The Lost Sister by Megan Kelley Hall Page A

behind it.
    She let the question remain unanswered, as if rhetorical, and said, “Reed lets me come out her to be alone with my thoughts sometimes. If you want me to leave, that’s no prob—”
    He cut her off and said gently, “Hey, hey, no, that’s cool. I wouldn’t mind some company right about now, actually.” He seemed sad and looked like a little lost boy. A harmless boy. “May I?” he asked, gesturing to the space beside her. She pulled some of the blankets tightly around her and scooted over to make room.
    They sat for a while just staring at the moonlit water and the night sky. She could hear kids laughing on the shore. A bonfire had been built on the beach. Every time the wind changed direction, she could hear the voices come to her, carried across the harbor with the wind. Sometimes it felt like they were talking and laughing right behind them on the boat. It was like sharing space with ghosts.
    “Did you come from that party?” Cordelia finally asked.
    “Ugh, yeah,” Trevor said, taking another long swig of wine. He looked at the label with a furrowed brow, as if close inspection of the wine would provide him with some answers. “I don’t know if I can handle that scene anymore. Too much drama.”
    Cordelia laughed. “Well, this is a drama-free zone, so you’re welcome to stay.”
    “Oh yeah? I’m welcome to stay on my own family’s boat? Well, thank you very much, Miss LeClaire.” He laughed, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “I think I will stick around for a little while. At least until my brother comes and then I’ll leave you two to your ‘tutoring.’”
    Cordelia sensed a simmering anger beneath Trevor’s cool demeanor, so she playfully shoved Trevor, shoulder to shoulder. “Come on, Trevor. You know it’s not like that. Your brother is a really great guy and he’s been so helpful to me over the past few months.” She watched as he nodded, inhaled, and then blew smoke rings into the sky.
    “Yeah, he’s a cool guy. A great brother. Plus, he’s been giving me some good advice lately.” Trevor’s sharp sarcasm subsided for a moment.
    “Really?” she asked earnestly. She was having a hard time picturing a bonding session between the brothers, especially since Trevor always seemed like he was above asking for anyone’s help. “On what?”
    “Aw, I don’t know. Shit with Kate, I guess,” he said, staring intently at the glowing orange ember at the end of his cigarette. “It’s practically like an arranged marriage. Our families pretty much decided that we were going to end up together when we were in preschool.”
    “Haven’t you ever dated anyone else?” Cordelia asked.
    “Oh yeah, I mean, we both have. But, still,” he growled. “My parents are so gung-ho about us getting hitched, I’m pretty sure they already have the wedding invitations filled out—all we need to do is give them the date.”
    “Wow,” Cordelia said, grabbing his cigarette and taking a long drag. “That’s messed up. It’s almost medieval.”
    “Tell me about it,” he laughed, finally seeming to loosen up, either with the wine or the night or the sharing of secrets. He put his hand behind his head and lay back against the stern, inching a little closer to Cordelia. “They even want me to hyphenate my name. How gay is that? I’ll be Trevor Campbell-Endicott. They all say it’s so that when we have kids we’ll all have the same name.”
    “But if Kate changed her last name to Campbell, you would all have the same last name anyway, right?”
    He looked at her, disbelieving for a moment. “Wow, you really aren’t from around here. Giving up the Endicott name for Kate would be like giving up the name Rockefeller or Cabot. It’s old New England. It opens doors for you. You don’t just throw a name like that away.” His voice was laced with annoyance.
    “Jeez, sorry. I didn’t know,” Cordelia giggled, trying to reclaim the easygoing rapport she’d developed with Trevor—noting