Whisper E-Book

Kristen Middleton

• Herausgeber: Kristen Middleton and Cassie Alexandra
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Dark, deadly, and dangerously sexy - will she resist him before it's too late?

On the outside Shore Lake appears to be a charming, peaceful, leisurely town. The perfect place to escape or start over.

It's exactly what seventeen-year-old Nikki, and her family, hopes for when they move from the big city to a luxurious cabin near the lake. Just when things seem to be going perfect, Nikki realizes she's being stalked by something in the darkness - a terrifying, yet irresistible being who will stop at nothing to possess her.

Will her family save her before she is swept away by the passion, lies, and deadly charms of the hot-as-hell vampire?
Or is her fate already sealed, along with her mother’s… who also appears to be changing before her very eyes.

Leseprobe

Also by Kristen Middleton

Carissa Jones Mysteries

Searching for Faith

Looking for Lainey

Daughters of Darkness

Deviant - Jezebel's Journey Book Two

Jezebel (Daughter's of Darkness): Jezebel's Journey Book 1

Jogos Zumbi

Jogos Zumbi Livro 1

Summit Lake Mysteries

Forget Me Not

Hear Them Scream

The Night Roamers

Whisper

Tremble

Penance

Deception

Vagabundos de la Noche

Confusión

Estremecer

Venom

Venom

Slade

Toxic

Witches of Bayport

Enchanted Secrets

Enchanted Objects

Enchanted Spells

Zombie Games

Running Wild (Book Two)

Dead Endz (Book Three)

Road Kill (Book Four)

End Zone (Book Five)

Origins

Standalone

Awaken at Twilight (A Vampire Anthology)

Claimed By The Lycan

Dark Realms

Venom ( Books 1-3)

Witches of Bayport (The Series) Boxed Set

Zombie Games Boxed Set

Night Roamers (Boxed Set)

Planet Z

Paxton VS The Undead

Billionaire at Sea Books 1 & 2

Ravaged By Shifters

Tangled (Boxed Set)

Dragon's Blood

Deception (Clean Version)

Watch for more at Kristen Middleton’s site.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Also By Kristen Middleton

Whisper (The Night Roamers, #1)

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

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8

9

10

11

12

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14

15

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Further Reading: Venom ( Books 1-3)

Also By Kristen Middleton

About the Author

Copyright ©2020 by Kristen Middleton

All rights reserved. All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The author acknowledges the trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which has been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

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Prologue

EMINEM’S LATEST SONG blasted through the speakers at Gil Fisher’s graduation party.  It was the largest kegger she’d ever attended and everyone was having a blast. She been enjoying herself too... until stepping into the garage and finding Bailey Carter and Lacy Vanderhoven, making out by the keg. Seeing them together felt like someone had hit her in the stomach with a sledgehammer. 

Asshole.

Bailey had been the main reason she’d even gone to the party. He’d personally invited her and she’d been crushing on him since the tenth grade. With his messy, sun-bleached hair, light green eyes, and gorgeous smile, he was the epitome of hotness. Now, Tina felt stupid for even thinking she had a chance with someone like him. Especially seeing Prom Queen Lacy in his arms.  

Screw them.

College was only three months away and she’d be free of Shore Lake and all the idiot guys she’d gone to high school with.

Trying not to cry, Tina turned around and went in search of Amy, her best friend. She found her outside, by the bonfire.

“Did you find Bailey?” Amy asked.

Tina told her what she’d seen.

“What a dickhead.”

“Yeah, well, it’s no big deal. They can have each other.”

“Exactly.”

Tina remembered the joint in her purse. Now was as good of a time as any. Especially after what had just happened. “You wanna get high?”

Amy slapped at a mosquito. “No. I’m already feeling pretty buzzed as it is.”

“Not even one hit?”

“The last time I tried smoking pot, I threw up.” She looked around. “Anyway, I feel like this party is going to be busted soon. It’s getting too crazy.”

As if to prove her point, someone lit off a bottle rocket. It exploded high above them and people started cheering.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Amy sighed. “Maybe we should leave?”

Tina didn’t want to, however. She’d told her parents that she was sleeping over at Amy’s, which was a lie. So she had the entire night to do whatever she wanted.

“In a little while. I wanna spark up the joint first.” Tina dug into her purse and pulled it out. “You sure you don’t want a couple hits?”

“No. Seriously, I’m good.”

“Okay.” Not wanting to share with anyone else, she told Amy she was going down by the lake. “You want to at least keep me company?”

