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“Damn fucking right you will.”
Thirty minutes later, we’re on the road heading toward Virginia Beach, and thankfully, Jackson has left me in charge of the tunes.
Jackson is quiet since we set off, and I’m beginning to wonder what he’s keeping from me.
“Spill it, Jackson,” I tell him as he turns onto the highway into Virginia Beach.
He rubs a hand down his thigh, flicking his gaze to me for a second before looking back to the road.
“Dad mentioned they had an unexpected visitor at the house,” he tells me hesitantly.
“And?” I press, then my mind goes back to last night and seeing an unknown car parked in Maria’s drive.
“Looks like Kennedy is home…” The rest of his words fade away at the mention of Kennedy.
She’s home.
Fuck!
ChapterThree
Somehow I let Mom convince me to come into to town with her despite my protests. I only agreed to go because I actually need to grab a few things myself and Mom refused to get them for me.
From the looks I’ve been getting off several people this morning, it’ll take more than six years for them to forget what I did, what I said. But you know what that’s fine because I will never be able to forget what happened here.
This is how I find myself standing on the other side of Main Street looking at the coffee shop my mom and dad built from the ground up. It looks so different yet the same. My palms sweat and my heart pounds inside my chest as I look at the place that claimed my dad and brother, and I’m assaulted by a slew of memories
The sun glintsoff the glass almost blinding me as I attempt to reach the wall above the window with my brush. The ladder wobbles as I lean too far, and I reach out a hand to steady myself. Once I’ve got my balance back, I lift my hand and realize that I’ve left pale blue fingerprint marks on the window.
“Shit!” I curse, looking around to make sure no one saw, but it’s too late.
“Kenz’s got paint on the glass, Mom,” Nolan sing songs behind me, his face lit up in triumph at the prospect of getting me in trouble. He such a damn child sometimes.
“Fuck off, Nolan!” I mouth as Mom comes from out the back with a heavy sigh. As soon as she’s within hearing distance I say, “It was Nolan’s fault. He wobbled the ladder and I almost fell.” His face morphs into one of shock then anger before he finally shakes his head with a smile just as Mom draws level with him, cuffing him round the head.
“Hey! What was that for?” he complains.
“That’s for trying to get your sister into trouble. You might be twenty-two, Nolan, but if you want to behave like a child, I’ll treat you like one,” she tells him, while I climb down having managed to reach the last section and clean the window off. My back is to them, so I have no concerns about letting my satisfaction shine, but it’s short lived. Not a second later, Mom pulls my cell from my back pocket.
“What—”
“You can get it back tonight.” She levels me with that damn mom glare. I swear women are born with it, and it lies dormant waiting for the right moment to show itself.
“But, Mom, I’m waiting for a call from Ch…” I let my words trail off as I remember Nolan is standing there.
“I’m sure Chad will call back later, Kennedy,” she announces just as Dad enters the coffee shop.
“Who the fuck is Chad?” Nolan exclaims.
“Chad who?” Dad demands at the same time.
I roll my eyes, silently thanking my mom for her big mouth and pick up my paint pot and ladder and move to the next wall, ignoring my Neanderthal brother and dad.
I listen as my dad quizzes Mom on who the hell Chad is, and why he didn’t know that I was dating a guy.
“They are just friends, Archie.”
I hear Dad grumbling as he follows Mom out back. If only he knew the truth. Chad and I are friends but more the kind with benefits.
