Page 71 of Juliet's Echo

There it was.

The famousOh, nothing.

The one she used whenever she realized she'd said too much and it was time to shut up.

Unfortunately for her, I'd spent my entire life studying her like a college course.

The second she got secretive, my curiosity doubled.

A waiter passed carrying a tray full of mimosas. Without hesitation, I plucked two from the tray and slid them in front of her.

One thing about Faith?

Liquor made all her lips loose.

Yeah, purposely getting my mother drunk so she'd gossip about a girl I disliked for no real reason was a little foul.

But again...

The inevitable.

Besides, if Faith wanted to spend her Saturdays treating the country club like a safari and wealthy men like endangered species, then the least she could do was provide entertainment.

She narrowed her eyes and I narrowed mine right back. The two of us stared at each other across the table like poker players waiting for someone to blink first. Then, without breaking eye contact, she grabbed one of the mimosas and took a long sip.

A slow smile spread across my face.

Hook, line, and sinker.

“Okay, so you know she really isn’t an Everette?”

“Who?!”

Man, a bitch turned into an owl real quick when some hot tea spilled.

“Juliet. I mean she is, but not biologically.”

My mouth fell open.

“So, Miss Olivia was creeping?” I whispered.

My mother barked out laughing.

“Oh God, no. Miss Oscar-winning Olivia is entirely too vanilla for some hot shit like that.”

“Okay, so I’m confused,” I said, motioning with my hands for her to hurry up and get to the mic drop.

Faith’s messy, drunk ass glanced around before continuing.

“Neither Olivia nor Axel is her parent.”

“Biiiiittttccchhhhh, you lying.”

The words slipped out before I remembered I was talking to my mother and not one of the university’s gossipers.

“Mm hm.” She nodded. “You see, Echo and Juliet’s real mother were friends in high school. Some poor chick named Shannon. Shannon was sleeping with one of the teachers so he could pay her tuition.”

I leaned forward. My eyes were so wide I could see my own future.