Sisters in Love (Snow Sisters, Book One: Love in Bloom Series #1) by Melissa Foster Page A

Michelle’s hair out of
her sad, hazel eyes.
    Michelle shook her head. “I’m a pariah. I’m
known as that girl whose mother is an alchie .”
    Hurt pierced Danica’s heart. No kid should
have to go through that. “They can’t blame you for your mother’s
illness.”
    “Illness?”
    “Well, yeah, alcoholism is like a disease.
Your mom can’t really help it. She’s struggling with addiction. But
I guess that’s a bit much for high school kids to understand. Your
mom’s out of rehab, so at least you know she wants to stop
drinking.” This was the second time Michelle’s mother had been in
rehab, which didn’t necessarily equate to a permanent pattern.
Danica didn’t have all of the details of Nancy’s recent stint in
rehab, but she did know that Nancy had signed herself in. She
hadn’t been forced to go. A permanent change was never easy, but
Danica was hopeful.
    “How can I not blame her? It was her choice
to drink in the first place.” Michelle tapped her foot.
    Danica watched Michelle scanning the bakery
for an escape. The last thing she wanted was for her to feel
trapped. “Let’s get out of here.”
     
    They walked side by side down the busy
sidewalk, and Danica found herself scanning the passersby for
Blake. Then she chided herself for doing so. Sometimes Danica
wished they didn’t live in a tourist trap, where people meandered
rather than walked with a purpose. That was one of the main reasons
she usually stuck to non-touristy spots. The other reason was that
she worked so much that she rarely had time to spend at trendier
locations.
    She looked at their reflections in the
windows of the restaurants and shops as they passed. Michelle
walked with her shoulders hunched, hands shoved deep into her
pockets. Danica looked like she’d come directly from work, in her
thick, wool blazer and slacks. She looked like she could almost be
Michelle’s mother. She cringed at the thought of looking any older
than she already was.
    “What do you want to do today? I thought we
might do a little shopping.” Danica hoped to eventually get
Michelle out of the ninja clothes she hid behind.
    Michelle crinkled her nose.
    “A movie?”
    “Um, do you think we could go to that museum
again?” Michelle asked tentatively.
    “Sparks? You liked that?” Danica had taken
her to the little eclectic art museum months ago. Michelle hadn’t
seemed too interested then, and Danica was surprised she’d want to
return. They turned the corner and headed for the museum.
     
    Danica held the door to Sparks open for a
couple to leave and for Michelle to enter. The pungent aroma of
patchouli filled the small lobby. Michelle walked straight through
the lobby and toward the back of the museum. Danica fell in step
behind her as they passed enormous iron and clay sculptures in the
main hall and filed through an adjoining narrow hallway lined with
paintings and smaller sculptures set on tall, black, rectangular
bases. She wondered if Blake liked art. She envisioned him in a
thick ski parka, running his hand through his hair and feeling
right at home surrounded by the smell of patchouli. Generalizations, much? She had to get him out of her
mind.
    Off of the hallway were several small exhibit
rooms, no larger than a typical bedroom, lined floor to ceiling
with various types of artwork. That was part of the aura of Sparks
that she loved. Entering Sparks was like entering another world,
like convention had yet to be conceived.
    Michelle stopped in front of an abstract
painting. She stood with her hands in her oversized, black-canvas
coat pockets, her head cocked at an angle.
    Danica mimicked her stance, trying to make
sense of the art. She had trouble understanding abstract things
that weren’t part of a person’s being or emotions, but she knew
that art was a great way to express feelings, and she’d been right
to hope Michelle might enjoy it. Kaylie had gotten the artistic
genes in the family. That’s why Danica loved working with