L. Ann Marie Read Online Free PDF Page A

go to T&G?"  It's small, quiet and just outside of town.  No cameras make it perfect for me.
    "No, I've never been there.  To tell you the truth, it's been almost a year since I left the yard."  She smiles, fuck she's got a pretty smile.  "Having a guard with me when I do is comforting."
    I look at her then back at the road.  "Are you afraid of leaving the yard?"
    She laughs, "Not at all, I just have no reason to leave.  Tess told me the world outside of the yard is crazy."
    Fuckin Tess is cute and right, it is.  "She would know."  I look at her, she's watching me.  "Does your family live in the yard?"
    She looks forward.  "No, my parents live in Danvers.  We're not close."
    "Brothers or sisters?"
    I can feel the tension rolling off her.  I don't think she's going to answer when she looks at me, "I had a twin, she died a few years ago, she was the smart good girl. My parents aren't thrilled that I survived.  I get a call on Christmas but not an invitation so I have no reason to leave the yard."
    "Of all the things you could have said there, I didn't expect that.  I'm sorry I brought that back to you, Amanda."  Fuck, I should have checked her back story before I did this.  I didn't want the info before I got it from her though.
    "To tell you the truth I'm glad you don't know about me.  I know you could have every bit of my life on paper but it won't tell you who I am.  I like that you have to ask, even if it is a little uncomfortable."  I take a quick look at her and see she's not pissed and more relaxed than a minute ago.
    "I didn't look just for that reason, I jumped wrong once already.  I don't like making mistakes.  This is me trying to fix that."  I hope she doesn't question me right now, I need a fuckin drink for this.
    I can feel her looking at me.  "Ok.  I'll wait until you can explain that a little better."
    I smile and pull in to the T&G parking lot.  "Thanks, I need a drink for this."
    She fuckin smiles.  "Good thing we're in front of a bar."  I get out and go around to her door opening it, I smile; I like that she waited for me.  "Thank you."  She says when I give her my hand.
    I bring her to a booth and go get us drinks.  She looks relaxed when I sit down opposite from her.  "I like that you're not nervous or tense."  I tell her because I'm nervous as fuck.
    She gives me a shy kind of smile.  "It sounds like you fucked something up, so I don't have to be nervous.  At least not yet."
    Fuckin girl makes me smile.  "I did.  I assumed so much where you're concerned, I believed it without actually seeing you.  I know that doesn't make much sense."  I wipe my hands on my thighs.  "I'm not good at talking so bear with me."  She nods and doesn't look pissed or bored.  "Because of your job I assumed you were with guys all the time.  Then that night with me and Chet, I took it as a kind of proof of what happened in your shop.  I'm sorry I didn't look past anything but what was in my head.  I should have paid attention, I had no right to judge you or believe anything but what you showed all the time we've known each other."
    She waves her hand, "After what I did you had no reason to believe anything but I'm a slut.  I didn't or I should say, ‘don't take offense’.  I was hurting and drank more than I should have.  I fucked up big time.  I can't blame you for seeing it for what it was."  She shrugs.
    "Can I ask what happened, what made you decide to step so far out of character?"  I have no fuckin right to answers here.
    She looks away from me blinking.  I take her hand, she looks down at our hands.  "My sister's name was Amelia, I called her Meely, she called me Mandy.  My parents hated it but we never used our full names.  She was the best sister, my parents put her on a pedestal and she pulled me up with her every fuckin time they tried to tear me down.  She was smart, I was the artist.  She supported me enough that it didn't matter what my parents thought about