I wasn’t in the habit of wondering these things about anyone. I went about my life and did what was necessary to put food in my own stomach and a roof over my head. I didn’t need much, not even to be happy or loved. Everyone I knew was killing himself somehow. Drugs, alcohol, work, shitty relationships, boredom. They pretended things mattered that didn’t. They stopped asking questions because they didn’t like the answers.
I’d seen too much and lost the goodness in my life young enough to understand nothing was fair. There were no guarantees. Lake didn’t know that yet, and I wanted her to keep that innocence as long as possible. Maddy? I could’ve protected her better. I did my best as her older brother, but if I’d known what was to come for her, I would’ve done more. I would’ve done whatever it took.
And I wanted to do the same for Lake, except that men in their twenties didn’t just hang around teenage girls they weren’t related to. And that left me only two options, one of which was to walk away. The other was sitting across the table from me, smiling like she had me trapped in a corner.
“Let’s get the dishes,” Cathy said to Lake. “Give these two some privacy.”
I didn’t know what in the hell went through Lake’s mind. Her eyes got huge and sad. At that moment, despite the makeup I was sure she’d stolen from Tiffany, Lake was a kid at the grown-up table. She reminded me of Maddy. Not physically, they were complete opposites, light and dark, but she looked up at me the same trusting way Maddy had. Like I could tell her anything and she’d believe it.
“Are you guys going out?” Lake asked.
“It’s not your business,” Tiffany said. “Mom told you to clear the table.”
I stood. “I’ll help.”
Cathy put her hand on my shoulder. “Absolutely not. Please, sit.”
“I really should take off,” I said. “Maybe you can walk me out, Tiff.”
“Sure.” She got up, exchanging a look with her mom.
I took that moment to check on Lake. She wanted to come outside, I could tell, but Tiffany wouldn’t invite her and I sure as hell wouldn’t, either. Best she stayed away after the fight I’d just witnessed. I nodded goodnight, hoping she’d understand in her own way. Damn if the hurt in her expression didn’t ease up.
Tiffany looped her arm in mine and walked me out front. “Was it awful?” she asked. “You were so good to put up with my dad.”
“It was all right. Don’t worry.”
“My mom likes you a lot. I can tell. Plus, I’m sure she loved that you had a second helping, and complimented her cooking . . .”
I stopped listening. The food and a ten-hour work day and two glasses of wine hit me all at once. I just wanted to lie down. There was a small grassy hill down to the curb, and when we reached the bottom, I cut her off. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“I’m glad you came.”
Before I could reach for the handle, she leaned back against the driver’s side door. “You want to do something?”
“I worked all day, Tiffany. I’m exhausted.”
“We don’t have to go out. We can stay in.”
“Where?” I nodded behind me. “Here? At your parents’?”
She wiggled her foot out of her shoe and ran her toes along the inside of my ankle. “No, silly. We can drive around a little. Or go back to your place.”
Ah, fuck. I inhaled deeply to give myself a few seconds to think. I was tired, but the prospect of sex always gave me a second wind. It’d been a few months, which didn’t bother me until it did. Like now. She tugged on my shirt a little, pulling me closer. Her breath smelled like blueberry, like the ones Lake had used to make a pie.
For someone special. For me.
“Your heart’s racing,” Tiffany whispered, her lips suddenly near my chin.
I felt like I was doing something wrong, and not in a good way. I didn’t want to be thinking about Lake when I was this close to her sister. I took a step back from her.
“What’s wrong?” Tiffany asked.
“Nothing.”
She was quiet a moment. “I want this, Manning.”
“It’s not that.”
“I’m not a virgin. If you’re worried I’ll get attached—”
“It’s not that,” I repeated.
“I’m on birth control.”
My heartbeat hadn’t calmed any, and that comment didn’t help. It just reminded me of the terrifying conversation inside about the girl who got pregnant. “Who’s Regina Lee?”
“A girl at my high school who had sex with a teacher. All the parents got worked up, but he was only like twenty-four or something.”
“How old was she?”
“Seventeen. Regina says she’ll wait for him to get out.”
The way Charles had threatened to throw his power around scared me. Who knew if it was true what he’d said about bringing more charges against the teacher? But a man like that definitely had connections, and it was clear he didn’t want me anywhere near Lake. He’d been angry enough that I hadn’t mentioned my work next door, but it was Lake being over there, me being around her, that’d really set him off. I hoped we’d be done with this house soon and get out of his proximity. Anything in the neighborhood went wrong, and he’d surely find one of us to blame.
Tiffany cocked a hip. “So is that the problem?” she asked. “You’re worried I’ll get pregnant like Regina Lee?”
“No.”