Page 5 of Hound Dog
“Cancer,” I clarified, even though he hadn’t asked.
It was the first time I’d ever had to say the words.She died. The first time I’d had to tell someone that my mother was gone.
Back in Rochester, I didn’t have to explain it to anyone. They all already knew. Saw the obituary in the paper. Came to her funeral.
A lump lodged in my throat. Even though this was the first, I knew it was the first of many. My life would consist of telling this part of my story—the story of my mother dying. I’d have to explain it on every date. To every new friend I made at college. I’d have to tell my future children that their grandmother passed long before they’d ever been around. I was only eighteen and somehow now it was my job to keep my mother’s legacy alive.
The air in my lungs grew stagnant; high and tight. Was it possible to choke on oxygen?
Hot tears sprang to my eyes, and I quickly looked out the window at the sun setting over the lake to calm myself down. Rusty orange and red colors reflected at me like a Monet painting come to life.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I blinked, bringing my attention back to the conversation, eyes wet and cheeks warm. His elbow brushed mine. I wasn’t sure if it was deliberate or not, the way he touched me. But it sent a wave of goosebumps surging up my arm.
“Thanks.”
I was grateful that he didn’t ask any more questions. For all he knew, she had passed away years ago, not weeks ago. And frankly, I didn’t want to give any more details. Meryl and I came here to get away from those pitying looks.
Gravel crunched beneath the tires as he pulled into a dirt parking lot in front of a large, old-looking brick building. “Here we are,” he said, putting the Jeep into park.
“Here?” I leaned out the window, looking up at the decrepit building. “Uh… did you take me to the set ofSaw?”I teased.
He hopped out of the Jeep and grabbed a large tote bag from the back seat before circling around to my door. With a tug on the handle, he opened it for me and offered me his hand to help me down.
I simply stared at his outstretched hand for a long moment before he rolled his eyes and dropped it to his side. His hand hit the outside of his thigh with a soft rustle. “Oh, come on. The building doesn’t lookthatbad.”
Not that bad? I literally wasn’t sure if the heap of brick and moss was structurally sound. Not to mention, there was no one around us for at least a mile radius. No one to come to our rescue. No one to hear our screams.
“Uhhhh. I’m pretty sure that if someone hasn’t already been murdered here, they will be tonight.”
I yank free my phone from my back pocket. Crap on a cracker. No service.
Finn laughed and hiked the bag higher onto his shoulder. “I can guarantee no one in this little town has ever been murdered. Seriously. Nothing that exciting ever happens here.” He paused and fixed me with a playful grin. “Unlessyou’rea serial killer. Are you confessing to being a secret murderess?”
“No. But I am pointing out that this is how most horror movies begin.”
He gave me a doubtful look. “I consider myself a horror connoisseur, and you'recompletelywrong. Horror movies begin with campers. Or slumber parties. A giant group hanging out in the middle of the woods. Or, like, with a huge keg party and a couple who sneaks away to have sex in the woods.”
His bright eyes latched onto mine. With the setting sun reflecting in them, they sparkled green-gold.
Never in my eighteen years had a boy looked at me like that.
Intense. Determined.
Like he wants to see me naked.
I pressed my palm against my sternum, feeling my heart thrashing against my ribs as thoughts swarmed my mind, buzzing like a hive of disrupted bees.
Sex. In the woods.With Finn.
The thought had my head swimming, and my gaze skimmed over his tanned biceps peeking out of his emerald polo shirt that matched his eyes. And then, something came over me.
I didn’t know if it was the mesmerizing flex of his arms or the hypnotic tone of us talking about my weird love for horror movies, but I couldn’t stop myself as I answered, “Well, lucky for me, virgins always survive. I’m as safe as you can get.”
A frosty wave passed over my body.
Oh, shit.What did I just say? What. Did. I. Just. Say.
