I spent the next few days agonizing over my decision. Part of me was thrilled that I’d been asked on a date by Zed. I’d been manoeuvred into agreeing, that was true, but I wouldn’t be human if I hadn’t felt flattered. As Zoe had once told me, any female with a pulse would want to be asked out by a Benedict. Still, I didn’t want to spill it even to my closest girlfriends, mainly because I daren’t think it true. I had the crazy notion that saying it out loud might make it disappear like Cinderella’s coach at midnight. I was also worried what Tina would say. Something on the lines of ‘have you lost your mind?’. I feared if I talked to her, she’d persuade me that he was manipulating me, that he’d love me and leave me in the classic pattern of the bad boy. I wanted to believe in the new Zed: that I’d got him wrong, that he could be gentle, that we had common ground and could find more given time. But there was so much to take on board—the savant stuff (was that even real?), the soulfinder thing he was fixated on. My deepest fear was that he was just pretending to like me because he needed me in some way I couldn’t yet fathom.

My mum noticed my distraction but she did not guess the cause.

‘Sky, are you listening to me?’

‘Um … yes?’ I hazarded.

‘You were not.’

‘OK, I wasn’t. What did you say?’

‘I said we should buy you something special for the opening.’ Sally eyed the limited contents of my wardrobe with her usual good taste. ‘You’ve been worrying about it, haven’t you? That’s what’s got into you.’

‘Um …’

‘I agree: you don’t have anything here that will do. We’ll have to get you a new outfit.’

The Arts Centre was marking the occasion of its formal opening with a black tie reception. Everyone in Wrickenridge was expected to turn out—after all, there wasn’t much competition for entertainment until the ski season arrived. And if Sally thought I didn’t have a suitable outfit I was in trouble: Zed was bound to be there.

‘I’d like that but where can we go to shop? I can’t face going all the way into Denver.’

‘Mrs Hoffman—’

I groaned.

‘Said there was a very nice boutique in Aspen, just forty-five minutes away on the interstate.’

In the end, Simon came too, saying we’d not spent enough time together as a family since arriving. He treated us to lunch in an Italian place, then made himself scarce while Sally and I hit the boutique.

‘I might just get myself something new as well,’ said Sally, fingering the rows of dresses with longing.

‘Oh, now the hidden agenda is revealed!’ I teased her, pulling out a long red number. ‘This isn’t about me—it’s all about you. Try this on.’

After thirty minutes of indecision, we settled on two dresses with prices that Sally tried to ignore. Aspen catered to the exclusive skiers, the Hollywood A list, so had tags to match.

‘They are investments,’ she said, pulling out her credit card. ‘Yours will do for the ball in the summer.’

‘Prom,’ I corrected her. ‘And I think parents are supposed to cough up for a new dress for that too. It’s tradition.’

‘Then I’ll just have to sell a few more paintings.’ She closed her eyes and signed the bill.

We were giggling like mad conspirators as we got ready that evening.

‘Don’t tell Simon about the shoes,’ Sally warned. ‘He doesn’t understand about the need for coordination.’ She bit her lip. ‘They were horribly expensive, weren’t they?’

‘Where are my girls?’ Simon shouted from downstairs. ‘We’ll be late!’

Sally went first down the stairs, posing for effect in her red sheath dress.

Simon gaped.

‘I look good?’ she asked, a small frown forming.

‘I’ve changed my mind. Let’s stay home.’ He grinned, running his hand down her satin-clad back. ‘I hope Sky is wearing something a little less revealing. I’ll be chasing off the boys if she looks anything like you.’

I presented myself for his inspection. I had chosen a forget-me-not blue strapless dress that stopped short just above my knee. I’d let my hair loose, leaving it curling down my back, held at the front by two jewelled combs.

Simon shook his head. ‘I don’t think I can cope. Back to your rooms, girls.’

We laughed and seized him by the arms, towing him out to the car.

‘But look at you, all dashing in your James Bond outfit!’ I told him, straightening his bow tie. He made it a point of honour to use a real one, then always had to get us to tie it for him. ‘Sally and I will be fighting the girls off with canapés and cocktail sticks.’

‘I look to you both to defend me,’ he said, winking at me in the rear-view mirror.

