Sometimes By Moonlight Read Online Free PDF

over the holidays with you.”
     
    Wait. Light bulb. I remembered that I actually had a reason to like being at school again. Austin had found me. Maybe, with less staff and fewer students, I’d actually get to spend time with him if he visited again. This baby thing might actually be a blessing in disguise.
     
    Honeybun came back into the frame, a fresh coat of red, shiny lipstick on her lips. “So your dad told you our good news?” she said, her smile too sweet, too… something.
     
    “Yeah,” I said.
     
    Honeybun’s chemically injected forehead was trying to let her frown. “You don’t seem very pleased,” she said, as if she wanted some kind of medal for procreating.
     
    “It’s great,” I replied flatly.
     
    She didn’t notice my tone. “I knew you’d be excited,” she said, her face softening. “Sorry about the travel plans. I assured your dad you’d understand.”
     
    I didn’t care anymore about the going home stuff, but the revelation that the spawn of Honeybun would soon be taking over my spot in our house suddenly irked me. I’d be gone—just one more year of high school after this—and then this kid would be the lone child in our house, in my dad’s life. That, more than the loss of Christmas, hit me hard. It almost eclipsed the hope that I’d finally see Austin.
     
    “Well, thank you for understanding,” Dad said. “We’ll FedEx your Christmas presents.”
     
    Priscilla finger-waved. “Ta-ta for now.”
     
    I stepped away from the computer and out the door. Bolting down the hallway, I ignored the judgmental stares of the Duke’s relatives and the sparkling blade of the evil knight. Ominous he’d been, indeed.
     
    When I got to my room, Marie-Rose was curled up in a ball under her covers.
     
    “Hey,” I said, patting the lump.
     
    When she poked her head out, there were brown crumbs around her lips.
     
    “What—are you snacking on something under there?”
     
    Marie-Rose nodded, her cheeks pinking. “The conversation with Maman didn’t go well.”
     
    “The school’s chewy bread can’t be helping much.”
     
    She sat up in bed and held out her hand. “It’s a gingersnap,” she said.
     
    My stomach growled at the sweet smell. How long had it been since I’d caught a whiff of something I actually wanted to eat?
     
    “There’s a new helper in the kitchen,” Marie-Rose said, gesturing for me to take the remaining half of the cookie. “When I passed by the kitchen door, I must have looked awful,” she said slowly. “Frau Blumen pulled me inside and showed me this stash of cookies she’d baked for the staff. I already ate two.”
     
    “You mean to tell me the teachers get cookies while we get watery pudding?”
     
    Marie-Rose nodded.
     
    I bit into the cookie, hoping that it tasted bad, because maybe that would make my irritation fade. But, of course, it was as delicious as it smelled. I chewed it slowly, savoring the spicy flavor.  “This school sucks.”
     
    Marie-Rose sighed. “Yes, but the cookies are good.”
     
    “If we ever got them, they’d be good.”
     
    “How did your video call go?” Marie-Rose asked.
     
    I told her Honeybun’s news and how I’d be stuck at Steinfelder for the holidays.
     
    “ Maman will be flying to Rio alone this year,” she said, nodding sadly. “I’ll be here with you.”
     
    “Are there any other kids staying behind over the break?”
     
    Marie-Rose licked crumbs from her fingers. “More than you’d expect. But then, that’s what this place is, right? A place to keep us out of the way?”
     
    I didn’t need to agree. I’m sure she saw it written all over my face.

 
    Chapter Four
     
     
     
     
     
    If I said I wasn’t watching every second for a sign, a secret note, or something from Austin, I’d be lying. A week had gone by since I’d discovered the sketchbook in the well house and had my conversation with Dad and Honeybun. There’d been no further sign of Austin. What was keeping