss. Deep down inside, I really wanted him to, but for now, I could just relax and be myself around him.

  Then one day, it finally happened.

  When Nora called to invite me to go with her to the discount mall for the second time, I was hesitant to see Jaden again until . . . .

  “Tony said he’d drive us, if we wanted to go,” Nora announced proudly through my cell.

  “Tony? Really? He wants to come with us to that mall?”

  “I know—like, crazy, right? I mean, why would he want to head over there now, when all this time he’s been avoiding the place like it was Volterra or something?”

  Volterra? My head snapped up and I almost dropped the phone. “What do you mean?” I can’t believe she just mentioned the home of the most dangerous vampire clan in the Twilight series. Was she trying to tell me something?

  “You do know who the Volturi are, right?”

  “Of course I do. What girl doesn’t?”

  “Oh, okay. You had me worried for a second there.”

  “No—I mean, why did you compare the mall to Volterra? I don’t understand. Was it for a reason?”

  Nora chuckled. “I use it all the time, actually. It makes a real good line.”

  “Oh.”

  “So, are you coming or what? Tony says to see if eleven is okay.”

  “Yeah, eleven’s fine. I’ll see you then.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  “Where are you going?” Cassidy looked up from reading my book as I hung up the phone. She was sprawled out in the middle of the bed again.

  I shrugged. “Just to the mall. Do you want to come?”

  “Um, no. Can’t.”

  “Why?” I walked over to the dresser and pulled out my makeup case.

  “Why? Um, because no thanks to a certain vampire/werewolf-loving freak in this room, I have to read this whole series. Hello? Why didn’t you tell me these were the most addicting books on the planet?”

  “I did.” I smirked and tossed my makeup case on the bed before opening the closet to find another shirt. “You just didn’t listen to me.”

  “Ugh!” Cassidy threw herself back on the bed and brought the book up to her eye level. “Is she ever going to be a vampire? Ever? Just answer me that much, please? It’s driving me crazy.”

  I shuffled through a few shirts. “You’ll just have to read to find out.”

  “You’re evil, you know that? Really evil.”

  Laughing, I pulled out a pretty red shirt with a big sparkly heart across the front. “Thanks. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.” I snatched up my case and sprinted to the bathroom, barely missing the pillow Cassidy tossed just before the door closed.

  ***

  “So this is the hallowed mall—the mall of malls, huh?” Tony asked with a skeptical look. “Doesn’t seem that great to me.” He shrugged when Nora threw a withering glance in his direction. “What?” He looked so completely boyish and adorable, I forgave him immediately.

  “You know, buddy, you aren’t as smart as you seem to be,” she huffed. “Anyone with half a brain would know an amazing place the second they saw it.” She pushed past him and kept walking.

  “Maybe that’s my problem then,” he retorted behind her. “I’ve got a whole brain, not half of one.”

  I smothered a snort and glared at Tony when he turned to gauge my reaction.

  “All right, I give.” He shook his head and held his hand out for me. “You girls win. This is the best mall in the whole universe.”

  I ignored his hand and hitched my purse up onto my shoulder a
gain. With my head raised, I walked past him too. “You know, I would actually believe you if your voice had some enthusiasm in it.”

  “Come on—guys aren’t supposed to love malls. It’s like a rule or something,” he protested as he caught up to me. I was trying to get to Nora, who was still beating a path to Old Navy. “You have to admit that.”

  I looked over at him, and my heart stopped. Both his hands were in his pockets, and a thatch of light brown hair had fallen across his brow. He looked so cute, I’d almost forgotten what we were talking about.

  “What?” He smiled at me as we hurried through the large court.

  Dang, he’s hot! Like really, really hot! “I was—oh!” I ran into the back of a large woman. Her weight was the only thing that kept us both up, barely.

  “Hey!” she yelled. “Watch where you’re going!”

  “I’m so sorry! Are you all right?”

  When she turned around, I felt even worse. Sitting in front of her was a toddler in a stroller she’d been pushing. Yikes! “Is he all right? I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean—please forgive me—”

  “You know, it’s punks like you that make it really hard to shop in malls!” She was obviously very upset.

