Page 41 of Unearthed Dreams
“Get some more sleep, pretty girl,” I murmured, pulling the blankets around us. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”
As her breathing evened out, I stared at the ceiling, wondering how the hell I was supposed to keep pretending this was just about teaching her when my heart felt like it might burst every time she smiled at me.
Chapter Fifteen
CHARLIE
The screen doorcreaked despite my best efforts to ease it shut quietly. Stupid ancient hinges. I’d barely taken two steps into the kitchen when Mom looked up from her coffee, eyebrows raised.
“Well, well. Look who’s doing the walk of shame.”
My face burned. “Mom!”
“What? That’s what they call it these days, right?” She took a sip, hiding what I knew was a smirk. The sundress I’d worn yesterday was hopelessly wrinkled, the fabric still holding the memory of Kai’s hands when he’d...No.
“It’s not—I mean—Shelby and I stayed up talking. The guys were at the resort bar, then the hot tub, I think? We just had a girls’ night. Watched terrible movies. You know how it goes.”
“Mmhmm.” Mom’s tone made it clear she didn’t believe me for a second. “That Trevor seems like such a nice boy. Your father and I noticed how he couldn’t take his eyes off you at the festival.”
If she only knew whose eyes I’d actually been thinking about all night...
“Trevor’s just a friend,” I rushed out. “Really. Nothing there.”
“If you say so.” Mom stood to refill her coffee. “Though I wonder why you’re sneaking in at”—she checked the microwave clock—“8:45 AM if you were just having a girls’ night with Shelby.”
Crap.
“I, um...” I fiddled with the wrinkled hem of my dress. “We fell asleep watching movies. And then this morning, she wanted to get breakfast at Rosie’s, but I was still in yesterday’s clothes, so I thought I’d slip home to change first...”
Mom just kept watching me with that knowing look—the one that makes you feel like you’re five years old again, caught sneaking cookies before dinner.
“Rosie’s isn’t open on Sundays.”
Double crap.
“Right! That’s why I’m home so early. We got all the way there before realizing.”
Mom set down her coffee mug with a decisive clink. “Charlie, honey. You know you can talk to me about anything, right? Even boys? Even Trevor?”
My stomach twisted. She was trying so hard to be understanding, to give me space to confide in her. And here I was, lying through my teeth because I couldn’t exactly say ‘Actually Mom, I spent the night in Kai Callaghan’s bed, but don’t worry, we just kissed. A lot. And then other stuff happened that I’m definitely not telling you about ever.’
“I know, Mom.” I managed a weak smile. “I’m gonna go shower.”
I’d almost made it to the stairs when Mom called after me. “Oh, by the way, honey?”
I froze, one hand on the banister. “Yeah?”
“Shelby posted pictures from the resort pool this morning. With Simon. About an hour ago.”
Triple crap.
I turned slowly. Mom was still holding her coffee mug, but now she wasn’t even trying to hide her knowing smile. “I... um...”
“You know,” she said conversationally, “I wasn’t much older than you when I met your father. And trust me, I told some pretty creative stories back then too.”
“Mom, I?—”
“All I’m saying is, whatever’s going on? Whoever it is? Just be careful with your heart, okay?” She paused, then added with a wink, “And maybe come up with better alibis. Rosie’s has been closed on Sundays for twenty years.”
