Page 92 of Summer People
Her expression as she walked out gutted me. I should have followed her rather than staying around to answer questions.Yes, I might be important to this town, but Libby is important to me.
The second I step into the yard, Bing is at my heels.
“Stay,” I tell him on Libby’s front porch.
I tap on the door, but I don’t wait before I stomp inside. Only when I’ve got eyes on her do I slow. She’s standing at the counter, focus fixed on her phone. I brace myself, ready to be hit with a devastated look. Instead, when she looks up, her blue eyes are sparkling with excitement.
“Guess what?” She runs at me and jumps into my arms.
Damned if I know. I’m just glad she’s smiling. Instantly, my muscles relax, and I breathe her in.
“What?”
“I got an audition for the play,” she practically squeals.
“What?” I rear back so I can look her in the eye. They’re making her try out? She’s been part of the group all summer. Fucking hell, Maggie is the one person I didn’t think I had to talk to about being nice to my girl. I swore they’d become friends, so what the fuck is this?
“Yes!” She bounces in my arms. “The Boston theater called. They want me to come in this weekend.”
My heart plummets to the floor, but I keep a smile on my face. Boston. Of course she’s looking for acting jobs. But damn, the reality of her leaving once again smacks me hard in the face.
“Wow. Congrats.” I swallow back the pain creeping through my chest. “Can I take you out for the audition?”
Excitement radiates from her as she nods. “Maybe Sutton can come too.”
I shake my head. “She’ll stay with the Knowleses.”
If my time with Libby is almost up, I want a weekend alone. Time to take her out and spoil her. The opportunity to tie her to my bed and make her scream my name. I want to show her,and maybe myself, what forever would look like, if only it were possible. Even if doing so will make it harder to say goodbye.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
libby
“Why can’t I come?I’ve never been to Boston.” Sutton gives me the saddest puppy dog eyes.
Guilt consumes me. We’re sitting on the edge of the porch, legs dangling, waiting for Fisher to gather supplies for Bing. Wilder is keeping him while we’re gone, and Sutton will stay with Mrs. K. Fisher is adamant that just the two of us go to Boston. He didn’t tell me why, and I’m too afraid to ask. I’m too afraid to push him when it comes to her. I may be his girlfriend, but she’s his entire world. If he’s drawn a hard line anywhere, it has to do with her.
“I’ll talk to Fisher about bringing you next time.”
Sutton rolls her eyes and drops her head back. “Yeah, right. He’s never once taken me to Boston.”
I frown at her. Really? He lived in Boston before his brother passed away, yet he’s never taken her there to visit? He’s never wanted to experience the sights with her? Or just get off the island?
“Nope.”
Maybe he doesn’t want her to see what he left behind. Doesn’t want her to feel any kind of guilt over what he gave up to raise her. I get that, I guess.
Sutton scoots closer to the edge, swinging her feet and kicking up gravel. “Can I tell you something?”
“Anything. Always.” I set my hand on top of hers and squeeze.
She sucks in a breath, and when she exhales, words escape along with the breath, as if she’s been keeping them in for a while. “I don’t want to live here anymore. I want to meet more kids. Make friends. I want to live on land. The winter here is so dark. It’s cold and lonely. And Fisher hates it. I know he does. He won’t say it?—”
“He doesn’t say much,” I interrupt.
She nods, her shoulders falling like the weight of all her thoughts is too heavy for her little shoulders. My poor sweet girl is being crushed by this secret.
“Sutton.” I shift so I’m facing her and wait for her to look me in the eye. “There is not a single thing that Fisher wouldn’t do for you if you told him you were unhappy.”