  People were staring. I couldn’t even look at Tony.

  “I’m sorry. I know, it was my fault—”

  “You better be sorry!” she snarled. “Now do me a favor and watch where you’re going.”

  “Look.” Tony’s deep voice near my ear startled me. “Is there any way we can repay you? We’re really sorry. And a lot of it is my fault. I was talking to Claire, and she wasn’t—”

  “Looking where she was going?” The woman finished, her arms folded across her large torso. “Really, genius? It’s nice to know you figured that out.”

  I was surprised to see Tony smile. “Thanks. But seriously, an ice cream cone for the little guy, or something? Please, let us make it up to you.”

  I felt his arm wrap around my waist and pull me next to him, almost as if he were protecting me. It worked. I felt very protected.

  “What’s going on?” Nora asked. She must’ve heard the yelling and come back to help.

  “Wait a minute. Do I know you?” The woman asked. “You seem kind of familiar. Are you a movie star or something?”

  Tony stepped back, pulling me with him. “Uh, star? No.” His laughter sounded forced. “You must have me confused with someone else.”

  “Are you sure?” The woman seemed uncertain for a moment, and then she pointed her finger at him. “No, no. I’m positive, now that I think about it. I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

  Oh my gosh!

  People all around us began to whisper. I heard a few gasps.

  Tony was freaking out. I had never seen him so pale before. “N–no, no. You’ve got me confused with someone else. It happens all the time.” His hands shook as he released me and whipped out his wallet. Nervously, he rummaged through it until he came up with a few bills. “Here, have lunch on me. So sorry about the accident.” He crushed the money into her palm, and with a little wave said, “Hope you have a good day.” His arm wrapped around my waist again, and he maneuvered us out of the area so quickly I thought his feet would catch on fire.

  Sixteen

  Dangerous Secrets

  Nora had to run to catch up to us. “Dang!” She panted. “Why does that always happen to you?”

  “Drop it, Nora.” Tony’s voice was clipped as he moved faster. I very nearly had to fly to keep up. Not that it was hard—with his arm around me in a vice grip, I didn’t have much choice.

  She wasn’t going to be put off that easily. “You know Mom and Dad said you aren’t supposed to make scenes. If you just acted like everyone else, no one would notice you. What’d you do, anyway? Why were you talking to her?”

  “Nora, stop it. Please.”

  “Yeah, but you know better. You hardly ever talk to people when we’re out. What happened?”

  Tony halted to a stop and jerked around, facing her. “It was nothing, okay?” He flicked his eyes in my direction, and then back over to her. “Just an accident. Now leave it, all right? I don’t want to discuss anything right now.”

  Nora’s eyes were huge as she looked over at me attached to his hip. “Oh. Sorry.”

  What in the world is going on? Just who is Tony Russo, anyway? Is there something besides him being a vampire that I don’t know about?

  He grunted and ran his free hand through his hair. “Great. Thanks. Nothing like keeping ‘you know what’ under wraps.” He glanced over at me again and then sort of half smiled as he released his hold a bit on my waist. “Claire, I . . .” He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes a minute, agitation written all over his face. It was obvious that whatever was going on, he didn’t want me to know about it. He took another breath and started again. “Claire, there’s some—”

  “Tony, stop.” I pulled away from him completely. “It’s no big deal. You don’t have to tell me anything anyway.” My fingers fiddled with the strap of my purse as I hitched it higher. He still looked upset. I smiled.

  “Claire, there’s—it’s just—”

  “Don’t worry about it.” I turned around so he wouldn’t see the hurt in my eyes. Not that he needed to tell me anything. I mean, I wasn’t his girlfriend or whatever—it’s just, I was hurt anyway, with no reason to explain it. “It’s obvious there’s something going on that you want to hide, but no worries. It’s no big deal if you don’t want to tell me.”

  “Claire, I can’t tell you.” He stepped up next to me and put his arm across my shoulders. “There’s a difference.”