Before Amy could reply, Bryce Freeman walked over and put his arm around her shoulders. “Hey, beautiful. I brought that strawberry schnapps you were asking about. You want some?”

Amy’s eyes lit up and she smiled. “Yeah.”

Tina gave her a dirty look. “Though you were worried about driving?”

Bryce snorted. “Chill out, Mom. She doesn’t have to drink the entire bottle. One shot won’t hurt her.”

“I’ll just have a little,” Amy added.

Tina hated Bryce. He was bossy, manipulative, and conceited. His parents had money and he was always bragging about it. Amy thought he was hot, however, and would do almost anything for the guy. He had a girlfriend, however. That never stopped him from flirting with everyone in sight.

“You want any?” Bryce asked Tina.

Normally she would, but being around him annoyed her. “No.”

“Suit yourself. We’ll be up in the kitchen. That’s where the hard stuff is.” He started maneuvering Amy toward the house.

Amy looked back at her over her shoulder. “I’ll come find you when we’re done. Okay?”

Tina sighed. “Fine.”

She mouthed the word “Sorry.”

Tina shrugged.

They disappeared inside and Tina headed toward the woods. A few minutes later, she was leaning against a tree and staring at the calm lake, still trying to forget about Bailey and Lacy. She took a puff of the joint and held it in for a few seconds before releasing the sweet, pungent smoke. Already feeling calmer, she sighed in contentment and closed her eyes.

“Hey.”

Startled, Tina turned around and saw a familiar face. One that also made her nervous.

“You scared the shit out of me. You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”

He smiled. “Sorry. What are you doing?”

Tina held up the joint. “Just chillin’ out. Relaxing.”

He stared at her curiously. “And that helps?”

“For me it does. Haven’t you ever gotten high?”

“No.”

“You want to try a hit?”

He stopped next to her. “Sure, why not?”

She handed him the joint and told him what to do. He inhaled and held it in. Unlike most newbies, he exhaled but didn’t cough.

“Wow, you’re a natural,” she replied before taking another hit herself.

“Thanks.”

“You feel anything yet? This is some strong shit.”

Looking amused, he shook his head. “Nope.”

“Want any more?”

“Nah.”

Feeling anxious about being alone with him, she put the joint out. “So, what are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.”

“Me? Why?”

His eyes began to glow an eerie red. “I think you already know.”

Her heart leaped into her throat. In the back of her mind, she had an idea of what he was talking about. There’d been rumors. Crazy, wild ones about him and his friends. She’d laughed them off, but seeing his eyes glow was some freaky shit.

Trying not to panic, she forced a smile to her face. “It’s getting late. I have to go back to the party.”

His lip twitched. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”

Her pulse drummed in her ears. I have to get out of here.

“I can make it good for you,” he added.

Terrified, Tina dropped the joint and started running up the hill, back to the safety of the party. Right before she reached the top, his hand landed firmly on her shoulder. He twisted her around and pinned her gaze with his.

Tears flooded her eyes. “Please don’t hurt me,” she squeaked.

He trailed his finger down her cheek and smiled. “Soon, you’ll be begging me to.”

Tina didn’t understand what he meant.

Not until later...

1

“MOM LEFT THE DOOR UNLOCKED,” I hollered at my twin brother, Nathan.

He slammed the door to his ’67 Mustang. “That’s weird.” He brushed a hand through his sandy-brown hair and shoved his keys into his jean pocket. “You know how she’s always nagging us about it.”

“I know, right?” I held the front door open for him. “I guess the rules only apply to us.”

“Apparently.” 

Mom was married to a cop once. Our father. He’d drilled it into all our heads about locking the door, even when we were home. Now that they were divorced, she’d been especially adamant about keeping everything secure and had even talked about getting a dog.

Nathan followed me into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He sighed and scratched his chin. “There’s never anything good to eat in this place.”

I set my backpack down on the floor. “Seriously? How can you still be hungry after eating that monster burger and malt?”

We’d just returned from Grannie’s Malt Shop, where we’d pigged out on burgers and shakes with some friends. It was the last day of school and we were officially seniors. No more schoolwork, tests, or girls grilling me about Nathan. The guy was a major flirt and being his messenger was annoying as hell. 

He flexed his bicep. “I’m going to the gym later and these guns need ammo.”

I snorted a laugh and shook my head.

Nathan began rummaging through the refrigerator and pulled out the milk carton. “Just ’cause you’re a string-bean doesn’t mean everyone else has to eat like a bird.”

