Page 9 of Bear With Me
I find myself smiling. “I wouldn’t say I’m that friendly. I think Sam inherited that gene.”
Her eyes twinkle. “Then it must be a boy.” I start to object to her use of the wordboy, but she holds up her hands. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to pry. There are good people here. I know Hastings isn’t exactly what you planned, but I hope you’ll find this place to be your home, too.”
“I know, Nonna. And you know how much we appreciate it.” I look away, double checking the contents of my purse so I can choke back the sting of tears.
“Of course,bambina. That doesn’t make it any easier.” There’s a pause of silence and I wonder if she’s remembering Mom, too. I’ve been so lost in my own grief that I hadn’t even paused to consider what it’s been like for Nonna to lose her only daughter.
I put down the purse and cross the room to stand in front of her. There is no sign of tears, but Nonna’s never been one to cry. Like my mom, she’s made of stronger stuff. But I can still see the haunted look on her face like I’m looking at my own. I pull her into my arms for a hug. It takes her a second to respond, but I feel her small arms come around me and am enveloped by the scent of her sandalwood perfume.
A few seconds later, I feel another pair of arms wrap around me and I hear Sam’s voice say, “Group hug!”
He squeezes tightly, compressing my lungs, and I choke out, “Sam, oh my God! Let go before you squish us to death.”
“What’s with the family reunion?” he asks, throwing an arm around Nonna’s shoulders.
“Noth—”
“Sullivan has a date,” Nonna says, eyes shining.
I groan and slip my purse strap over my shoulder. “Reunion over. I have to get going or I’m going to be late.”
Taking advantage of Sam’s slack-jawed shock, I slip by the two of them and bound down the stairs. I almost make it out of the front door when Sam catches me by the arm.
“What do you mean you’re going on a date?” he demands.
“I don’t know if I would call it a date,” I hedge. A hookup? What would Declan call this?
“Is there a dude involved?”
I bite my lip. “Yes.”
“Did he ask you out?” he asks.
“No,” I say triumphantly. “I asked him out.”
“Then it’s a date,” he states. His eyebrows pull inward and he frowns. “You don’t talk to me the entire way from Florida to Indiana, but you can go on a date with some guy you don’t even know.”
“Sam—” I start, but he cuts me off.
“No, I get it,Sullivan. You want me to get lost. I can do that. It’s not like when we were kids and would have sleepovers on the living room floor and talk ‘til dawn. You’re all grown up now. You have no parents, so you might as well push away your brother, too. Why not be completely alone? Just makes it easier.”
My heart thuds dully in my ears and a tear streaks down my cheek. “Are you kidding me? I went out with you last night.”
He smiles, but it’s empty and that sends a shock through my heart and I worry that maybe my bad treatment has gone too far for repair. “No, I get it now, Sul. Go. Enjoy your date.”
Before I can come up with a response, he turns on his heel and stalks toward the kitchen and out of sight. I stand, numb, in the foyer until my phone vibrates in my back pocket. I glance down at it and note a text that says,Hey, this is Declan. I look up one more time to see if maybe Sam has come back, but the downstairs is empty.
He is right. I am alone.
Not knowing what to do or what to say to mend that bridge, I leave, locking the door behind me.
* * *
The GPS takes me to what looks like the parking lot for a couple of abandoned buildings.Well, this is off to a good start.I double check that I put the address in correctly, but it still tells me that I’ve reached my destination. The concrete is glistening with the leftovers of a storm and puddles of water reflect the lights from the buildings. If I squint, it almost feels a little romantic. Kind of like a slasher film, but what can you do?
Headlights flash over the parking lot and Declan brings his truck to a stop beside mine. I can’t see through the tint which makes the butterflies in my stomach go crazy. God, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way. My hands are clammy and my throat is dry. If I’m not careful, this feeling is going to get completely out of control. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
A few sharp raps against my window make me jump in my seat. Declan bends down and grins at me. I manage to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest. Barely.