Page 3 of Bitter Confessions

Jasmine tugged on a lock of her unruly hair and grimaced. “I don’t look like my sisters or the heroines in these books, who have raven-black or blond hair paired with blue, green, or violet eyes. I don’t have freckles or red hair or anything that makes me stand out. Just brown hair and brown eyes. I’m so ordinary.”

“You’re gorgeous just as you are,” Thea interjected sharply, but Jasmine ignored her.

“What if I turn out short like my mom? It’s going to be so embarrassing!”

“I’m sure your father can find you a short husband to match.” Thea cackled at Jasmine’s horrified gasp. “Don’t worry yourself about such things. Enjoy being a child.”

Jasmine put her hands on hips. “I’m officially a teen.”

Thea’s eyes twinkled. “My apologies.”

“And,” she stressed, “I’m reading way above my age group.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Thea came around the island to clasp Jasmine’s face between weathered hands. “Don’t be in a rush to grow up. Enjoy having summer vacations. Run outside, read by the lake, nap in the sun. Don’t worry about how tall you’re going to be or what sort of man you’ll fall in love with. It’ll happen when you least expect it. And Jasmine?” Thea gave her a mock glare. “Your hair and your eye color don’t make you a princess. It’s in here.” Thea tapped her chest, over her heart. “And yours is made of pure gold. Don’t forget that.”

Jasmine allowed Thea to pull her into a hug.

“I’m tired of being alone,” Jasmine mumbled into her shoulder.

“You aren’t alone. I’m here.”

“But you don’t live here.”

“I’m here every morning, before you wake, and I eat dinner with you when you can bear to tear yourself away from your books.”

“It’s not the same. I want a family. I can’t wait to get married. If I had a husband, I wouldn’t be alone.”

“You’ll have one when you’re old enough.”

“It’s taking so long,” she whined.

Thea stroked her hair.

“I want him to be big and strong, so he can carry me whenever I feel like it.”

Jasmine’s face bounced on Thea’s chest as the housekeeper chuckled.

“I want to have a big wedding right here, by the lake.” She pointed without lifting her head. “I want him to be handsome and smart and a reader like me, so we can talk about books, and he won’t judge what I read.” Her tone dropped; became subdued. “Dad thinks these books are polluting my mind.”

Thea laid a protective hand on her head. “That’s his opinion.”

“If he knew about my writing...”

“Let’s keep that to ourselves.”

Jasmine hugged Thea tight. “Thank you.”

“No thanks needed, miss. When you’re here, you can be whoever you want to be. Just remember who you are when you’re outside these walls.”

The warning was loud and clear. Jasmine nodded before raising her head.

“Summer’s almost over,” she said.

“Yes. Soon you’ll be back at school.” Thea pushed her toward the door. “Get some fresh air before you dive into your next book.”

Jasmine snatched two chicken kabobs on her way out and lifted her face to the sun as she made her way to the lake. For the first time, she noticed the cloudless sky and registered the heat. She paused on the shore and grimaced at the sprawling estates opposite them. She wanted open ocean, distant lands, tropical islands, and white castles that glinted in the sun. She glanced back at her home, which was impressive, but she had no one to share it with.

She held the bare skewers between her fingers and stared out at the water, lost in thought. Reading above her age level meant the romance between Amir and Naida was more explicit than any book she’d read so far. The intimate scenes had made her tummy flutter and caused an odd, hollow ache in her chest that she knew instinctively wouldn’t be filled until she had her own Amir. Uncharted Waters had taken her on an emotional roller coaster she didn’t want to end. If falling in love with a fictional character was this exhilarating, she wasn’t sure she’d survive the real thing.

---