Unlike Miss Lisa’s house, every outside light was on at Clem’s, welcoming me. “Oh, man, Christy, please don’t cry.” Crying girls would be the death of me. “It’s going to be okay. Really.”
I put the truck in park. Clementine bolted out the door with Anna right behind her.
I stomped the emergency brake with my boot. Clem and Anna jogged across the front lawn toward me. “Look, I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow. It’s going to be okay.”
“No, it won’t.” Her voice quivered, and she blew her nose. “You’re going to cheat on me. She’s all alone and vulnerable right now. Probably ripe for a rebound.” She wailed, which made my headache even worse. “And she’s so pretty.” Another sob. “We might as well break up right now. Just get it over with.”
Clem was almost to my door, a huge smile on her ridiculously gorgeous face. No human should be allowed to be that beautiful. My heart wagged faster than a puppy’s tail when it got a treat.It’s muscle memory,I thought. I’d have to figure out how to overpower my stupid, weak-willed body.
I held up a finger and Clem nodded. I turned away from the window and pretended to rifle through my bag so Clem couldn’t lip read.
“We’re not breaking up,” I hissed into the phone.
“Do you still love her? If you tell me you don’t love her, I’ll believe you.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and told my first fib. “I don’t. I haven’t talked to her in years. That crush is long gone. I loveyou, okay?” I had a feeling it was going to be a summer full of white lies and half truths. A summer of tightrope walking. I hated that, but it was a means to an end. I just had to get through the next three months and I’d never lie to Christy again.
The crying eased up. “You promise?” Her voice was hopeful.
“I promise.”
“You’re not going to cheat on me?”
“No. Not a chance.”
She blew her nose a couple of more times.
“I have to go. They’re waiting on me.”
“Okay.” Her voice quivered, but she sounded lighter. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” I hung up and tossed the phone in my bag, not ready for any of this. A couple of deep breaths and I forced myself to turn.
Clem yanked the truck door open, her green eyes sparkling. “You made it,” she said like I’d hiked all the way from Egypt. And like she hadn’t just seen me puke all over her studio carpet two hours ago. The sight of her—even with no makeup, wearing an oversized T-shirt that showed too much collarbone, pajama pants, and bare feet—made the breath catch in my throat.
Forget riding broncs, college exams, wrangling a class of middle school kids. At that moment, I knew I was about to begin the hardest test of my life.
seven
CLEMENTINE
When Sophie had passed, it felt like part of me had been cut out. With Billy gone, I felt peace but deeply alone. My house and my life had slumped to dull and lifeless. Having Anna there brought the sunshine back. But when Silas rolled up, it was like a piece of Sophie was coming home.
Silas was rigid when he got out of the truck. He seemed exhausted, and it was obvious he’d just had the talk with Christy.
I put on the biggest smile I could, trying to erase any of the tension leftover from tonight at the studio. Clean slate starting now.
“Need any help?” I asked, as he gathered his things from the truck.
“No, I’ve got it.” He slung a single duffel over his shoulder. Anna nestled under his arm and they walked ahead of me across the lawn. I felt a little left out and prayed that the whole summer wouldn’t leave me feeling like a third wheel.
I let Anna have a few minutes to revel in Silas’s being here. She threw herself on his bed in the guest room and talked hisear off while he unpacked. When he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, she followed, giving him a play-by-play of her last rec league volleyball game. When he went back in his room, she trailed behind him and I couldn’t help but smile. Anna loved her Uncle Silas. I gave her another ten minutes before knocking on his slightly open door.
I peeked my head in. Silas was propped against the headboard wearing an old blue Seddledown Stallions basketball shirt and black athletic shorts. The fact that his clothes were two sizes too small and completely faded hinted that they might be from our high school days—and since he hadn’t anticipated a three-month stay, he was scrambling for things to wear.
“You really think I could be a setter?” Anna lay on her stomach, her chin propped in her hands, legs up, and ankles crossed in the air. When she noticed me, she patted a spot on the bed next to her. “Come sit.”
“It’s ten, sweetie. You have school tomorrow.” The Duprees had given Anna a week off after Sophie passed. Tomorrow was her first day back. There were only two more weeks of school, anyway. But the principal and teachers had requested she come back to enjoy all the fun stuff they had planned, like field day and a cookout. They thought it might help to be around her friends. They were probably right.
