Page 97 of Knot a Bad Idea
“Tell me what? Is everyone okay?!” I ask, and Skylar nods.
“Everyone’s fine, but?—"
“April?” my mom calls. “There’s a package for you.”
I keep watching Skylar, who shakes her head. “I’ll tell you in a second. It’s fine.”
My mom comes back in with a white box that her arms barely fit around. “What the hell did you order?” she asks, placing the box on the couch next to the table. It rattles as she places it down. “A bunch of pieces of metal?”
“I didn’t order anything,” I murmur.
“Oh my god. Is it a bomb?” Skylar whispers, and my mom and I both turn to her.
“What the fuck, Skylar?!” I exclaim.
“I don’t know, your exes are crazy!” she snaps. “Who’s to say it’s not a bomb?”
“Honey, it’s not a bomb,” my mom says calmly. “But…maybe you want to call your detective boyfriends over, anyway?”
I look at my mom incredulously. “You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter.
She shrugs. “Stranger things have happened. I’d rather not risk it.”
My life is a joke.
Vincent,Landon, and River stand in my front room, staring at the mystery white box on the couch while Skylar chews her nails in the corner. Somehow, Ben ended up here, too, with Devyn cowering behind him.
“It’s not a bomb,” River declares, tapping the box with his booted foot. Devyn squeaks and presses her face into the back of Ben’s sweater.
“This isinsane,” I hiss. “Of course it’s not abomb. Can I open it now, please?”
“But you didn’t order anything,” Landon adds. “And there’s no return address.”
“And?” I snap.
He shrugs. “Maybe it’s a little overkill,” he admits, “but it doesn’t hurt to be wrong about these types of things.”
“No one mailed me abomb.”
Ben shakes his head. “No, they didn’t. But theyshouldhave used a return address.”
“Are you going to open it?” Devyn asks, her eyes wide.
I sigh as River moves out of the way so I can pick up the box. It’s heavier than I thought it would be, and the pieces inside rattle around loudly.
But then I catch a subtle hint of the ocean, and my chest tightens.
It’s the lightest whiff, barely a whisper of a scent, but I would recognize it anywhere.
“It doesn’t need a return address,” I murmur. “I know who it’s from.”
Vincent still looks suspicious, though.
“It’snota bomb,” I tell him. “I promise you; Donovan wouldn’t mail me abomb.”
“We should mailhima bomb,” Skylar mutters, and my mom sighs.
“Alright, kids, I’m done for the night,” she says, putting her hands up in exasperation. “I’m going to bed. And unless your names are April, Skylar, or Devyn, I expect you all to go home. I’m not having a giant slumber party at my house.”