I pulled out my cell phone and started checking my messages. “If I eat like a bird, it’s the large yellow one from Sesame Street. I devoured almost as much as you did.”

“That’s right you did, Big Bird.” He raised the milk carton to his lips and was about to take a swig, when we both heard a faint noise.

Stiffening up, I turned to Nathan. “What in the hell was that?”  

His eyebrows knitted together. “It sounds like—”

That was when we both heard it again. Someone was sobbing.

My stomach dropped. “It sounds like Mom. Isn’t she supposed to be at work?”

“Yeah.” He slammed down the milk and rushed out of the kitchen.

I chased after him up the stairs and we stopped outside of her bedroom door. The sounds were definitely coming from her room.  

Nathan knocked on the door. “Mom?” 

She moaned.

He looked at me. “What do I do?”

“Go in,” I urged.

Nathan opened the door and peeked his head inside. “Oh, my God.”

I pushed him forward and that was when I saw her lying naked on the floor next to the bed. Her face was swollen and bleeding. Her body was badly bruised.

Both of us stood frozen in shock for a second before rushing to her side. I kneeled down next to her while Nathan covered her with a blanket from her bed. She looked like she was in so much pain; I was afraid to even touch her. “Mom?” 

She opened one of her black-rimmed eyes. “Call the police,” she whimpered, barely coherent.

I grabbed the phone and dialed nine-one-one. I couldn’t remember much of the conversation, only that the operator promised to send help while trying to console me.

“Is the assailant still in the house?” the woman asked.

I looked at Nathan. “If he was, we’d need the morgue, too.” My brother was very protective of our mother.  If he’d caught the asshole who did this, he’d have gone ape-shit.

The woman sighed. “Tell everyone to remain calm. Lock the door and wait for the ambulance. They should be arriving shortly.”

“Thank you.” I ended the call and turned around. “They’re sending help.”

Mom nodded. “Good.”

I felt so helpless and frightened for her. We had no idea of the injuries she’d sustained. She could be bleeding internally for all we knew.  

Nathan, who was kneeling next to her, brushed the hair out of her eyes gently. “Mom, what happened?”  

She didn’t answer, but to me, it was pretty obvious. The woman had been attacked and raped.  

I got down on my knees next to her again. I had so many questions but wasn’t sure if it was the right time to ask. She was obviously in a lot of pain. I grabbed her hand and held it. Seeing her like this broke my heart. “Can I help you with anything?”

She let out a shaky breath. “I should probably get dressed before the paramedics and police arrive. Could you find me something to wear, Nikki?”  

“Of course.” I stood up and went over to her dresser.

“Mom?” prodded Nathan. “Can you tell us what happened?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but couldn’t seem to get the words out.

I pulled him aside. “Nathan, leave her be,” I murmured. “She’s been raped. She probably doesn’t want to talk about it right now.”

Not with her son, anyway.

He looked torn up inside. “I understand that, but we need to find out who did this. If she knows the asshole, we can send the cops after him.”

He had a valid point.

I kneeled back down next to her. “Mom, do you know the person who did this to you?”

She nodded.

Nathan and I looked at each other in surprise. I think we’d both expected her to say it was some stranger.

“Who was it?” Nathan asked.

Her eyes filled with tears. “Your father.”

2

“ARE WE ALMOST THERE?” I asked, staring through my sunglasses at the endless rows of cornfields. We’d been driving for hours through the countryside and I could no longer tell the difference from one town to the next. More than anything, I just wanted to get out of the car and stretch my stiff legs.

Mom cleared her throat. “Pretty soon.”

Nathan was following us in his Mustang, and I glanced back to see him talking on his cell phone once again.

“Oh, Lord,” I said, leaning my head back against the headrest. “He must be talking to Deanna for the tenth time. She just won’t get over the fact that we’re really moving.”

Mom tightened her hands on the steering wheel and glanced at me. She looked miserable. “I’m sorry about having to uproot the two of you. Especially in your last year of school. I feel so shitty about it.”

I groaned. “Mom, seriously, it’s not your fault. I can’t even believe you’re feeling guilty about it. I mean, nobody had any idea that Dad could be so violent.”

It had been less than three months since our father had brutally attacked our mother. They’d been separated for the last couple of years because of his sporadic temper tantrums, along with his inability to stop screwing other women. When she’d finally found the courage to leave him, he’d actually been pretty civil about it. That was—until he’d learned she’d moved on emotionally and had started dating again. After hearing about it from a mutual friend, he’d flown into a jealous rage, striking back at her viciously. We were all still stunned about the horrifying ordeal.

