“More how?” I could almost hear her frowning in confusion.
Glancing up at the ceiling, I tried to figure out what to say, even as I spoke. “I’m not sure. Daisy sometimes came home with guys, or alcohol... drugs. She usually kept all that shit in her room, but I don’t know...what if she dragged Colton in there one day, and you know, did something that scarred him?”
“Well.” Sarah blew out a hard breath. “That isn’t a pleasant thought.”
I rolled my eyes. She had no idea.
“It’s scary that you’re even thinking something like that might have happened to him.”
I knew, but I couldn’t stop worrying. Biting my lip, I asked, “So what do I do?”
“Ask him,” she said airily.
With a snort, I shook my head. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is that easy.”
Actually, it wasn’t. If someone cornered me and asked me if my mother had ever touched me in the bad way, I’d deny it through my teeth. I was sure Colton would do the same.
To Sarah, however, I mumbled, “Yeah. All right. I’ll think about it.” And just because I felt the pressing need to change the subject, I said, “I think Caroline’s seeing a new guy.”
“Really?” Interest laced her voice. She was such a sucker for romantic stories and juicy gossip. “Why’s that?”
“Well...she’s been dawdling in the shower. I mean, seriously hogging up more time than ever before. And then, late last night, Colton tried to crawl into bed with her after one of his nightmares, and she wasn’t home yet. When he asked her about it this morning, she was way too elusive, totally trying to hide something.”
“So you automatically assume new guy?”
“Hell yes. I know my sister. She’s definitely in her new-guy daze. But I’m not sure if I should be happy that she’s finally moved on from the asshole who hurt her last year, or worried because she feels the need to hide this guy.”
“Yeah, that is strange that she’s keeping him a secret. Unless...”
“What?” I demanded.
“Remember when Aspen and Noel got married and I told you how she and the best man kept checking each other out?”
I laughed. “Ten? You think Caroline is sneaking off with Ten? No way. That’s whack.”
“It would make sense why she’d keep it a secret. I mean, Mason is always telling Reese how Noel warns Ten to stay away from Caroline.”
“Yeah, but that’s just Noel being Noel. You really think Ten and Caroline are hooking up? I just can’t see it.”
“That’s because you’re completely blind to the ways of love.”
“Okay, now you’re whack.”
“Hey! Rude much?”
Laughing, I said, “Fine. Five bucks says Caroline’s mystery man is just some douche she knows we wouldn’t approve of and not Noel’s best friend.”
“Make it twenty.”
I wavered. Damn, she sounded so sure of herself. Maybe...but no, not Ten and Caroline.
I must’ve waited too long to answer because Sarah snickered. “Coward.”
Unable to back down now, I scowled. “Fine. Twenty bucks.”
Less than a month later, I lost that twenty dollars, but that was okay because Ten paid me one fifty to keep my trap shut about him and Caroline so Noel wouldn’t find out, even though Noel found out, anyway.
I never did ask Colton about Mom, though.
I just couldn’t.
Eventually, his nightmares went away, with some help from Aspen’s best friend, Felicity. But I still had to wonder if Daisy had gotten to him too.
Didn’t matter. He seemed better, and I knew I was better.
Because I had Sarah. She was the one thing I knew I could always rely on.
SARAH
AGE 15
I didn’t hate my mother. But I couldn’t say I loved her.
She’d killed any affection I might’ve felt for her when I’d watched her sell my brother off to the wicked neighbor lady.
It had happened years ago, back when we’d been living in Florida. But it still haunted me to this day.
We’d been a couple months behind on the rent, so Mrs. Garrison had come to collect it since she owned the house we lived in. She and Mom had gone a few rounds, Mrs. Garrison threatening eviction, and Mom begging for leniency.
“Patricia, please. There has to be something I can do to convince you to give me just a little more time. Our next check from the state comes in this—”
“I’m sorry, Dawn.” Mrs. Garrison lifted her hands to cut Mom off. “But I’ve already allowed you to get this far behind. I’m not running a charity case here. You can’t just—”
This time, she cut herself off when Mason entered the kitchen in his car wash uniform. It wasn’t much of a job. He doled out change, scrubbed tires, refilled vending machines, and kept the place clean. But Mason took pride in any job he did. He looked nice in his outfit, and Mrs. Garrison noticed.