“Knee-deep in money.” Creed looked at Scout. “And you are?”
“Scout Green,” Michael said. “She’s another St. Sophia’s girl.”
“Swell to meet you, Scout Green, St. Sophia’s girl.”
“Ditto,” Scout said.
“I figured I’d wait so we could walk back together. But you weren’t at the school.”
His gaze followed the sidewalk to the spot where we’d emerged onto the street.
“What’s over that way?”
“Just a shortcut,” Jason said, squeezing my hand as if to keep me quiet. I guess he wanted to keep the thorn garden to himself.
Creed looked doubtful, but nodded anyway, at least until we lost his attention.
M.K. and Veronica crossed the street toward us, steaming paper coffee cups in hand. Figured. They seemed like the expensive-coffee type.
“I guess they made up,” Scout whispered to me.
“Guess so.”
Creed stuck his hands into his pockets. “Afternoon, ladies.”
“Hello, again,” M.K. said, giving him a catty look.
Veronica smiled at Creed, but the smile drooped a little when she realized that he was slumming with us. “You’re far from home,” she said. “Paying a visit to the convent?”
Creed smiled. “Waiting for my brothers-in-arms.”
“Cute,” M.K. said, giving Scout and me a dirty look. “And they’re just tagging along?”
“Sagamore and Scout are friends of Jason’s,” Creed said with a big smile. “And that makes them friends of mine.”
Jason leaned toward me. “Just a warning, friendship with Creed comes with a lengthy disclaimer.”
“Funny man,” Creed said. “Very funny.” He glanced over at Veronica. “How’s the party planning coming?”
“Good,” she said. “It’s going to be pretty sweet when it’s all said and done.”
He nodded dutifully at Veronica, then slid M.K. an inviting glance that deflated Veronica’s smile—but strengthened the resolve in her expression.
“Um, so how’s the boat?” Veronica asked.
“My father’s? Still pretty good, I imagine.”
The church bells began to chime, signaling the end of lunch.
“We should go,” Jason said, untangling our fingers. “We’ll see you later.”
“Later,” I said with a smile.
“Oh, crap,” Scout exclaimed. “I forgot to grab my chemistry book.” She gave me an apologetic look. “I’m gonna run to my locker. I’ll see you in class.”
I’d barely nodded when she took off running down the sidewalk and toward the front door.
“I’ll catch you ladies later,” Creed said, taking a position next to Jason and Michael. They started down the street, their escape leaving me, M.K., and Veronica standing awkwardly on the sidewalk.
“Give us a minute, M.K.,” Veronica said.
M.K. arched a questioning eyebrow.
“I’ll meet you inside.”
Apparently knowing when an order had been given, M.K. shrugged and started for the door.
When she was gone, Veronica looked back at me. “So you and Creed are friends?”
“We know each other. I wouldn’t say friends.” At least not before I heard Jason’s disclaimer. “Why do you ask?”
“I thought you didn’t know him.” Her voice was snotty, like I’d been keeping John Creed locked away from her on purpose.
“I know who he is. That’s it.”
“Mm-hmm.” There was obvious doubt in her voice. Why did she care if I knew him or not? She’d seen me holding hands with Jason. “He calls you ‘Sagamore’ like you two are close.”
“You were with me the first time I met him. You heard him call me Sagamore.”
That didn’t seem to stop her. The thing she apparently had for Creed must have been shorting her logic circuits, as it didn’t seem to compute.
“Yeah, well. I just think you need to stop playing coy.”
I almost called her out, almost reminded her that it was her best friend—M.K.—
who seemed to have an in with John Creed, not me.
But before I could speak, someone else jumped in.
“Is there a problem?”
We looked behind us to where he stood on the sidewalk in jeans and a long-
sleeved T-shirt, stormy blue eyes trained on Veronica.
Sebastian. Reaper . . . and now stalker?