“I just wish they could locate him,” she said, staring straight ahead. “I think the not knowing where he is scares me the most.”

I nodded. I was so ashamed, that any thoughts of him made me physically ill. It was still really hard to believe that our own father was capable of being so violent. It made it even more disturbing that he’d been in law enforcement and responsible for keeping people safe.

“Me, too.”

After the attack, Dad had disappeared. Meanwhile, our mother had spent several nights in the hospital recovering. Thankfully, there’s been no internal bleeding, although she’d sustained a lot of bruising. The worst of the damage had been done to her mentally. In fact, when she was finally released from the hospital, she couldn’t sleep at night without drugs. She’d wake up in the middle of the night, terrified that he’d show up and beat her again. Then, just recently, she’d been given a gift—a way out. Her employer had offered her an accounting job in Montana, and that was where the three of us were now headed to start a new life.

“I think it’s good that Nathan’s getting away from Deanna, anyway. She’s so whiny and annoying.”

Mom smiled wryly. “Now, Nikki, you haven’t liked any of Nathan’s girlfriends.”

“It’s not my fault he attracts the psychos.”

She burst out laughing and I smiled, enjoying a sound that was finally finding its way back into our lives again.

“God, you’re awful,” she said, shaking her head in amusement.

“Oh, come on. You know I’m right.”

She grabbed her Ray-Bans from the center column and put them on. “Well, he is a little too young to be tied down to just one girl. So, if you ask me, this move will be healthy for the both of them.”

“I’m sure Deanna will find someone else by next week, anyway.” She was so damn needy. Watching her cling to Nathan all the time had been nauseating.

“You really don’t like her, do you?”

I shrugged.

Deep down, I knew I wasn’t being totally fair, because the truth was, I was a little jealous. My brother and I had always been very close, especially living in such a dysfunctional family environment. My earliest memories were of my parents constantly arguing and accusing each other of things. They’d yelled and fought so much of our lives, that once he’d left, the quietness had been eerie. And through it all we’d weathered the storms together. In fact, for all our lives, we’d been best friends; sharing and doing everything together. That was, until the tenth grade, when he’d discovered boobs, I mean, girls. Of course I’d discovered boys as well. I’d discovered that most of them in my school were crude, boring, or just plain idiots.

“So, Mom,” I said, changing a subject in which, I had to admit, left me feeling a little guilty. “What were you saying about this place we’re renting?”

She grinned. “I guess it’s just breathtaking. It’s a log cabin on Shore Lake that’s been on the market for some time. The owners are related to Ernie, and because of our circumstances, they’re letting us rent it relatively cheap.”

Ernie was my mom’s boss, a really nice old man. He was almost like a father-figure to her, which was good because both of her parents had passed away several years ago. Aside from us, there really was nobody else.

“The cabin does sound really cool. Do they happen to have a boat or jet-skis?”

“I’m not sure about the jet-skis, but they definitely have a boat.”

“Sweet.”

“Ernie says he’s caught hundreds of walleye on the lake, so we’ll have to do some fishing, too.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind that either.”

“What’s wrong?”

I pulled down the visor. “I have something in my eye.”

“Oh.”

After removing an eyelash out, I examined my reflection in the mirror. Sandy brown hair, light blue eyes, and decent cheekbones. Pretty average-looking and nothing spectacular. My mother claimed that I looked exactly like her when she was growing up. Most of Nathan’s friends said she was a hot MILF, which was pretty gross, but I guessed that meant there was still hope for me.

I closed the visor and leaned my head back against the seat. “I wonder what the school is going to be like.”

As an introvert, I was definitely feeling some anxiety about it. Unlike Nathan, the chatterbox and social butterfly.  

“Ernie didn’t say much, but honestly, I don’t expect him to know. He’s in his seventies and never had children.”

“Oh, well. I’m sure it will be fine.”

I didn’t want her worrying about me. She was the one who needed the extra support from us, and I wasn’t about to make her feel any more guilty about moving than she already did.

She slapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, there’s an extra computer at the cabin and you’re allowed to use it.”

“Really? That’s cool,” I smiled. Although she had a laptop, I’d been nagging her forever about getting a computer of my own. Not only would we need it for homework, I loved writing poems and had hoped to one day become an author. Most of mine were written in old notebooks and so hard to keep track of.

“Yes, but you’ll have to share it with your brother.”

“Great,” I said dryly.

