chance I’ll be tapped to join his staff.”
Allie pulled him close and kissed him. “It’s going to be great. And Perdue’s going to win.”
Emma pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. If Ben wasn’t so darn devoted to her sister, she would have made a move a long time ago. After all, Ben was hot, in a boy-next-door sort of way. But he was different. He had strict ethics, like Allie. He was a straight shooter. And had been positively smitten with Allie since they were little.
Sighing, Emma tried to focus on the conversation around her.
“So, a couple of lawyers, an MBA, one doctor,” Jack was saying, ticking off the careers on his fingers. “That’s a pretty good showing.” He paused and swung around to look at Emma, who jumped. “All right, young lady!” Jack stood up and lunged suddenly, pointing in her direction as if he were thrusting a sword at an opponent.
Emma reddened and jerked back, almost falling off her seat. Everyone except Ben and Allie let out a giggle.
After stalking back and forth, rubbing his chin, Jack stopped. “You’re a model?” He winked and gave her a long look. “Sure pretty enough to be one.”
Emma softened a bit but rolled her eyes for effect anyway.
Jack tipped his head and pretended to adjust his glasses. “A psychologist? Psychiatrist?”
“She’s twenty-one, Jack, not thirty-five,” Allie interjected.
Emma’s stomach twisted, and her skin prickled hot. Stop. Stop. Stop. She wanted to clap her hand over this guy’s mouth. She hated Allie for not telling them to leave right then. Goose bumps rose on her skin. Inside, her sister was probably enjoying it.
“Come on, this is fun,” Jack retorted. He unscrewed another beer bottle and took a long swallow. “How about a pilot? That’s it. An airline pilot.” Jack wavered, waiting for applause or confirmation. “Right?”
“Don’t,” Ben said, shooting Jack a warning look. “Quit, man. It’s not a game.”
Emma sent Jack an icy glare. “Just a lowly office manager at a vet office. Guess you crashed and burned on that one, smart guy.”
NINE
CAROLINE
2016
Like walking a tightrope on roller skates, everything in Caroline’s life felt off-kilter. At any second, she’d swing to one side, lose her balance, and splat! on the pavement.
Maybe that would be better, because in the past forty-eight hours, she’d spiraled out of control. Lost all sense of bravery, shut herself up in the house, and managed to lie to everyone she knew.
Caroline lay back on the bed, arms stretched over her head. She stared at the ceiling, connecting specks of dust and dimples in the paint. Trying to make sense of what wasn’t making any sense. She was usually logical. And thoughtful. And a good friend.
But when Maddie tried to drag her to the mall, Caroline made up an excuse about doing a favor for her aunt. When her grandparents called and asked her to dinner, suggesting her favorite she-crab soup, she invented a movie get-together with Emma. When her aunt suggested a drive to Jekyll Island to check out the Sea Turtle Center, which she usually loved, Caroline feigned a headache. She’d even refused an afternoon Starbucks run with Jake.
She’d stayed in her room, window cracked, listening to the rain, the warm air thick and sweet with earthy foliage from the salt marshes. All because she couldn’t find the right words. The right time. A proper, reasonable explanation.
Because nothing said “awesome” like your mother getting out of prison.
Interlacing her fingers, Caroline covered her eyes, pressing her thumbs tight into her temples.
Sure, everybody—all of her friends—had awful stuff happen. Maddie’s mom was addicted to sleeping pills and painkillers. Another one of her friends had a dad who blew his family’s fortune at the dog tracks. The bank foreclosed on their McMansion. They took the cars, her mom’s jewelry, even the beds. Jake’s dad was an alcoholic and hit him. There were times, according to Jake, his
Allie pulled him close and kissed him. “It’s going to be great. And Perdue’s going to win.”
Emma pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. If Ben wasn’t so darn devoted to her sister, she would have made a move a long time ago. After all, Ben was hot, in a boy-next-door sort of way. But he was different. He had strict ethics, like Allie. He was a straight shooter. And had been positively smitten with Allie since they were little.
Sighing, Emma tried to focus on the conversation around her.
“So, a couple of lawyers, an MBA, one doctor,” Jack was saying, ticking off the careers on his fingers. “That’s a pretty good showing.” He paused and swung around to look at Emma, who jumped. “All right, young lady!” Jack stood up and lunged suddenly, pointing in her direction as if he were thrusting a sword at an opponent.
Emma reddened and jerked back, almost falling off her seat. Everyone except Ben and Allie let out a giggle.
After stalking back and forth, rubbing his chin, Jack stopped. “You’re a model?” He winked and gave her a long look. “Sure pretty enough to be one.”
Emma softened a bit but rolled her eyes for effect anyway.
Jack tipped his head and pretended to adjust his glasses. “A psychologist? Psychiatrist?”
“She’s twenty-one, Jack, not thirty-five,” Allie interjected.
Emma’s stomach twisted, and her skin prickled hot. Stop. Stop. Stop. She wanted to clap her hand over this guy’s mouth. She hated Allie for not telling them to leave right then. Goose bumps rose on her skin. Inside, her sister was probably enjoying it.
“Come on, this is fun,” Jack retorted. He unscrewed another beer bottle and took a long swallow. “How about a pilot? That’s it. An airline pilot.” Jack wavered, waiting for applause or confirmation. “Right?”
“Don’t,” Ben said, shooting Jack a warning look. “Quit, man. It’s not a game.”
Emma sent Jack an icy glare. “Just a lowly office manager at a vet office. Guess you crashed and burned on that one, smart guy.”
NINE
CAROLINE
2016
Like walking a tightrope on roller skates, everything in Caroline’s life felt off-kilter. At any second, she’d swing to one side, lose her balance, and splat! on the pavement.
Maybe that would be better, because in the past forty-eight hours, she’d spiraled out of control. Lost all sense of bravery, shut herself up in the house, and managed to lie to everyone she knew.
Caroline lay back on the bed, arms stretched over her head. She stared at the ceiling, connecting specks of dust and dimples in the paint. Trying to make sense of what wasn’t making any sense. She was usually logical. And thoughtful. And a good friend.
But when Maddie tried to drag her to the mall, Caroline made up an excuse about doing a favor for her aunt. When her grandparents called and asked her to dinner, suggesting her favorite she-crab soup, she invented a movie get-together with Emma. When her aunt suggested a drive to Jekyll Island to check out the Sea Turtle Center, which she usually loved, Caroline feigned a headache. She’d even refused an afternoon Starbucks run with Jake.
She’d stayed in her room, window cracked, listening to the rain, the warm air thick and sweet with earthy foliage from the salt marshes. All because she couldn’t find the right words. The right time. A proper, reasonable explanation.
Because nothing said “awesome” like your mother getting out of prison.
Interlacing her fingers, Caroline covered her eyes, pressing her thumbs tight into her temples.
Sure, everybody—all of her friends—had awful stuff happen. Maddie’s mom was addicted to sleeping pills and painkillers. Another one of her friends had a dad who blew his family’s fortune at the dog tracks. The bank foreclosed on their McMansion. They took the cars, her mom’s jewelry, even the beds. Jake’s dad was an alcoholic and hit him. There were times, according to Jake, his
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