  My eyes met his a moment before looking away. “Yeah, it’s no big deal.” I smiled again. “So, who’s ready for Old Navy?”

  “Claire,” he growled.

  What is it with guys growling at me lately? I met his eyes again. He was staring right at me, almost as if he were trying to tell me something. What, vampire? All of a sudden, now you want to talk to me? Well, then, spit it out. His gaze was so intense my heart stopped beating right then and there, completely belying my cool façade. Oh my gosh! He can probably see right past all this anyway, can’t he? Can he tell how much I’m really starting to like him? Like, borderline-unhealthy-crazed sort of starting to like him? Holy cow! I’m already a groupie, and I don’t even know who he is!

  “Oh, just tell her,” Nora exclaimed.

  “I can’t.” He was still looking at me.

  Why not? I gulped.

  “You know it’ll break my contract if I do.”

  Contract? Curiosity was killing me.

  “You know, for a guy who’s been obsessing about Claire all this time, you’re sure sending out all the wrong signals if you want her to think you’re interested.” His twin smiled annoyingly at us both.

  I could cheerfully kill her.

  Tony’s eyes went cold. “Thanks, Nora. I owe you one.”

  The underlying threat behind his words must’ve hit home. “Aw, come on, Tony. Give me a break—I’m only teasing you. Besides, I never thought I’d say it, but I hope you actually succeed with this one.” With that, she turned around and started walking back the way we’d come.

  “Where you going?” he called after her.

  She glanced back and smirked. “Uh, hate to break it to you, but Old Navy’s this way. You are coming, right, Claire?”

  “Yeah. Of course.”

  “Good.” Her smile was icky sweet. “I think Tony needs to see his competition face to face. It’ll be good for him to know he actually has to win a girl’s heart this time.” Nora turned and laughed as she marched forward.

  Oh, no. I’d almost forgotten about Jaden. I really, really didn’t want to go to Old Navy.

  “Uh, look.” I glanced back up at Tony. “If you’d rather stay here and not go through those people again—I mean, hide out a bit, I don’t mind waiting with you.”

  His eyes scanned my face, and he smothered a chuckle. “Yeah, Nora can be scary sometimes
. Believe me, I know. I’ve lived with her the last seventeen years.”

  It wasn’t really his sister I was worried about. “You know, I—uh, think I caught that vibe, actually.”

  “You did?” His smile nearly blew me away. But it was the way his eyes probed mine that did the most damage to my well-being. “Thank you.”

  I scrunched my forehead. “For?”

  “For being so great about everything.” He heaved another sigh and looked around. “Look, I know you probably have a few questions.”

  More like a hundred thousand.

  “But thanks for acting like you don’t.” His eyes seared into mine again. “This isn’t easy for me. I’m not really a guy who tries to hide stuff—if you know what I mean. I’m just more like, what ya see is whatcha get.”

  “It’s okay. I get it.” I nodded my head and then grinned.

  “What?” His mouth imitated mine. “What are you smiling for?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged and briefly glanced down. I could feel a massive blush coming on, but I met his gaze despite it. “It makes you more mysterious in a way.”

  “Mysterious?” Tony absorbed that for a moment. “Ah! I’m a puzzle. So, you like solving things, do you?”

  “I guess you could say that.” This flirting thing is getting way easier than I ever expected.

  “So, Nancy Drew,” he teased as he put his arm around me again, “just how brave are you?”

  Not at all. I’m a total wimp. “Oh, very brave.”

  “Then let’s go meet this Jaden guy, eh?” He took a step forward. I didn’t move a muscle. “You’re not telling me that a girl who loves mysteries and solving puzzles is chicken, are you?”

  Ugh. “Of course not. I was just fixing my purse.” I brought it up to my shoulder and allowed Tony to bring me closer to his side. “Besides, I don’t think it’s me who has to worry about being brave.”

  “Touché!” He chuckled. “Bring it on.”

  The vampire meets the werewolf. All at once, I hoped Stephenie Meyer was wrong about them being archenemies. I mean, really, can’t we all just get along?