“I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.”

“I hope so.”

When Nathan had been in middle school, he and some friends had borrowed her old laptop to surf the internet. Apparently, they’d “accidentally” found themselves on a porn site, and she’d gotten a virus. After dealing with that, she banned him from using her computer again.

“Are you still writing your poems?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Maybe they’ll have some kind of writing club you can join in the new school?”

“Maybe.”

“If not, you could always join the track team or the cheerleading squad.”

I snorted. “Me? Really? When have you ever known me to be interested in cheerleading? Besides, I’m sure the girlson the squad have been doing it since elementary school. They’d laugh me right out of tryouts.”

“Oh, you never know.”

“It’s not my thing. I’m also not into running for fun.”

“What about soccer or basketball?”

I laughed. “Basketball? I think you need to be taller than the ball to play.”

She chuckled. “Sorry. You got the short gene from me.”

I was only five-foot-two. She was slightly taller.

“How in the hell did Nathan get the better end of the stick?” He was almost six-foot tall. “I mean, we’re twins. Not that I expect him to be as short as me. It’s just weird.”

“Stuff like that just happens that way sometimes. Anyway, think of it this way, you have more choices in guys.”

I grunted. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Even the short ones can be tall, dark, and handsome.”

“Yay,” I said dryly. “I’d still rather be normal height.”

“Oh, Nikki. You are normal height and very pretty. Once you start school, I’m sure the guys will be flocking. Just be picky about who you choose to go out with.”

“Don’t hold your breath.”

“What do you mean?”

“High school guys like sporty, outgoing girls. Or sluts. I’m neither.”

She looked amused. “Although I’m glad you’re not a slut, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You have a lot of great qualities.  Don’t sell yourself short.”

I wasn’t even interested in meeting anyone at the moment. Most of the girls at my old school had been constantly stressed out because of their immature boyfriends.  I wasn’t about to go down that road, especially in my last year of high school. “It doesn’t matter.” 

She frowned. “Sure it does. You’ll want to go to all the dances, and then there’s the prom. You don’t want to miss out on all the fun. You’ll regret it later.”

“Didn’t you go with dad to the prom?” I asked, then immediately felt rotten when I saw the bitterness in her eyes.

“I did,” she said slowly. “But he wasn’t always so... volatile. And, really, he’s among the very few out there like that. You know, Nikki, you can’t be afraid of the world because your dad has some issues.”

Yeah, but weren’t we running because she was still very much afraid?

Of course, I didn’t dare mention that. Instead, I just changed the subject.

“So, how much farther of a drive do we have?” I’d noticed the mountains coming up in the distance, which had to be a good sign. 

“Oh, just a couple more hours.”

“Good.”

She turned on the radio and tried looking for some music. It was either country or static. Frustrated, she plugged in her phone. Seconds later, Adele began to sing about Rumors.

I stretched my arms and yawned.

“Honey,” she said, lowering her sunglasses down, “you look beat. Why don’t you try and get some rest? I’ll wake you when we get there.”

“Okay.” I closed my eyes and eventually fell asleep. 

3

I WOKE UP TO THE SOUND of mom and Nathan arguing. I opened my eyes and noticed we were parked by a small grocery store. 

“Why not, Mom? I just don’t understand,” protested Nathan, who was standing outside her door and pouting.

She sighed. “Can we please talk about Deanna later?”

I groaned. “Oh, God, not now.” It was getting dark and we’d missed dinner and my stomach was protesting. I was cranky, and the last thing I needed was to hear any more drama about Deanna.

“Can’t she just stay with us the week before school starts?” Nathan pled. “She’s having a rough time with her parents, and now that I’m gone, things have gotten even worse. It’s not fair for her.”

Mom shook her head. “No, we have too much to do with unpacking and getting ready for school. Maybe she can come and visit sometime after it starts. Maybe at the end of September?”

“This is all bullshit,” he snapped, backing up from the window. He waved his hand toward the road in exasperation. “We could have stayed home. I would’ve protected you. Now we’re forced to move, and you didn’t even give me a chance.”

This was too much. Now I was angry. “Seriously, Nathan? You’re being totally unreasonable. Mom’s been through so much shit and all you care about is your stupid girlfriend. God, you’re being an asshole.”

He glared at me. “I’m being unreasonable? Why don’t you just stay out of it? You don’t know what it’s like because you’re not leaving anyone behind. You couldn’t care less where we live.”

