Silver (Wicked Woods #3) (19 page)

were envious of what they cal my porcelain skin.

It was al flattering, but it was also incredibly embarrassing. I felt scrutinized and watched al the time.

Added to this was the expectation that Liam and I would soon marry. The thought both pleased and pressured me.

I’d known Liam since I could remember, but the pressure to marry was sometimes difficult to swal ow. I wanted to do this on my own terms, not by everyone’s expectations.

“After you.” Liam gestured to the booth.

“Have you been waiting long?” I asked Sarah as I slid in.

“Just long enough to down one of these.” She held up a tal , long glass of soda then turned to Liam. “You know, I was thinking, next week we could do the party down by the lake if the weather holds up.”

“I’m famished. Have you ordered yet?”

“Two mini burgers with coleslaw and a mammoth burger with fries for Liam.”

“Thanks,” Liam said, obviously anticipating the great meal to come.

“So, what do you think? Sarah asked him.

“I had thought about that, too. Streamers on the trees, flowers everywhere, and maybe even a live band?

Or we could do something elegant and classy at my place.

The grounds are beautiful this time of year with everything in bloom.”

“I think she would real y love that.”

“I just love how you guys go about planning my birthday party as if I wasn’t even there.”

“It’s as close to a surprise party as we can get. You always guess what we’re up to anyway.” Sarah pointed her straw at me for emphasis.

“But the night of my birthday is the same as the Arcades last game of the season.”

“That’s if they make it to the finals.” Liam seemed unconcerned with the turn out of the evening.

“They always make it,” Sarah added.

“Even if they do, everybody’s going to want to come celebrate Kama’s birthday.”

It was just like Liam to be so optimistic. I suddenly thought of the secret wedding plans I’d conjured up for us.

As annoying as the pressure to marry could sometimes be, the thought that marrying Liam might not be in my Life’s Plan often scared me to death.

“That’s pushing it a bit, don’t you think?” I knew I was popular at school, but for the student body to skip the Arcades’ victory party for my eighteenth birthday wasn’t likely to happen.

“Look,” Sarah said with finality. “The game is at two, wil probably end before five, everyone wil celebrate ‘til seven and then they can al slide on over to our party for eight. Voila. It’s al settled and everyone is happy.”

I tried to concentrate on what she was saying, but I felt every sense in my body awaken to something I’d never felt before. It was electric, almost painful. Was this what closing in on my eighteenth birthday felt like?

No, it was more than just that. I stared out the window, looking for the source of my sudden distraction.

The feeling intensified until the conversation between Sarah and Liam was completely blotted out and al that existed was that odd sensation.

“Kama, did you hear what I said?”

I pul ed my gaze away with difficulty and concentrated on Sarah who wove a lilac colored sheet of paper at me

I knew what it meant and instantly felt that jolt of envy.

Having turned eighteen a few weeks back, she’d final y received her Life’s Plan.

“I final y got word from the Committee. Can you believe it? I hold in my hand my Life’s Plan.”

“And you managed to hold that bit of information back this long?” I said, teasing her.

“I love you and want this birthday to be special for you, but now that everything is practical y settled, we can talk about
moi
.”

“So, what does the future hold for
toi
?”

Before she could answer, the waitress arrived with our order.

“Everything looks delicious as usual. Thank you,”

Sarah said with a quick, polite but dismissive smile. She was eager to tel us about her Life’s Plan and it showed.

Beaming with pride, she pul ed out her electronic pad, inserted the smal chip she’d received from the Committee and turned the screen to Liam and me.

Ignoring the plate of hot food before me, I read through the introduction, though I basical y knew it al . She came from the affluent Diamond Suburbs, was the only child to Mick and Fay Murray who both happened to work on the very Committee she’d just received notice from.

“Okay, so you guys already know that part,” Sarah said as she guided the page further down. “Here’s the interesting part.”

I smiled as I envisioned the life that had been plotted out for her. She was to attend Arcadia University where she would meet her future husband in the Elite Society. Both would go on to work for the Committee and live in the Diamond Suburb.

“Oh, Sarah. I’m so excited for you.” I final y picked up my little burger and sank my teeth into it.

“I knew you’d be. This is exactly what I wanted.

Exactly what I was hoping for.”

“Do you know how lucky you are to receive a Life’s Plan that is just as you wanted it?”

“I know. I never would have thought.”

I turned to Liam who’d sat silently through the exchange, his mammoth burger almost half gone. A wistful smile warmed his face as he looked at me. That look of love that came so often stil warmed me just as much as it did on our very first date. He slid his hand around my waist and pul ed me closer and I knew where his mind had wandered to; his own Life’s Plan.

He was set to marry a girl he’d known al his life. It could hardly be anyone else but me. Everyone agreed we were the perfect match. He would someday take his dad’s place as Governor of Arcadia, but would start at the Committee. He, too, was slated to live in the luxurious suburb of Diamond.

How many times had he told me his Life’s Plan had to include me? Countless. And every time he did, my heart raced a little faster. Life would indeed be perfect; a beautiful home in an exclusive neighborhood, a loving and gorgeous husband, and my best friend living nearby. What more could I hope for?

I couldn’t resist leaning into him for a warm snuggle.

He wrapped his arms around me, kissed my forehead and chuckled in that soft way he had when he knew I was feeling amorous.

“Cool it, you guys,” Sarah snapped. “I’m stil here, in case you hadn’t noticed. Besides, this is my Life’s Plan we’re happy about, remember? You’l have your chance in a few weeks, Kama.”

Yes, I wanted to scream. And I hoped I wouldn’t have to wait long. While some people waited weeks, as Sarah had, many got their Life’s Plan within days of their eighteenth. No doubt mine would greatly resemble Sarah’s and Liam’s. We were basical y cut from the same cloth, even if our childhoods were slightly different, and our destinies were bound to include one another.