The Rodenheim Arts Centre had a roof line that echoed the peaks behind, sliced in two by an irregular glass pyramid lit up with a wash of blue light. On a crisp, cold night like this, the shapes made a dramatic contrast to the star scattered sky. It could almost be the prow of a spaceship travelling through the Alpha Quadrant. Through the glass front I could see the party was already in full swing. Mr Keneally was spruced up for the evening, providing light music from a piano in the foyer. Waiting staff slipped through the crowd with trays loaded with nibbles, ranging from elaborate sushi to spicy Mexican dips.

Tina manned the guest welcome. She didn’t even bother with our name badges.

‘Wow—just wow!’ she exclaimed, taking in our little trio. ‘You sure do wash up fine.’

‘Most people do with just the right application of a credit card,’ smiled Sally.

‘And your shoes!’

‘Don’t mention the shoes,’ Sally hissed.

‘What’s that?’ said Simon.

‘Nothing, darling.’

‘Do you need any help?’ I asked hopefully, wondering if I could be spared the painful small talk and sit out here with Tina for the evening.

She flapped me away. ‘Don’t you dare, Sky! Anyway, my shift’s almost over. I’ll come find you.’

Simon had already moved on, in pursuit of a waiter with a tray of drinks. He snagged me a sparkling water and took two glasses of white for Sally and himself.

I lost my parents two minutes later. Sally got cornered by the local arts reporter from Aspen and Simon forgot his dislike of such events in a detailed discussion of Hockney with an earnest young student from Denver. At a loose end, I drifted, exchanging a few words with friends but not settling anywhere.

‘Now there’s a sight worth seeing!’ exclaimed Zoe, licking sauce off her fingers. She nudged me towards the door. ‘The whole Benedict clan has turned up—not a common event.’

So here were the fabled Benedict boys. Now, smartened up for the evening, I saw why people thought they could be trouble: they looked like a team of superheroes, though the jury was still out on whether they were on the side of good or evil. My eyes zeroed in on Zed first, who was looking really great in a black shirt and matching trousers.

Pants. The correction came through in my mind with the impression of a smile.

I don’t want to know about those.

Don’t you?

How could he make me blush from across the room? In fact, how could he even be talking to me? Get out of my head.

I can’t cut it out now I’ve started. Has anyone told you that you could stop traffic in that dress?

Is that good or bad? I was mad replying to a disembodied voice.

It’s good. Very, very good.

Oblivious to our conversation, Zoe giggled. ‘Oh my, Zed’s looking at you as if he’s going to eat you! Be still my beating heart!’

I angled my shoulder to him, trying to regain some semblance of calm. ‘He’s not.’

‘It’s not me he’s looking at, more’s the pity. Then again, that still leaves Trace, Uriel, Victor, Will, Xavier, and my Yves to enjoy. Aren’t they just—’ She twirled her hand, lost for words.

‘Which is which?’

‘Xavier’s the tallest. Just graduated. He’s really serious about skiing. Got a chance at the Olympic slalom team if he keeps at it. Trace’s a cop in Denver, I think. He’s the cool, capable one who looks like he could eat razor blades without flinching. Uriel’s at college, doing post-grad in forensic science. Will’s the big, broad-shouldered guy, also at college, not sure what course he’s taking. He’s a bit of a joker and has a longer fuse than the rest of them. Hmm, who’s left?’

‘Victor.’

Zoe patted her chest. ‘Oh, Victor. Really mysterious.

Recently left town but no one knows what he’s up to. Rumour has it he lives with Trace in the city, but I’m not so sure. I think he’s a spy or something.’

‘How do you remember who’s who?’

‘Easy: Trace, tough; Uriel, ultra intelligent; Victor … um … very mysterious …’

‘Cheat.’

Zoe grinned. ‘Will, wacky; Xav, X-treme sports; Yves, yummy—and I’ll leave you to figure out Zed.’ She hummed the alphabet song. ‘If they used the Benedicts to teach letters, us girls would pay way more attention.’

I laughed. ‘I wonder why they’re all back this weekend?’

‘A family birthday? Mr and Mrs Benedict are really nice—a bit weird at times, but always kind if you drop by the house.’ She took a sip of her drink.

‘I met Mr Benedict at the river.’

‘Great, isn’t he? Only strange thing is why anyone as clever as Mr Benedict would want to spend his life running the ski lift. You should see their bookshelves, crammed full of the kind of things my sister’s reading at college, philosophy and stuff.’

‘Perhaps they’re outdoors kind of people.’