He was right but it still hurt. Especially when he pointed it out that way. “I just want her safe.” I folded my arms across my chest. “Apparently, you’re more worried about your love life than what happens to her.”

He growled in the back of his throat. “That’s bullshit!”

Mom put her hand in the air. “Whoa. Okay, let’s all settle down. Quit pointing fingers at each other and enough with the swearing. It doesn’t help the situation.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

Nathan didn’t say anything.

“Listen, it isn’t either of your faults, okay? And, Nathan,” she smiled sadly, “I’m grateful that you want to protect me, but you can’t possibly follow me around twenty-four hours a day, nor do I expect you to be my personal bodyguard. Now, as far as Deanna goes, we’ll talk about it later. Comprende?”

He nodded but was still sulking; I could tell this conversation was far from over.

She noticed it as well and rubbed her forehead in frustration. “Okay, let’s get the things we need in the grocery store before it gets dark. I don’t want to get lost while searching for this cabin.”

“I agree. Let’s go.” I opened the door and got out of the car.

Nathan followed us into the store, still moping.

“Nathan, would you please cheer up?” Mom pleaded when we were in the frozen pizza section and he refused to pick out food.

“Yeah,” I said. “Don’t ruin our first night here because of a girl who’s probably lining up her next soul-mate as we speak.”

“Would you shut-up?” he snapped. “You’re just jealous.”

Clenching my fists, I took a step toward him. “Excuse me? Jealous?”

“Stop it!” growled Mom, getting into both of our faces. “We’re in public and you’re both acting... ridiculous. Now, I’m sorry that we had to move, I really am. But we’re here now and there’s no turning back. So get it together, or I swear to God, I won’t buy any ice cream.”

Nathan raised his hands in the air. “Whoa, mom, just settle down. You’re right. This has gotten way out of hand. We can talk about this, no need to bring ice cream into the equation.” He smirked. “That’s cruel even for you.”

She relaxed. “That’s what I thought.” She then turned to me. “What about you? Are you going to lay off Deanna, who isn’t even here to defend herself?”

“Fine,” I replied tightly. “As long as he stops talking about her every five minutes.”

He gave me a dirty look. “Whatever.”

She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You know, maybe this was a mistake, I don’t know.” She opened her eyes. “But, what’s done is done, and we have to make the best of it. So, please, quit arguing and let’s try to make this work. Okay?”    

We both agreed but avoided eye contact.

“Okay.” She looked at the time on her phone. “Let’s finish this up and find the cabin. I think you’re going to really like living out here if you just give it a chance. I mean, come on, you have to admit—the scenery is already beautiful.”

“California was beautiful, too,” replied Nathan, grabbing a stack of pizzas from the freezer. “I’m just saying...”

She scowled at him. “Seriously?”

He put the pizzas in the cart. “Okay, fine, I’ll admit that it’s different here. The fresh air, the mountains, all of the greenness. I guess it’s cool.”

“Thank you. Now, let’s grab some Hot Pockets and Pizza Rolls,” she said, staring at the case.  

I grimaced. “Hot Pockets?”

She motioned her thumb at Nathan. “We need to keep him fed. Those are quick and easy.”

It was true, he was always hungry, and once his blood sugar began to drop, grumpier than an old man. Apparently, our dad’s family was prone to diabetes and mom predicted we’d both end up getting it someday.

I opened the glass door and began sorting through the Hot Pockets with Nathan directing. Forty-five minutes later, the entire cart was full and Deanna was temporarily forgotten.

“That will be two-hundred-and-forty dollars,” said the cashier, snapping her gum. 

Mom handed the young woman her credit card. The cashier appraised Nathan as he bagged the groceries. When he finished, she smiled. “Thanks. You didn’t have to do that, you know. It’s my job.”

He shrugged. “That’s okay. I don’t mind.”  

“You guys just move here?” she asked, twirling a piece of blonde hair around her index finger. “I haven’t seen you around.”

I refrained from rolling my eyes. Here we go again.

Mom smiled. “We did. Just today, in fact.”

“Cool,” replied the girl, still checking out Nathan. “See you around.”

“Yeah.” Nathan began pushing the grocery cart outside without as much as a backwards glance.

Mom and I smiled at each other in amusement. He was clueless sometimes.

We caught up to Nathan outside.

“Let’s put the groceries in your car, Nathan,” Mom said. “Mine is too full already.”

“Okay.” He turned and veered the cart toward his vehicle.

As we were trying to stuff the food into the back of his Mustang, a soft voice greeted us. “Hi. You must be new in town?”