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“Then get to know hi with that”
“But how do I tell him I want him to kiss me?” I whispered, then quickly added, “When I do”
I couldn’t confide the real reason why being so close to a boy scared me the way it did Not to Dex Not to anyone ever But I fell asleep last night wondering what it would feel like to have a boy I liked kiss me To want to be close to him more than my next breath
Dex groaned and looked away “When the tiht, you’ll both know” He shook his head “Can’t you talk to Suzy about any of this?”
“Heck no She’d probably screah school like her sister did”
He winced at the mention of Debbie’s mom, my aunt Sharon “She scream at you often?”
I shrugged it off like it was no big deal
He reached over and patted“I’m sorry, peanut I ell, what I wish doesn’tuntil you’re out on your own”
And doesn’t that terrifytrapped here forever
My fear must have shown on my face, because Dex looked even more troubled “You still want to be a nurse?”
“Don’t kno I’ll pay for it, but yes”
“It ork itself out, Juliet Somehow”
I doubted that “Isister I never had I could’ve told her this”
Sadness clouded his eyes and I wished I’d kept my mouth shut “She loved you,” he rasped “Her little peanut”
In the driveway, a truck door slammed and someone shouted, “Why is this piece of shit in my driveway!”
Dex clenched his jaw “I planned to be out of here before he came home”
“He works second shift now,” I whispered
“When’s Suzy get hohts?”
“No, she should be here soon”
He sat back as if he had no plans to leave, even with Uncle Jaredhis way around the house
One heavy boot thudded against the porch steps and I shuddered Dex glanced at me and frowned
“That your bike in my driveway?” Jared asked
“Who else’s would it be, old h Jared seenored my uncle’sI adet aith it too
“What’re you doing here, Dex?”
“Wanted to stop by and give Juliet an early birthday present,” he said, as if he was trying to re up
Good luck with that
Uncle Jared and Aunt Susan hadn’t acknowledged my birthday in years
Jared grunted at the explanation