Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“I figured.” As much as it pains me to say and accept, I know this is the reality they face. It’s expensive to live near the ocean, and often locals can’t afford it. Never mind the fact my mom can’t hold down a good, steady paying job. And my sister is trying to raise her daughter on tips she’s earned at the diner. Since the tourist season is over, she’s barely scraping by. If they move . . . no, not if, but when, it means I’ll hardly see Lacey during the season because of the distance, and I don’t like that.
“It would be nice to have a big house like this,” my sister says.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what, Kyler? Dream?”
“No, dream all you want, but don’t even think about asking me if you can move in here. It’s not even feasible. This has been a hockey house for as long as I can remember, and when I graduate, new guys will move. I’m not even going to broach the subject with Jude, Nolan, and Devon. Besides, there isn’t any space.”
Ally comes over and stands next to me. She takes the potato masher from me and starts pushing on the potatoes. “You have the whole attic room. I’ve seen it.”
I shake my head. “Thea lives up there.” Saying her name aloud makes me realize how much I miss her. I didn’t think I would, but something has shifted between us after spending the night with her. I was stupid to kiss her, but she could’ve stopped me and didn’t. If I hadn’t met her dumbass boyfriend, I probably would’ve screwed Thea in the office, and if not there, definitely in my bed because with her wearing a replica of my jersey—the sight did things to me. It made me feel like she and I were in a whole different world, shut off from the one we currently live in. Up until the other night, I’ve never slept with someone in my arms. I held her until the sun came up and missed her when she snuck off to her room. When she got upstairs, I heard the familiar creak of her bed and smiled, knowing she was still in my shirt and smelling like me.
“Thea?” she questions. “Who’s Thea, and why do you say her name like you’ve got a crush on her?”
“I didn’t say her name in any way other than saying her name.” Surely, I said her name as normal as possible.
“That makes no sense. Spill.”
“There’s nothing to say,” I tell her. I take the smasher from her and finish the job. The directions I copied say to add a slab of butter. What the hell constitutes a slab? After adding what I think is the right amount, I put the lid back on the pan and set it aside. “Can you finish up the veggies and the table while I carve the turkey?”
“No,” she says and stands in front of where I have the turkey resting. “Something’s up. You’re cooking, which you’ve never done before. You’re not all moody like usual. And you absolutely said her name with some sort of glee. You like her, don’t you?”
“What I’d like is for you to do what I asked.”
“Why won’t you talk to me?”
“Because you’re an annoying sister, and I want to eat,” I tell her. The reason I don’t talk to her is because she is, in fact, an annoying sister, even though she means well. The problem is Ally doesn’t care what people think about where we live, and I do. There isn’t anything wrong with people living in mobile home parks, but when yours is dilapidated, it’s embarrassing. Plus, I never know who my mother has living there at any given time. It’s either one of her loser boyfriends or some guy she’s just met who needs a place to stay. I never want to subject any girls to my life there.
“So, where is your newest conquest?”
“Fuck off, Ally,” I say as quietly as possible. The last thing I want is for Lacey to hear me. “She’s not a conquest. She’s Jude’s sister.”
“Ah, so going for your best friend’s sister, huh? I think I saw a movie on Lifetime about that. Be careful. She might be an ax murderer.”
“I highly doubt it.” I take the carved turkey to the table and then go back and start putting the other items into bowls. The hockey house is nothing but a glorified frat house, and our serving wear leaves a lot to be desired. I leave the potatoes in the pot and find bowls for the other side dishes. Lastly, I take the rolls out of the oven and set them on a plate.
“Just answer me this, are you screwing her behind Jude’s back?”
I sigh. “We’re not doing anything. At all. Period.”