The sensation returned again, drawing my attention away from the table and pul ing me out of the diner like a magnet. I looked out the window, looking for the source of my distraction.

Across the street, simply standing there, tal , dark and strangely out of place, was a young man of such intensity, the hair on my arms rose. He was like no other man I’d ever seen, confident, sure and so attractive in his gloom. His fashion sense was from another world, or at the very least from another town.

While the occasional blue jean was seen here and there, most young men of Arcadia wore stylish and elegant slacks. But this intruder dared to wear not only jeans, but black jeans that seemed to have seen their share of battle.

Instead of a shirt, he wore a dark leather tunic that added to his mystique and aura of danger.

I was drawn to him in a way I’d never thought possible. It was magnetic. I felt my heart quicken and my pulse race. He was like a warrior straight out of those romantic fantasy novels I’d heard about. Extremely handsome, a bit exotic with his tan skin and jet-black hair.

But his sapphire eyes held mine in a gaze that spoke lifetimes.

Kama, the desired one.

My fork stopped midway to my mouth. I froze as the strange and dark voice entered my mind. I glanced at Sarah. Happily chomping on her burger, she had not heard a thing.

Glancing sidelong at Liam, I could see he had not heard anything either.

I have found you, yet again…

What? Me? Who are you? What is this? Where was that voice coming from?

Him.

I forced the coleslaw into my mouth before the others noticed my sudden odd behavior, but I almost choked on it.

When I final y managed to swal ow it down, I turned to Liam.

“I think I just saw Tula across the street,” I said as I laid down my fork and prepared to rise. “I owe her two dol ars, so I’l run out to give it back to her.”

He stood, and while he looked completely perplexed by my sudden need to leave the diner, he said nothing.

I hurried out and headed in the direction of the mysterious man with raven hair. Breathless before I even began to run across the street, I felt an urgent need to meet this man. But I could see before hitting the curb that he’d already disappeared.

My disappointment surprised me, as if I’d missed something important, something that could change my life.

My heart felt heavy as I looked up and down the street.

There wasn’t even a trace of him until I arrived at the very spot I’d seen him.

A perfect deep purple orchid. It had to come from him. No orchid of such color grew in Arcadia. It was the only proof I was not completely going nuts. He had been here. I had seen him. This mysterious man with the burning blue eyes was here and knew my name. Who was he?

There was something rather self-indulgent about passing out invitations to my own birthday party, so I let Sarah do most of the talking and handing out as we strol ed through the school hal s. She was great at getting people together and she had a way of making any event seem grand.

“Here you go, Heidi. This is a special invitation to Kama’s eighteenth birthday. Liam was nice enough to al ow us to throw this great bash at his house, that’s right, the Governor’s Manor. We sure do hope you can be there.”

I’d known Heidi since the third grade and while we weren’t close friends, I did enjoy her quiet and reserved company.

“Hey, isn’t that the gang from your old neighborhood?” Sarah said as we moved on.

At the far end of the hal , I saw Jocelyn and Matthew.They’d both lived in the Ruby District their whole lives.

With al of our parents working in industries other than the Committee, we had a lot in common and it brought us closer.

However, as Sarah reached out to hand them their invitation, I could’ve sworn they both cringed. Was the thought of attending my birthday bash so unappealing?

“I’l see if I can make it,” Jocelyn said.

I immediately knew it meant she’d do anything to ensure she had something else to do.

“Me, too,” Matthew added. He carelessly shoved the invitation into his pocket.

Part of me wanted to question their lack of interest, but I also didn’t want to dwel on it. I was in a good mood, it was a beautiful day and my birthday was just around the corner. I turned to fol ow Sarah to the cafeteria, putting them out of my mind.

“There’s Liam,” Sarah shouted as we entered the cafeteria. “I’l go grab a slice of pizza and come meet you guys.”

I stood there for a moment, taking in al of Liam – his blond hair, smooth skin, earnest green eyes, ful lips, and his tal muscular physique. Physical y, he was beautiful, but everything else about him made me love him more. He’d already taken his seat at the table reserved for the children of Committee workers. I glanced sidelong at the students who watched me make my way to the table I didn’t yet official y belong to. If not for Sarah and Liam, I wouldn’t be al owed there.

“How are you doing, Kama?” Liam rose to give me a quick kiss. “I got you the minestrone soup and turkey sandwich.”

Ever since he’d taken to getting my lunch every day, he never erred. He had a way of knowing what I wanted every day. “Perfect, just like always.” He was perfect, just as always, and every girl in school knew it.

Most of the senior class was in love with him, and those who didn’t love him, envied him. He had everything -

looks, wealth and a personality to warm the coldest heart.

It was amazing how, out of al the pretty, pretty girls he could have chosen, he’d chosen me, and I was forever grateful for his love and affection.

“You spoil me, Liam Seer,” I whispered as I came up close and raked my fingers through his mass of golden curls. How was it possible for a guy to be so devilishly handsome and so positively angelic at the same time? To think he was to one day be Governor of Arcadia, the most powerful person in our state. It was in his Life’s Plan.

“Your smile, warm kisses and your eternal love are al I ask in return.” His eyes fil ed with love and he grinned a sil y grin. “I’ve missed you.”

Taking my seat, I smiled and glared at him. “Liam, you saw me yesterday.”

“Yeah, but you ran out on me so fast. I thought you would come back in but you just left.”

“I know,” I said, looking for a solid explanation. “My head must be in the clouds these days, what with my birthday, Life’s Plan and al that. I’m real y sorry.”

“I thought you would at least cal afterwards.”