AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tomorrow,” she repeated and yawned. “Let’s sleep.”
Sighing, I closed my eyes and, surprisingly, slept the rest of the night.
The next time I opened my eyes, morning light was coming through my window and Shaw was already awake. Seeing my eyes were open, she smiled. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
I rubbed at my grit-filled eyes. “What time is it?”
“A little after eleven,” she said with a shrug. “You hungry? Because I’m starving.”
My stomach growled, and I sat up. “Think there might be any leftovers from yesterday?”
“Aunt Harper just came in a little while ago and said she made us plates that are in the fridge whenever we want them.” She sat up and stretched her arms. “Let’s eat, and then we can just veg out.”
Downstairs, we found my parents in the kitchen drinking coffee together. When we walked in, they abruptly stopped talking, and I knew they must have been talking about me. Swallowing hard, I walked to the fridge and pulled out the two plates from the feast I missed the day before and carried them to the microwave.
“Tell me more about why I need to get the roof inspected, Shaw,” Dad said casually as he refilled his mug.
“It’s nothing major,” she assured him as she got us forks from the drawer beside Mom and then went to the fridge to grab us drinks. “I just loosened a few shingles when I was climbing on the roof from Violet’s bedroom to her bathroom.”
“What?” Mom asked with a startled gasp. “What were you doing on the roof?”
“It’s fine.” Shaw waved it off. “Nothing happened, so whatever, right?”
“Shaw.”
“So, anyway, you might want to get on that,” she said with a grin as she dropped into a chair at the island and waited for me to bring over our food.
They didn’t argue with her, which surprised me. Instead, they just drank their coffee and watched us eat for a few minutes. After a while, I started to feel uncomfortable and looked at them. “What?” I grumbled, taking another bite of mashed potatoes.
“I have to fly to the Paris office this afternoon,” Mom said with a beaming smile. “How would you like to come with me? We can go shopping after I’m done, make a girls’ weekend out of it.”
“I don’t really feel like it, Mom,” I told her. “I’m tired.”
“How about a few days in New York with Grandpa Cecil?” Dad suggested.
“No thanks.” I pushed my half-empty plate away and picked up my can of Diet Coke. “Like I said, I’m tired.”
“Honey—” Mom broke off with a grimace. “We just think it would be good for you if you had a change of scenery for a few days.”
I had a feeling that wasn’t what she was originally going to say, so I just sat there looking at her. After a few minutes of silence, she looked to Dad for guidance. He clenched his jaw for a moment before speaking. “Luca has already been here twice. Until he’s back in Alabama, I think it would be better for you if you took a break from this place.”
“But he was supposed to go back last night,” I muttered.
“Emmie let us know she made a few phone calls. Told them he was sick.” Mom grimaced. “Got him out of the Iron Bowl without any issues. But he probably won’t be going back until Monday at the earliest. Maybe you should—”
I stood and pushed in my chair. “No. I think this is the best place for me right now. Actually, Shaw and I are going to a party tonight. That will definitely be good for me.”
“We are?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise. “We haven’t been to a party since…”
“Which is why going to one now is the best idea,” I told her. “We’re no longer grounded, and we both need to unwind.”
“No drinking,” Mom said sternly. “I really do have to fly to Paris. I don’t want to have to make an emergency trip home to deal with another disaster like the last time.”
Somehow, I found the energy to smile for her. “Don’t worry, Mom. Nothing is going to happen that I don’t want to happen.”
Chapter 27
Violet
