Shadows Read Free Page A

“gentleman” to the list. Biting her lip, she searched for something to say.
    Finally, she asked, “What class do you have next?”
    “Science on the first floor.”
    Her brows shot up as she glanced around. As expected, people were definitely staring. Mostly girls. “Then why are you on the second floor?”
    “Because I wanted to be.” He said it so matter-of-factly that she had the impression he made a habit of doing whatever he wanted on a regular basis.
    His eyes met hers and held them. Something in his stare made her feel hyperaware of herself—of everything around her. In a sudden moment of clarity, she knew her mom would take one look at a guy like Dawson and send her off to an all girls’ school. Boys like him usually left a trail of broken hearts as long as the Mississippi behind them. And she should be running into her class—which couldn’t be too far away now—as fast as she could, because the last thing Bethany wanted was another broken heart.
    But she was just standing there, not moving. Neither of them was. This…this was intense. More so than the first time she kissed a boy. The kicker was they weren’t even touching. She didn’t even know him.
    Needing space, she stepped to the side and swallowed. Yep, space was a good idea. But his concentrated stare still reached her from behind thick lashes.
    Without breaking eye contact, he motioned toward a door over his shoulder. “That’s room 208.”
    Okay. Say something or nod, you idiot . Definitely not making a good impression here. What eventually came out of her mouth was sort of horrifying. “Are your eyes real?”
    Aw, hell, awkward much?
    Dawson blinked, as if the question surprised him. How could it? People had to ask him that all the time. She’d never seen eyes like the twins’. “Yeah,” he drawled. “They’re real.”
    “Oh…well, they’re really pretty.” Heat swept across her cheeks. “I mean, they’re beautiful.” Beautiful? She needed to stop talking now.
    His grin went right back to full wattage. She liked it. “Thank you.” He cocked his head to the side. “So…you’re going to leave me hanging?”
    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a tall blond boy who looked as if he’d stepped off the pages of a teen magazine. He caught sight of Dawson and stopped abruptly, causing another guy to barrel into his back. With a half grin, the tall boy apologized but never took his eyes off Dawson. And they were blue, like cornflower blue. None of her paints could even hope to capture the intensity of the color. Just like she was equally sure they would never be able to do justice to Dawson’s eyes, either.
    “Huh?” she said, focusing on Dawson.
    “Your name? You never told me what your name is.”
    “Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Bethany.”
    “Elizabeth.” He repeated her name as if he were tasting the sound. “Does Bethany come with a last name?”
    Heat crept up her neck as she gripped the strap on her bag. “Williams—my last name is Williams.”
    “Well, Bethany Williams , this is where I have to leave you.” Goodness, he sounded genuinely dismayed. “For now.”
    “Thank—”
    “No need.” As he backed away from her, his eyes glimmered under the light. Dazzling. “We’ll see each other soon. I’m sure of it.”

Chapter 2
     
    All the roads just outside of Petersburg looked the same to Bethany. Three times she missed the turnoff for her new home—an old farmhouse that had been converted into a livable space. The road was narrow, marked only by a minuscule white post, and surrounded by trees. Being used to suburban America, she was way out of her element. Even the GPS in her car had run screaming several miles back.
    Ugh.
    And thank God for snow chains. Her sedan would never make the trek up or down the gravel road to the old farmhouse otherwise. But the place was beautiful—the snow-capped mountains, thick elm trees, and rolling white hills. Her fingers itched to put it on canvas.
    Just