Chapter 4
Joanna took a deep breath and said it again, slow and steady. “I broke her finger.”
There. I admitted it,‘ she thought. ‘I roughed up your sister. You should hate my guts now. So quit trying to chat me up!
That was what Joanna was thinking, but Simon didn’t look mad. His lips tightened for a split second, then softened, and instead of yelling, he gave her this gentle, reassuring nod.
“It’s not your fault,” he said, voice calm and kind.
Joanna and Ariel both froze.
Joanna stared at him, wondering if this guy was a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
Ariel, on the other hand, started waving her arms like a windmill, her face red as she glared at Simon.
“Simon, what the hell?!” Ariel snapped. “You’re saying I’m to blame? Look at my finger! It’s all bandaged up because of her! She snapped it, and I was crying for hours!”
Simon glanced at Ariel, stuffed into a frilly princess dress that made her look like a puffed–up cupcake.
Then he looked at Joanna–pale, delicate, her skinny frame lost in a plain white tee and jeans, her wrists so tiny they’d snap in a stiff breeze.
He put it together quick.
When Ariel first showed up at the Newburn house, she’d done every trick in the book to grab attention–fake injuries, tantrums, the works. This was probably just another act.
Joanna? With those twig–like fingers and frail wrists? No way she could break anyone’s finger.
He believed Ariel was setting her up.
Simon snuck a glance at Joanna, catching her wide–eyed shock when he took her side. Bet she didn’t see that coming.
‘Poor little thing,‘ he thought.
He knew Ariel could be a mean girl, but bringing that drama home? That was low, even for her.
Before he could stop himself, he stepped toward Joanna. She flinched and shuffled back, clearly not a fan of Newburns getting too close. But when Simon met her eyes, all he felt was this urge to look out for her.
Joanna was baffled. ‘What’s with the sad–puppy look?‘
She wasn’t exactly his biggest fan, but this dude was staring at her like she was some lost kitten he needed to save.
Simon crouched a bit to meet her gaze, his voice soft as ever. “Look, Ariel’s a hothead and a total pain.
“If she’s messing with you, you don’t have to take it. Tell me, alright? I’ve got you.”
Joanna blinked, her brain short–circuiting. ‘Is he serious?‘
She stared him down, raising her voice. “No, dude, I messed her up. She was annoying me, so I snapped her finger. Done.”
1/2
Chapter 4
She shot Ariel a look, thinking, ‘Come on, dummy, back me up! Make me the bad guy already!‘
Ariel caught the hint and grabbed her mom’s arm, fake tears on full display. “Mom, this nobody’s trying to steal my brother and pin this on me! Can you believe her? She’s the one who jumped-”
“Enough!” Simon cut her off, patience gone. “Ariel, is that how Mom raised you? Throwing around trash talk like that?”
He wasn’t blind. He saw Joanna’s voice shake, saw her sneak a scared glance at Ariel after saying she did it. She was just parroting what Ariel wanted, probably terrified of what’d happen if she didn’t.
And then Ariel had the nerve to keep ripping into her.
If this was how Ariel acted in front of everyone, Simon didn’t want to think about what she did to Joanna behind closed doors.
The more he thought about it, the worse he felt for Joanna. He sighed, softening again.
“Let’s take this inside, okay? Hey, kid,” he said to Joanna, “you like milk? Or those fancy crystal glasses? You know, the shiny
ones?”
Joanna turned away, ignoring him flat–out.
Simon grinned. ‘She’s shy. Cute.‘
In a world of girls chasing after him, a quiet, bashful one like Joanna was a rare find. Innocent, even.
Joanna, meanwhile, was thinking, “This guy’s a few screws loose.‘