‘Maybe.’ She nudged me. ‘But here’s someone who doesn’t want to be outdoors right now.’

Zed had left his brothers and was heading straight for us. ‘Hi, Zoe, Sky.’ He grinned at us both.

‘Zed.’ Zoe waved at Yves who was watching her across the room. ‘Everyone home?’

‘We had a bit of family business. You both look great.’

Zoe was reading the body language and, being the star that she is, decided to make tracks. She swung her long hair over her shoulder, her bracelets jingling.

‘Thanks, Zed. You don’t look so bad yourself. I’m just gonna go and catch up with Yves. See you.’

She slipped away, leaving us alone in our corner of the crowd. Zed stood in front of me, obscuring my view of the rest of the room so it felt as if it was just him and me.

‘Hi, there,’ he said in a low voice.

‘I thought we’d said hello already.’ Wow, this boy was sending out heat.

‘I said hi to both you and Zoe before. That one was just for you.’

‘Oh.’ I bit my lip to stop my laugh. ‘Hi.’

‘I wasn’t joking when I said you look amazing.’ He reached over and brushed a loose curl back behind my ear. ‘Where did all this come from?’

‘I keep it tied back at school. It can be a nuisance.’

‘I like it like this.’

‘Well, you don’t have to brush the tangles out each night.’

‘I’m more than happy to volunteer.’

‘Oh.’

‘Yeah, oh.’ He laughed and slid his arm around my shoulders. ‘Shall we go mingle?’

‘Do we have to?’

‘Yep. I want you to meet my mom and dad.’

‘Have you told them?’ I didn’t believe all this soulfinder talk, but if he did, I wondered what he’d done about it.

‘No, I want you to be happy with the idea when we let them know. They’ll be unbearable when I break the news.’

Was that the real reason, or was he just playing me, spinning a yarn to hook me in? I didn’t know if I could trust my instincts when it came to him.

‘What about your brothers? Can I meet them?’

‘You can meet Yves as you know him already and the damage is done, but I want you to keep well away from the others.’

‘Why? Wouldn’t they like me?’

‘How can anyone not like you?’ He stroked my arm, sending goosepimples along the bare skin. ‘It’s not that. It’s just that they’ll tell you all the most embarrassing stories about me and you’ll never speak to me again.’

‘I don’t think that’s very likely.’

He looked down at me, his smile tender. ‘No, I don’t think so either.’

We paused by Mr Keneally, joining in the applause as he finished his set on the piano. Mr Keneally acknowledged his audience then frowned when he saw Zed was my escort.

‘Would you like to play, Sky?’ he asked, obviously thinking it a good way to separate us.

‘No thanks, sir. Not tonight.’

Zed increased his grip on my shoulder. ‘Would you like me to get you a drink, sir?’

Mr Keneally did a double take. ‘That’s very kind of you.’ He reassessed our pairing. ‘Glad to see she’s a good influence on you.’

‘Early days yet,’ I murmured.

‘I’ll have a soda—a Coke.’

‘Be right back.’ Zed dropped his hold on me and dipped into the crowd to catch a waiter. It was almost funny the way he was trying to impress on me that he could be polite when he put his mind to it.

Mr Keneally was obviously trying to think of how to broach a difficult subject. He shuffled the music. ‘Settling in OK, Sky?’

‘Yes, thank you.’

‘Everyone looking after you?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘If you have any … er … problems with anyone, you know there’s a school counsellor, don’t you?’ Music Master leaping to my defence—though I don’t think he was quite ready to take on Wolfman directly.

‘Yes, Mr Joe told me. But I’m fine. Really.’

Zed returned. ‘One Coke, sir. Ready to move on, Sky?’

‘Yes. Bye, sir.’

Mr Keneally gave me a worried smile. ‘Thanks for the drink, Zed.’ He sat down and began to play Mahler’s funeral march.

‘Message for me?’ whispered Zed.

‘Or me. People can’t work out why we’re together.’

‘Can’t work out why I’ve got the prettiest girl in the room with me? Then they’ve no imagination.’ He laughed when he saw he’d made me blush again. He brushed a thumb over my cheek. ‘You are the definition of sweet, you know that?’

‘I hope that’s a compliment.’

‘Meant to be. I knew it even when I gave you that warning—you know, about going out after dark. You listened, didn’t you?’

I nodded, not sure what else to do. He seemed so serious about it.

