AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"What are you talking about?" Melody asks, getting annoyed.
"Nothing. It's nothing," I tell her, irritated that Brett is rehashing old crap.
"Brody and Journey are about to cause a lot of family drama," he says.
"There is nothing to worry about. Everyone needs a little friendly banter sometimes—something to keep them on their toes and bring them back to earth after falling off their high-horse. Let's say I handled that with Brody tonight. End of story," I tell them.
Brett and Melody are sharing a look that says they think they know more than they do, but I'll let them have their thoughts. "Goodnight," I tell them.
"Thanks again for taking care of Parker tonight," Brett says.
And your damn brother, I want to add in.
"Anytime." I wave before closing myself into the Jeep.
As I pull out of the parking lot. I tell myself it's all just a game. But, it is nice to know there's someone to play with if I get bored of living this single life.
Afterword
If you enjoyed this short story, you might enjoy reading about Melody and Brett in Bourbon Love Notes.
About Shari
Shari J. Ryan is an International Bestselling Author of Contemporary Romance and Women's Fiction. For more information about Shari, visit:
Visit her at www.sharijryan.com
Sign up to her newsletter
Join her reader group
It All Started With A Kiss
A Bragan University Prequel
Gianna Gabriela
Mine, that's what Chase has been since the first time I saw him. He was lost in a new place and I helped him find his way. This is the story of how we met.
1
“Why are you out here by yourself?” I ask the guy wearing a dark gray hoodie who’s sitting on the bleachers all by himself as I approach. I’m surprised there aren’t a couple boy-hungry girls sitting out here watching practice today. They’re always out here… ready to prey on whichever guy gives them the time of day. Oftentimes, it’s my brothers. If it’s not girls, it’s guys wanting to become friends with them. Or scouts hoping to convince them to go to their schools. The point is there’s always someone. But right now, the only people out here are this guy and me. Maybe it’s the weather. It’s a little chilly and the rain comes and goes. I would be inside too, but I need to be here to make sure the guys know I’ll need a ride home. If they don’t see me sitting at the bleachers while they practice, they’ll leave me. They’ve done it many times before.
Then, they’ll tell Mom and Dad it was my fault.
That I didn’t tell them I needed a ride. That they thought one of the volleyball girls would take me home. That I told them someone else would. Lies.
They’ll pin it on me like they always do. Because I’m the girl.
I mean, Nick is literally my twin, but he’s closer to Colton than he’ll ever be to me. I wish I had a twin sister instead of a brother because then it would be two of us against the world. Or I guess the two of us against Colton. I thought twins were supposed to be built in best friends, but that’s not the case with me and Nick. He’s a jerk. Always hits on my friends. Thinks everything’s a joke. He’s just an overall ass. I don’t get why girls are even into him at all. Then again, we shared a womb and so my looks couldn’t help but rub off on him too. Colton, well, he’s a whole other story.
Anyway… I wish I were old enough to drive myself places, but alas, I’m not. I gotta wait for Colton to take me everywhere. Or at least to the places he’s already going to—like home. Getting him to give me a ride to a place I want to go to, like a party, where he won’t be, is practically impossible.
“Hello, are you there?” I ask the kid again, waving my hands in front of his face in an attempt to draw his attention. The hoodie he’s wearing is definitely old judging by the holes. I look down at his hands, which rest in fists over his knees. A closer look shows that his knuckles are bruised, likely from a fight. I keep inspecting him while he continues to sit there in silence, ignoring me. If my friends were here, they wouldn’t talk to him… then again, he’s easy on the eyes, so they may make an exception.
I clear my throat. For some reason, the fact that he’s ignoring me, even though I’m standing right in front of him, is pissing me off. No one ignores Kaitlyn Hunter, and the fact that this random guy isn’t even acknowledging me is just rude. “Did you get into a fight?” I ask, hoping that gets him to talk.
At my words, he shifts his hands from his lap to the pocket of his sweater, hiding them from my view. “Are you talking to me?” he asks, finally responding. The deepness and richness of his voice catches me off guard. Definitely not what I expected.
