Carry Me Home (The Home Series: Book Three) by Megan Nugen Isbell Page B

not to kill you,” I said as the engine finally turned over and the machine started to shake. “Hold on!” I called as I throttl ed it and we flew forward, following the same path Jesse and Mandy had taken.  I could see their quad far off in the distance in the setting sun, heading down the main road, dust flying behind it. 
    “Where the hell’s he going?” I heard Brandon shout and then he paused for a second. “Wait…I think he’s heading to Mrs. Kramer’s place.  Follow him.”
    I did as Brandon said and pulled out onto the road as I tried not to think about seeing Mrs. Kramer’s house for the first time since I found Jesse there the night his mom had left him again.  I just kept my eyes on the road and I heard nothing but the engine until I saw the grove of trees surrounding the dilapidated house come into view.  I saw Jesse’s quad parked by the pond and I pulled in beside it. 
    “I haven’t been to this place in like ten years,” Brandon said as he climbed off. “It’s even shittier than I remember it.”
    I had to agree with him.  When Jesse had first taken me there the summer we graduated, it looked like something from a horror movie.  He’d even had me going for a bit that Mrs. Kramer had been murdered by a group of rogue devil worshippers.  I couldn’t help but smile at the memory of that day and how he’d convinced me to go swimming in the pond in nothing but our underwear.  After that, the house didn’t scare me anymore.  We’d shared so much at the isolated property, but looking at the house now, it appeared even more run down.  The roof had started to cave in and the white paint was almost non-existent anymore. 
    “Did Jesse ever bring you out here?” Brandon asked as he looked around.
    “Yeah,” I said softly as my eyes focused on a secluded section in the grove of trees. 
    “Damn, we had some good times out here,” Brandon sighed as he started walking towards the pond. 
    “Us too,” I whispered to myself so he couldn’t hear and I started walking towards the trees and that special spot.  As I walked, I looked around, wondering where Mandy and Jesse were.  I stopped when I stepped into the hovering canopy of trees and my eyes spanned over it slowly.  I still remembered that night like it happened yesterday.  I thought a lot about that night and even though our future turned out much different than I’d expected, I didn’t regret what we did in that spot for one second.  I’d loved Jesse and what we’d shared was something I’d never change.  I closed my eyes and I could still feel the way he touched me and the way it’d made me feel.  No one had ever made me feel the way he did.  So delicate and thoughtful…he only wanted me to be happy.  He’d left Carver because he wanted me to be happy when little did he know I’d never been happier than when I’d been with him.   
    My reminiscing was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal and I turned abruptly towards the house.  Mandy came running out of the front door looking terrified.  I walked quickly out of the grove of trees and when she saw me, she picked up speed and didn’t stop till she was at my side.  Her eyes were wide and she was breathing as if she’d just run a marathon. 
    “Mandy, what’s wrong?” I asked as she grabbed onto me and then I heard bellowing laugh ter coming from the house.  Jesse and Brandon were nearly doubled over, holding their guts as they chuckled like two idiots. 
    “Those…two… jackasses!” she panted, unable to catch her breath as she glared at them. 
    “What happened?”
    She just hunched over, trying to catch her breath and I saw the two of them start walking in our direction.  They were still laughing, but I could tell they were trying to control themselves.
    “What did you guys do?” I asked them both, but I only looked at Brandon.
    “We were just having a little fun,” Brandon said seriously, but I could tell he was trying to hold the laughter