He smiled and tickled my neck with a strand of my own hair. ‘I was full of resentment that I had to do it because of my dream—I’m still worried about that—but even then, it did filter through that you were kinda cute.’

‘You never showed it.’

His lip curled with wry self-knowledge. ‘I do have an image to maintain, you know. I think I might have fallen for you that day in the parking lot. Nothing sexier than an angry woman.’

I so wanted him to be telling the truth, but I had my doubts. ‘Cute and sexy? I’m not like that.’

‘Sure you are. If I’m a tuning fork, you’re the perfect A, making me hum.’

I was getting flustered. ‘Zed, ssh!’

‘What, you don’t like compliments?’

‘Of course I do—I just don’t know what to do with them.’

‘You just say, “Why thank you, Zed—that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”’

‘Will you stop putting on that fake English accent—it so doesn’t work!’

He threw back his head and laughed, drawing many eyes to us. He swooped on my hand and kissed my palm. ‘You are just great. You know, I can’t understand why I was slow to realize what was going on with you.’

I wasn’t ready to talk about feelings yet; I had to keep this practical. ‘These dreams of yours—do they always come true?’

He frowned. ‘One way or another. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m gonna take very good care of you, Sky.’

I didn’t know what else I could say about such a vague threat, but he had me spooked. I changed the subject. ‘You know, Tina doesn’t think you’re my type.’ I gestured across the room to Tina who was chatting with Sally. She looked striking in her long green dress; Nelson hovered close—he’d not missed the fact that she was attracting many admiring glances tonight.

‘Oh?’ Zed looked amused. ‘And your type would be?’

‘Tina’s opinion or mine?’

‘Yours.’

I smiled down at my new shoes before risking a glimpse of his expression. I was totally nervous, but I said it anyway. ‘Right now my type seems to be tall, arrogant, angry and secretly really kind.’

‘Nope, nobody I know.’ His eyes glinted.

‘Sky, isn’t it? How are you?’ Mr Benedict interrupted us, taking my hand in his large palm and holding it for a moment. His grip was warm and capable, work-roughened. If he was surprised to see me with his son after our last conversation in his presence, he didn’t show it. Then again, I had the impression his face rarely betrayed his thoughts. By contrast, his wife was a bundle of energy with large dark eyes, face positively radiating her emotions, body held poised like a flamenco dancer. She was the one who had gifted her sons with the Hispanic looks. By the way Mr Benedict’s arm rested on her shoulders, you could tell they had a special energy together, a quiet fizz of delight in each other.

‘Sky.’ Karla broke into my musing; she was smiling as she patted my wrist.

‘Nice to meet you, Mrs Benedict.’

‘Our boy apologized to you yet for how he spoke to you at the river?’

I glanced up at him. ‘In his own way.’

‘I see you understand him. I’m so pleased. It’s difficult for him.’ Mrs Benedict touched my cheek lightly, before her eyes lost focus and she became sort of misty. ‘But you—you’ve seen these things too—lived them, which is much worse. I’m so sorry.’

My heart missed a beat.

‘Mom,’ warned Zed. ‘Stop it.’

She turned to him. ‘I can’t help but see.’

‘Yes, you can,’ he ground out.

‘So much sadness so young.’

‘Karla, Sky is here to enjoy herself.’ Mr Benedict herded his wife away from me. ‘Come visit us anytime, Sky. You’ll always be welcome.’

I wanted to run. These people were making me see things again. I couldn’t. I’d squeezed those feelings—the colours—stuffed them away in a locked box deep inside. What was I doing here with Zed Benedict of all people? Who was I fooling? I couldn’t handle relationships—I shouldn’t have even tried.

‘Sorry about that.’ Zed tugged his collar awkwardly. ‘Shall we get some air?’

‘She’s like you.’ I could feel the shaking beginning. ‘She was reading me—getting too much like you do.’

‘Hush now.’ He stepped closer to shield me from the rest of the guests. ‘Don’t think about it.’

‘What am I? An open book or something?’

‘It’s not like that. It’s not just you.’

‘I think I’d like to go home now.’

‘I’ll drive you back.’

‘No, it’s OK. I’ll get Tina to take me.’ Right now I didn’t want to be near any of the Benedicts.

‘It’s not OK. If you want to go, I’m the one who’s going to take you. You’re my responsibility now. I’ve got to keep you safe.’

