Blindness Read Online Free PDF Page B

looking at me
as he continues. “Cody’s moving in above the garage,” he says,
obviously irritated. “There’s a carriage house up there. He’s a
loser, never has any money.”
    I almost protest, knowing that he’s an
engineering major, but then I stop. I’ve already dug myself too
deep, pretending not to know Cody at all. After a few minutes of
silence, I decide to leave it at that, and will myself to be
satisfied with Trevor’s explanation. My encounter with Cody was
tense. But only because it was a surprise, and I don’t believe
he’ll make things uncomfortable for me here. In fact, I may be the
only person willing to acknowledge him—and that reality makes me
feel…well, it just makes me feel .
    I reach around Trevor and hug him tightly and
instantly notice him relax. He shuts the water off and turns around
to pull me in close, kissing me, and tugging my hair loose. Trevor
loves my hair, and he wraps his hands deep into the gold strands
while he kisses me more. He lifts me, then turns me around so I’m
sitting on the counter facing him. I keep kissing him, but I’m
fighting myself because I’m aware that his parents could burst in
at any moment. I let myself enjoy the moment until he works his
hand up my thigh and slides his thumb under the side of my
underwear.
    “Whoa, not quite ready for exhibition time in
front of your parents, if that’s okay,” I laugh and slide from the
counter, but still tight against him. He just laughs lightly and
lifts my chin to kiss me softly.
    “Okay, no exhibition…yet,” he smiles, but it
quickly turns into a flat line, and just as quickly a frown.
    “What’s wrong?” I’m thrown by his quick mood
change.
    He takes in a sharp breath through his nose
and closes his eyes as he runs his hand down his face. “We have to
talk,” he says, and I’m completely rattled. Talk? Isn’t that
what we’ve been doing?
    “Ooooookay?” I say, letting him know exactly
how unsure I’ve become by my now-guarded body language.
    He doesn’t let his hands leave me as he
slides them down my arms and grabs my curling fingers. “I heard
from Judge Sumner’s office. I got the call tonight, when I left to
come in here. That’s what me and my parents were talking about when
you came in,” he says, and immediately, I know.
    Trevor is leaving. For Washington.
    I knew this might happen. While he’s talking,
I’m already sorting how I can work things out with my firm and my
internship, transfer to someone with a base in Washington in the
spring. It won’t be easy, but I can pull it off. I’m half-hearing
him when I realize he says Monday. Monday?
    “What? You mean, this semester?” I shove him
away a little, now frustrated and finally understanding what he’s
been saying.
    “That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” he
says, reaching for me again. I’m a little standoffish, but I let
him hold my hands, even if I’m guarded about it. “They really want
me, and they’re willing to move my apprenticeship ahead. Charlotte,
it’s a HUGE opportunity. I can’t say no.”
    I know he can’t. He has to take this. But
bloody hell, I’m living in his parents’ house! What am I going to
do? I can’t stop my thoughts from verbalizing, and I speak. “Where
am I going to live?” I blurt out.
    Trevor just smiles softly and pulls me into a
hug. “My parents totally want you to stay. Besides, I’ll come home
every few weeks. This way we can see each other a lot. Really, it’s
not a problem. We already talked about it. My parents love you, you know?”
    His parents love me? I figured they liked me
well enough. And that was before the comments I overheard from Jim.
I don’t know that they love me. I’m so confused about
everything, but I know I’m not going to come to any solutions
tonight. I’ll give it a try—I have to. I really have no choice. I
comfort myself, albeit barely, knowing that I can start looking for
alternatives next week if I need to. I have a little money