Page 70 of Where the Little Birds Are (Little Bird Duet 2)

In those two days I learned that Parker Jennings has big dreams to be the head publicist of New York City one day—the guy everybody wants to work with. I respect his aspirations, especially because it’s a competitive world there. I know just from the conversations with him and Jeff at the agency that it’s hard enough to break into under somebody else’s company, much less your own.

But I also know Parker is hard working just like me. It’s why we get along so well. He doesn’t fault me for wanting to spend a majority of my time writing, just like I don’t fault him for focusing on trying to master his own trade.

Parker: What are you up to?

Kinley: Not much now. Just had a “date”

Parker: …a date?

Kinley: A classmate convinced me to get coffee with a guy. It wasn’t a big deal

Parker: Huh. You’ll have to fill me in tonight

Kinley: I’m actually going to a party with the guy I just saw

There’s no reply for a few minutes, leaving me staring at my phone in wait. No bubbles appear at the bottom even though it says it’s been read.

Kinley: Talk tomorrow?

Parker: Sure

I grab my bag and toss the empty cup out as I walk toward the door. Eric is across the street shoving one of his friend’s shoulders as they all laugh. When I walk down the sidewalk, I notice Eric point toward the café before one of his friends makes a crude hip-thrusting gesture.

Rolling my eyes, I grip my bag strap tighter and try ignoring them. My gut tells me not to go tonight, but my brain challenges the ill feeling settled in my stomach.

For once, I want to be normal. But the night of the party, Eric’s heavy arm draped across my shoulder, I realize too late that I’ve never been normal. And when I burst into tears after he kisses me and peels off the condom in his bedroom I willingly followed him into, nothing but tortured regret remains inside my conscious.

Eric leaves.

I call Parker.

And things … change.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kinley / Present

The light blue walls that greet my eyes as soon as I turn the door handle has my heart aching with nostalgia. I take my time and look around the dusty shelves and patterned comforter set, walking over to where pictures of a young Corbin rest where they always did with the exception of one that I know he hid in his suitcase before he left all those years ago.

It was of him and his parents.

When I finish my assessment, I turn and look at my big brother, whose wary expression pierces my gaze before he takes in our surroundings. “This was his room, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

Both of our eyes go to the bed, my face heating, his scrunching. It only makes me blush harder as I walk away from the mattress I know well. Gavin can think whatever he wants. It isn’t like he was abstinent back then either.

Leaning against the wall, I cross my arms over my chest and wait for him to speak. It’s clear he’s uncomfortable and I don’t know if it’s because he’s in the room of the last person he wants to be or because we’ve never been good at having serious conversations. It’s probably a mix of the two.

“I didn’t want you to leave,” he says in such a quiet voice that I almost miss it. Limply, his large shoulders raise. “I was selfish and didn’t want to see you go. I knew it would hurt Mom and Dad if you followed him. The chances of you coming back then were slim since you acted like Lincoln had nothing for you.”

Nothing he says is what I expect, leaving me blinking in silence at him. The hurt is evident in his tone as he speaks, meeting my eyes without any form of anger in his features. “We were here. Your family. And…” He draws in a breath. “I know that his parents meant a lot to you, too. They were here in Lincoln just like us.”

“Gavin—” My voice cracks. “—I never wanted it to seem like there was nothing for me here at all, but career wise… I mean, you know how small this place is. I wanted to be somewhere bigger, with more opportunities. Places with bookstores and restaurants and people that…” I lick my lips and give it my all to try absorbing some of the hurt that was never meant to fall on him or my family. “People who didn’t look at me like I was broken over Corbin. Admit it, Gav. Everyone knew my business. I couldn’t stand it.”

He doesn’t answer right away, giving me some belief that he’s considering my words. Eventually, he nods in understanding. “It isn’t that I don’t understand why you wanted space from the town. But you stepped away from us, too, like we were part of the problem. I thought once Corbin left everything would go back to normal, but then your book took off and you met Parker. Seeing you leave with him … that shit wasn’t easy for any of us, Kin.”

My eye twitches involuntarily. “You weren’t ever the problem. You were the only one who ever offered to go with me to New York City or tell me how cool it was that I was writing like I wanted. But Mom… Well, it just didn’t feel like Mom or Dad really cared. That hurt.”

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