‘Safe’ was the opposite of what he made me feel. I backed away. ‘Just leave me alone. Please.’

Tina must’ve been keeping an eye on me all evening because she was at my side in an instant. ‘What’s the matter, Sky?’

‘I … I’m not feeling well.’

Zed stepped between us. ‘I was just about to drive her home.’

‘I can take her,’ Tina said swiftly.

‘No need. She’s with me. I’ll look after her.’ He was angry that I wanted to run from him, I could tell.

‘Sky?’ asked Tina.

I hugged my arms around my waist. It was easier not to argue. I just wanted to get home as quickly as possible, even if it meant a few minutes in the car with Zed.

‘Zed’ll take me. I’ll just go tell my parents.’

I was feeling really shaken and some sign of that must have convinced my parents I’d be better off at home. Simon sized Zed up coldly before agreeing.

‘Your dad does that well,’ Zed said, starting the ignition in his family’s jeep.

‘What?’ I suddenly felt tired—drained. I let my head flop against the side window.

‘Do the ball breaker thing. He was letting me know that if I put a finger on his little girl, I’m already dead.’

I gave a hiccuping laugh. ‘Yeah, he does get a bit protective.’ A lot like Zed.

We left that hanging as Zed drove up the hill. A dangling crystal swayed from the mirror, catching the lights as it jiggled hypnotically to and fro.

‘Why do you call them by their first names?’ he asked, trying to steer us away from the swampy ground we’d just covered.

‘I’ve only been with them since I was ten. We all agreed we were more comfortable with first names. They felt they were too old to start as Mummy and Daddy.’

‘You agreed or they suggested?’ He was right. I’d wanted to call them Mum and Dad, desperate to be like the other kids, but it hadn’t been their style.

‘I was fine with it.’

He let it go. ‘My mom—she does that to people. What can I say? Sorry?’

‘Not your fault.’

‘I took you over to them. I should’ve headed her off. Don’t let what she said worry you.’

‘It’s just not … not nice thinking someone can sense stuff about you.’

‘You don’t have to tell me—I live in the same house as her.’

‘She can see stuff about you too?’ That made me feel a lot better.

‘Oh yeah. Being a Benedict is no bed of roses.’

We stopped outside the house. Only the porch lamp was on. I wasn’t too keen on going in alone but didn’t want Zed to think I was making him a different kind of invitation.

‘So we’ll keep it in the car then. Just one small step,’ he said softly, then leant over and put his lips to mine for a kiss. It was incredibly soft. I felt as if we were melding together, barriers sinking under his gentle persuasion. Far too soon, he pulled reluctantly away. ‘Where’s your dad? Am I dead yet?’

‘That wasn’t a finger. You said my dad only thought about a finger.’ My voice sounded distant to me. Panic faded and I began to enjoy being just here in the present—with Zed. Like he’d said, my body was humming to his perfect A.

‘True.’ He put his hands on my shoulders and trailed them over the skin. ‘Sorry, I just had to do that. The dress should be outlawed.’

‘Hmm.’ Zed Benedict was kissing me—how could this possibly be real?

‘Yeah, I really, really like you, Sky. But if I don’t stop now, your dad will kill me and that will be the end of a beautiful friendship.’ He took a last kiss and pushed away, coming round to my side of the car to help me out. ‘I’ll just go turn some lights on then head back to the party.’

‘Thanks. I don’t like going into an empty house.’

‘I know.’ Zed took the key from me and opened the door. I waited in the hall as he made a quick tour of the rooms.

He hovered on the porch, jingling his keys. ‘I don’t like leaving you alone. Promise not to go out?’

‘I promise.’

‘Are you sure you’ll be all right?’

‘Yes. I’ll be fine.’

‘And sorry again about Mom. If it’s any comfort, her sister, Aunt Loretta, is worse.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Keep clear of our house at Thanksgiving—they’re an unstoppable combination.’ He drew me to him and kissed the tip of my nose. ‘Goodnight, Sky.’

‘Goodnight.’

Hand lingering on my cheek, he stepped back. ‘Make sure you lock the door behind me.’

I did as he said and went upstairs to change. Looking out of the window I saw that he hadn’t yet driven away. He sat there in the jeep. On guard until my parents came home. He was taking the threat to me seriously—which was both alarming and oddly comforting. At least tonight, I didn’t have to be scared.