Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“What was that about?” Shel asks, coming my way when they are gone and the door is closed behind them.
“They want to take Ly to visit their family in Nevada for a couple weeks this summer.”
“They want to take her for a week? They haven’t even had her overnight.”
“I know.” I let out a sigh.
“What did you tell them?”
“That I’d think about it. I don’t want to let her go, but I feel so guilty. I don’t want to keep Ly from Gabe’s family. I don’t want her to hate me in a few years because I didn’t allow her to get to know them.”
“Honey, you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. Lyra is young; she’s still a baby as far as I’m concerned. She should be here with you.”
I nod in agreement. “The bad thing is I have time to break the news to them. I just hope when I tell them no they are understanding.”
“You know your dad and I are here. We can go with you if you want. Maybe we can help explain why right now isn’t the time for that kind of separation.”
“Thanks, Shel.”
“Anytime.” She gives me a hug. “I’m going to get Ly’s bag and take her over to the house. Have fun tonight with Denver.”
“Shel….” I let the warning hang in the air between us.
Her eyes soften and she reaches out to me, resting her hand against my cheek. “Just have fun.”
“Sure,” I mumble, and she drops her hand away, giving me a smile. I say goodbye to Denver’s mom, Joe, along with his family and mine. Once everyone is gone, I go to the kitchen, where I come up with another excuse as to why I can’t go out tonight. I just hope it works.
Chapter 4
_______________
Denver
“HOW LONG DO YOU NEED to get ready to go out?”
At my question, Bre looks up from the counter that she’s been wiping down for the last fifteen minutes. A counter that was already clean, because Shel and my mom spent time cleaning up the kitchen after everyone else left. They just took off themselves, all of them going next door to Bre’s mom and dad’s to watch a movie.
“I don’t really feel up to going out. I have a headache.”
“Did you take something?”
She licks her lips. “Um… I didn’t. It’s not that bad.” She turns her back to me and starts to wipe down the sink. “You can go. I’m probably gonna just take a shower and head to bed.”
“You’re full of shit,” I state, and she turns her head to look at me over her shoulder.
“Pardon?”
“You don’t have a headache. You’re just using that as an excuse to avoid me once again.”
“I’m not,” she lies, and I know she’s lying, because every time she does, her head tips a little to the right. She’s always done that, ever since I can remember.
“You are.”
“Okay, so maybe I just don’t want to go out.”
“That’s fine.” I shrug, and relief fills her eyes. “I don’t mind staying in. We can talk here.”
“Thirty minutes.”
“What?”
She tosses the sponge in her hand into the sink then skirts past me, doing it quickly. Pausing in the hall, she glances at me over her shoulder. “I’ll be ready to go in thirty minutes.”
“Right.” I grin, and she huffs out an annoyed breath before stomping off, which makes me laugh.
While she’s doing whatever women do to get ready to go out, I go to the living room and look out the front window, my mind wandering to the party.
Everyone who was invited showed, and Bre was having a good time… until Gabe’s parents arrived. I know that since Gabe’s passing, Bre has made an effort to include them in Lyra’s life. They’re always invited to holidays and birthdays, though they don’t always show up, which is probably a good thing. Bre shut down the moment they arrived here. No, she didn’t lose her smile, but I could see it in her eyes that she was uncomfortable.
Then again, they made everyone uncomfortable. They didn’t chat or even try to join in on the conversations going on around them. They just huddled together in the corner of the room, talking amongst themselves. The only person they interacted with was Lyra, and that didn’t last long, because she wanted to play with her toys and spend time with her friends who came to celebrate her birthday. I can’t say I’m surprised by their behavior. Since they moved to town years ago, they have kept to themselves. No one really knows much about them, and they have never attempted to change that.
“Ready.” Bre’s voice brings me back to the moment and I turn to face her, feeling my mouth go dry. Her long, dark blonde hair is down, framing her pretty face. She’s wearing a little makeup, just enough to make her eyes pop and her lips are glossy. Her top and jeans are both formfitting, showing off her curves, and the high-heel boots on her feet seem to make her legs look long as hell. Jesus, she’s fucking beautiful without even trying.