Page 115 of Between the Lines

Penny releases me and I smile at Jesse. “Thank you so much. I owe you.”

He leaves us out there and I stand awkwardly, wiping my eyes with my sleeve as my sister stares at me, a mischievous look in her eye.

“What?” I ask, laughing. Feeling a bit lighter.

Penny shrugs one shoulder. “Nothing. Just wondering when you’re going to tell me about Caden Brooks?” Penny raises her brows. “Remember, no more secrets.”

“Yeah, I know . . .” I pull my braid around my shoulder, my chest twinging.

“I wasn’t born yesterday,” she says, her eyes still hopeful. “Clearly there is something happening between you two. How long have you been together?”

I shiver, averting my gaze from hers. “There was something, you’re right. But now I’m not sure what we are, if we are anything at all. I’m not exactly talking to him at the moment.”

The words taste like acid on my tongue.

Penny’s smirk drops. “Oh honey, what happened?”

“I know I said no more secrets,” I reply, my voice a raspy whisper. “But I’m not ready to talk about it yet. I just need to get through today. I need to pick up Daisy and settle back in. I will tell you everything when I’m ready, when I figure it out . . . I promise.”

“Okay.” Penny nods, her hand resting gently on my upper arm. “But just remember, I am not above slashing a man’s tires.”

I laugh, despite the pain.

“See, I told you I just needed my sister back.”

“You have another hour before you need to pick up Daisy, right?” Penny asks, leaning against the chair in the living room. I know she’s asking because she wants to stay and help til then.

My first instinct is to tell her to go, that I’ve got this handled, because part of me wants to be alone. But another part of me considers that some company and help could be nice.

“Yeah, maybe you can stay til then, help me get her room back in order?”

Penny smiles, and we head upstairs. I stop to let Hamburger out of my bedroom, now that the moving chaos is over.

“We’re home, buddy.” I scratch his ear before following Penny into the nursery.

“If you want to unpack her clothes into the closet, that would be amazing.” I shove a black bag towards my sister. She begins to sift through Daisy’s clothes.

I start to change the crib sheets, making a mental list of what else needs to get done today. Hamburger slinks into the room and stretches out in the middle of the rug, finding an afternoon sunbeam. At least he is happy to be home.

Then a noise startles him, and I glance at Penny, confused. That’s when cool air begins flowing through the vents.

Penny opens her mouth wide. “Holy shit, I don’t think I’ve ever felt cool air in this house.”

I turn back to the crib, the sheet balled in my hand, and glare at the vent on the floor.

A lump takes up residency in my throat, and with Penny’s back turned to me, I slide my phone from my pocket and open up my messages.

Caden read my text an hour ago, but there’s no response.

We both got what we wanted—he got a manager who has a safe house and can function in her duty to his business. I got my house repaired.

Maybe I should just let go of everything else that happened in between.

“Yeah, that was a nice bonus to get the AC fixed,” I blurt out in delayed response.

Penny closes the closet door and crosses her arms, tilting her head expectantly.

I force a chuckle, rubbing my forehead. “Sorry, I was just thinking about—”