AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But she didn’t tell her father any of this becausehewasn’t the sort of boy her father would have approved of. That is to say,hewas older than Andy, taller by several inches, richly muscled, and capable of growing a five-o’clock shadow right on time. In short,hewasn’t a boy.Hewas aman. Strong, worldly, devastatingly handsome, and with a smile that had probably separated many a slobbering soul from their underwear.
So yeah, not the type of guy Andy’s father would have been comfortable with her seeing.
Not that Andy wasactually seeinghim.
At least, not outside the narrow field of vision afforded her by her favorite pair of binoculars.
But still. She really, really wanted to see him, and she thought about him all the time, and if her parents knew she’d been stalking a stranger for the better part of a month, they’d have a coronary. So her secret place and her secret guy were staying just that: Andy’s little secret.
“No, Daddy,” she finally said as her gaze slid once more to the clock.
If her parents left right now, maybe she could catch a sunrise at her secret place. Maybe she could seehimall lit up and gorgeous under a perfect sky, sparkling drops of water dripping down his perfect face.
Her father chuckled at whatever silly expression she wore. “Alright. We’ll get out of your hair.”
Andy’s mother let out a teary whimper at this and hauled her in for a hug. “Okay, don’t give me a hard time right now. Just emote with me.”
“I’ll pass.”
Davis giggle-snorted in her ear. “Love you, Andygram.”
“Love you too.”
Her mother pulled free, and her father swooped in.
Giving her a firm squeeze, Timothy Whittenbalm stepped back to study Andy with his usual game face. The one that meant he was all business. “You’ve got that interview with Dave Peters soon, right?”
“On Wednesday.”
Andy wasn’t particularly looking forward to it since interviews ranked fairly high on her list of dislikes, but she also knew she was more than ready for this one. She’d been an assistant manager at ManCave for two years now, and she’d worked hard for the chance to have her own store. With her boss Dave moving up the ranks to district manager, she finally had her shot.
“You’ll do fine,” her father said, and for a moment, they locked eyes, his so dark and intense as they bore into hers.
She glanced away, taking comfort in his words even if she couldn’t find it in the mysterious depths of his gaze. “Thanks, Dad.”
Her father landed a kiss on her forehead, his neatly groomed beard prickling her skin. “Be a good girl while we’re gone, Andalise.”
“I will.”
After one last crushing hug from her mother, Andy watched her parents walk from the apartment. Watched through the window as, a moment later, they approached the Mercedes. And suddenly, she was possessed of a slightly panicked feeling. Because what if her parents’ plane did go down in the Atlantic? What if the last two words she’d spoken to them were a lie?
Because Andalise Rhodes Whittenbalm wasn’t so sure shewouldbe a good girl this summer.
Because ever since she’d discovered her secret place, she’d been possessed by the strangest urge to be a little bad.
Which also had her feeling slightly panicked.
Andy banged her palm on the glass in front of her.
Her parents paused to look back at her as their driver held the door for them.
She waved at them.
They smiled and waved back.
Andy’s panicky feeling subsided. A moment later, her parents were gone. And that was it. She was on her own.
“Pretty bird, Andy. Pretty bird.”
