A Mysterious Man novel Chapter 6

"What's up?" she asked, carefully stepping into the kitchen, trying unsuccessfully to avoid getting any flour onto her worn converse sneakers.

"Jonah was just going to tell me who made her so flustered. After all, it's been a long time since I have seen evidence of Jonah when she's been interested in a guy."

"Mom!" I nearly screeched. "It isn't like that!"

"Oh really?" The skeptical lift of her perfectly arched brow made me bite my lip, but I didn't back down. I wasn't going to lose this. She wasn't going to know.

"Yes," I hissed out to her, eyeing Kennedy, trying to silently tell her that any type of intrusion would be welcome.

"Jonah?" I heard a questioning voice that I now recognized as Grayson's call into the house. It sounded like he was on the stairs making his way to the first floor. "I put on some pants like you asked."

Not that kind of intrusion.

"Oh dear Lord," I mumbled. My mother perked up, her eyes widening as she stared at me like she was seeing me for the first time, her lips twisting into a smile that made my insides condense into a tiny ball. Kennedy looked at me in a similar way, her bangs ruffling as she tilted her head at me, a small smirk teasing the corners of her mouth.

"Is there something you want to tell us, Jonah?" My mother asked. "Or are you still going to pretend that nothing happened before we arrived." She paused for a second before saying: "I knew you looked flushed."

I gasped, my cheeks flooding with color. "Mom!" My mouth opened and closed like a fish; there was nothing I could do or say that would change her mind from what she thought had happened. No sound came out of my throat, but somehow I was able to splutter a few words to try and defend myself. "B-but… I didn't… Just… NO!"

Bubbling laughter from the person next to me drew my attention to Kennedy. Laughter was peeling out of her, and the sad part was that she was trying to hold it back - and not succeeding at all. I glared at her with nearly the same amount of venom that Edgar was able to put into his patented glares. I could have sworn she flinched away, but there was no way to be sure. After all, I wasn't Edgar.

"Jonah?" Grayson asked the house again. "Are you there?"