The Rules for Breaking (27 page)

Will looks confused “Why would he have done that?”

Agent Williams shrugs. And I remember what Thomas said the night he was talking to Mateo.

We’ll meet back here when it’s done and settle up. The door off the kitchen will be open. You can wait in there if you beat me back.

“It was for Mateo.”

Will gets up and says, “This is some crazy shit. I’m gonna walk over and get a Coke. Anybody want one?”

“No,” I answer. “But I won’t turn down some regular clothes.” The white dress is a disaster—stained and torn—and I would give anything to get out of it.

When Ethan and I are finally alone, he puts his good arm around me and I burrow into his side.

“I know you saw both of them get shot. Do you want to talk about it?” Ethan asks.

“When I was in that moment and I knew it was them or me…I was really glad it was them.”

He squeezes me and says, “I’m really glad it was them, too.”

“When I talked to Dad, I asked him if we could stop in Baton Rouge on our way home to see Mom. Are you good with that?”

“Of course. We can do whatever you want.”

“Well, I know you love New Orleans, but I don’t know if I ever want come back down here again.”

He chuckles softly. “You may feel differently later on. We’ll give it some time.”

And then I think about what that means. Time. We have all the time in the world now, and I can’t help but smile thinking about it.

the count of three, we’re jumping!”

I’m so excited and terrified that I can hardly stand it. “Are you sure it’s going to be okay?” I scream my question over the roar of the waterfall.

“Yes! You can do this.”

After what happened in New Orleans, we don’t want to waste a single second of our lives. We’re in Costa Rica, where we’ve spent the last week hiking and river rafting and basically having a really good time. Our high school graduation had barely ended before we were jumping on a plane, headed south. “Look, everyone else has done it and they all survived. You’re the bravest girl I know.”

And that’s all I need to reassure me.

“Okay! On three!”

Together we count, “One…two…three!”

And then we’re falling fast. We’re in the deep pool of water within seconds.

Ethan breaks from the water, yelling, “Hell, yeah! Let’s do it again!”

I laugh and splash him.

“Anna! Ethan! Over here!” Catherine and the others swim toward the rocky bank. Ethan and I let the waves take us to where they are.

The water flows in between the crevices of the large black rocks, making little coves. The sand is not like any I’ve ever seen, dark gray and spongy-feeling. And the water is so gorgeous; the deepest shades of midnight blue and emerald green swirl and mix with each crashing wave. This may be the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. So far, at least.

I look around at everyone here—Catherine and Will, Emma and Ben, and especially Ethan—and say a quick prayer of thanks that I’m alive and here in this moment with them.

Ethan swims up beside me, his hands running across my waist. “Come explore with me,” he whispers.

We float through the shallow water, deeper into the rocky coast, until we find a secluded little corner. Ethan pulls me into his lap and we soak up the warm sunshine.

We can still hear the splashing and laughing of our friends, but for all purposes, we are alone.

I twist around until I’m facing him. Both of my hands are on the sides of his face and I pull him in for a kiss.

The water is warm and our hands slip and slide over each other. I could stay here, like this, forever.

“I’m not ready to go home tomorrow,” Ethan says between kisses. “We’ll be back to our own beds and your dad’s eagle eye.”

“My mom’s, too. And I think she’s worse than him!”

Mom has been home for a month and it’s been good. Really good. We were all a bit nervous around each other for the first few days but it didn’t last. She’s not back to her old self—she’s actually better than her old self. I don’t know if it will last forever, but what I learned after New Orleans is to enjoy every day for what it is.

Ethan trails kisses down one side of my neck and back up the other. “Maybe we can go backpacking through Europe until it’s time to start school this fall? Just me and you weaving our way through France. Doesn’t that sound better than the summer in Natchitoches?”

“Ummm…yes, it does. But there’s no way we could go to France and leave Teeny behind. She’d never speak to us again. You know she’s trying to convince Mom and Dad to send her there for boarding school.”

Ethan pulls back from my neck and I’m sorry I distracted him. “What?”

“She’s obsessed with Francesca. She’s dying to find out what happened to her, and she thinks she needs to start at the beginning.”

“That’s crazy.”

“No, it’s probably more that she thinks Francesca saved us and she just wants to make sure things ended well for her.”

Ethan frowns. “I thought she was doing better? She seems like she’s back to her normal self.”

Normal self would be full-blown crush on Ethan and total brat to me.

“She is, for the most part. That picture and those letters are really important to her. She’s just having a hard time letting it go.”

We hear the group getting closer and it’s only a few seconds more before Will’s head pops into view. He climbed on top of a large rock near where we are. “Who wants one more jump before we head back?” Will asks.

Ethan grabs my hand, bringing it to his mouth, and kisses it slowly.

“You ready?”

I smile. “Always. Let’s go.”

many thanks to…

Sarah Davies, my amazing agent, for her continued support and encouragement. Greenhouse Literary feels like a family and I’m so honored to be a part of it.

Emily Meehan and Laura Schreiber for being rock star editors. You helped me dig deep to make this story the best it could be and I’m so fortunate to have you both on my side. I’m one lucky author.

The entire team at Disney-Hyperion including: Elizabeth Holcomb and Mark Amundsen for their meticulous copyediting, Dina Sherman and Jamie Baker for getting my books into readers’ hands, Marci Senders and Theresa Evangelista for blowing me away with this beautiful cover, and everyone else behind the scenes—I’m truly grateful for everything you do.

Elle Cosimano, Megan Miranda, and Moriah McStay Lee—you are not only phenomenal critique partners but also treasured friends. This journey would not have been near as much fun without you.

My parents, in-laws, family and friends for being beyond supportive and excited and the basically the best fans a girl could ask for. A special shout-out to Nicole Guidry Earl—you’re friendship has meant so much to me over the years. And to Elizabeth Pippin for patiently listening to every single story idea I have (usually while we’re in line for carpool).

And always the biggest thanks to my husband, Dean, and our sons, Miller, Ross, and Archer. Every day is an adventure and I’m so glad I get to share it with you. I love you all so very much.

Ashley Elston
is the daughter of an attorney and grew up surrounded by talk of court cases, crazy clients, and the law in general—all of which triggered the ideas in
The Rules for Disappearing
. She has a liberal arts degree from Louisiana State University and lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, with her husband and three young sons.