FLAME (Spark Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

uncomfortable.
    “She’ll take a P i ñ a Colada,” I answer for her.
    Laney glares at me until the waiter walks away.
    “What?”
    “A P i ñ a Colada? Really?”
    “Sure, why not?” I shrug. “Seems like a Velaney-type drink to me.” I smirk.
    She stays silent until after our food finally arrives. We begin picking at our food until I finally speak up.
    “So…do you want to talk about it?” I ask sincerely. I can tell her mind is spinning.
    She shrugs, playing with the straw in her drink. She looks down and I can tell she’s hurting.
    “Babe, talk about it. I know I wasn’t a huge fan of Jake, but you can talk to me. Tell me everything that happened.” I reach across the table and grab her hand. She continues to stay silent, not touching her food.
    I take that as my cue and stop talking. We continue eating without exchanging words, the silence killing me.
    “Wanna watch a movie?” I ask as we enter the apartment.
    “Sure,” she mumbles.
    “You pick it out,” I tell her. “Whatever you want.” I smile genuinely at her.
    “Okay.” I watch as she throws her shoes off and tosses her purse on the table. She moves with slow steps to the TV, picking at the movies in our entertainment center.
    I grab a bag of popcorn and throw it in the microwave. I also grab a couple of sodas, a blanket, and pillow.
    Velaney gives me an odd look as she sees me juggling everything back into the living room.
    I shrug. “Girls’ night in.” I smirk, handing her one of the cans.
    We settle in, sitting next to each other on the sofa. I hand her a bowl of popcorn and set mine on the table next to me. I wasn’t sure how deep she was in until I saw the movie case she picked sitting out— The Holiday.
    Oh, shit. It’s her go-to movie for everything—happy, sad, miserable, desperate, heartbroken.
    I grab her hand in mine and squeeze, looking straight ahead.
    “I love you, Lane.”
    “I love you, too.”
    We watch the movie in silence the entire night, popping popcorn in our mouths and crying…even at the end when everyone gets their happily ever after.
    *   *   *

4
    -21 years o ld-
    Two years earlier
     
    “Lane, we have to go!” I yell down the hall as I lean against the wall. Between her work and school schedule, we hardly have any time together anymore. So today, I’m dragging her to the movies with me.
    “Coming!” she shouts back. She parades out into the hallway wearing low cut jeans and an oversized sweater.
    I grimace at her. “Who died?”
    “Huh?” She stops in her tracks and stares at me.
    “What’s with the get-up?” I ask, motioning my hand up and down her body.
    “What’s wrong with it? Did jeans and a sweatshirt go out of style since the last time I checked?” she scowls, walking toward me.
    “No…not if you’re home alone trying to scare mice away. However, for the movies it just looks depressing.”
    “It’s a good thing it’ll be dark then.” She sticks her tongue at me.
    “I’m cleaning out your closet one of these days,” I mutter. “I’ll make it Carissa-approved.”
    “Well, then all I’ll have left is bras and panties.” She laughs as we head out the door.
    “Nothing wrong with that.”
    We make it to the movies just in time for the previews. The movie is jam-packed, barely giving us elbow room on each side.
    “This movie better be good,” Velaney groans, getting comfortable in her seat.
    “Well, if it’s anything like the book, it will be,” I reassure her. “Beastly is one of my favorite books. Add in a British actor like Alex Pettyfer, and you’ll have your panties melting off in no time.”
    “Looking forward to it.” She rolls her eyes at me just as the movie starts.
    “I’m going to grab a soda. Want anything?” I whisper in Velaney’s ear about twenty minutes into the movie.
    She shakes her head no. I get up to leave and begin walking down the dark aisle back to the entrance.
    “Excuse me?” I hear a voice behind me.
    I turn around and blink