PosterBoyForAverage Read Online Free PDF Page B

a bat. Chuck and Joshua took great care showing Laura where
the pool would be next year. Bruce galloped along behind all of them, enjoying
his new young companions.
    “Dad says it’s already too cool to put one up this year. But
next year for sure.” Every once in a while Chuck would take a deep gasping
breath and Aubrey could see it hurt Mike’s heart when he did. Which hurt her heart.
    “You’re getting attached,” Bradlee whispered.
    “I am not.”
    “You are.” She poured the other half of a hard lemonade into
Aubrey’s cup and pressed her shoulder to her sister’s. “You smile at his
children. You glance at him when his back is turned, watching how he moves and
how he maneuvers in his domain. You have just a hint of concern and pain when
he shows concern and pain.”
    “He’s just a nice guy, “Aubrey said. “I’m not the kind of
person who does well with relationships. I’ve figured this out. I think I just
like a bedmate from time to time. Maybe someone to go to the movies with.”
    “Right,” Bradlee said.
    The two women watched Mike helping Laura take some practice
swings while Joshua tossed a baseball from hand to hand. Then Mike stood and
leveled a finger at his eldest son. “Throw like a gentleman. She just said
she’s never done this. Throw nice practice lobs.”
    “Right, Dad,” Joshua said and nodded.
    “See how he is with kids?” Bradlee whispered. Aubrey was
starting to think that her sister was the snake in the garden. Whispering
things to her she didn’t want to hear. Opening her eyes to things she didn’t
want to see.
    “Shut up, Bradlee.”
    Bradlee laughed. They’d chatted with Mike about how the boys
were doing in school, how he roofed on windy days and how the house was
treating him. And when it was time for the boys to go, Aubrey was ashamed to
find that the two of them peeked around the side of the house to try to get a
glimpse at the former Mrs. Sykes. Laura had walked up with Mike to say goodbye
to the boys.
    “You know we can grill her when she gets back,” Bradlee
said.
    “That’s your daughter!” Aubrey said.
    “I know. She’s very observant.”
    “I meant you shouldn’t pull a kid into this.” The interior
light in the SUV lit up and Aubrey could see a cap of blonde hair. Platinum to
her honey. It was too far to see her eyes. But not too far to see that she was
thin and built nicely and when she smiled at the boys and laughed, she didn’t
seem like an asshole.
    “Damn,” Bradlee said as the woman reached out to shake hands
with Laura.
    “What?”
    “I really wanted to hate her.”
    Aubrey snorted. “Me too.”
    When the former Mrs. Sykes pulled away and Mike and Laura
turned to the house, the sisters practically fell over each other.
    “Christ, that went well,” Aubrey panted, finding another
hard lemonade. She waved it at Bradlee, who shook her head.
    “I have to drive.”
    And then in a blink it was time for her security blanket to
go. Bradlee kissed her on the cheek and then Mike. Laura doled out hugs. And
Aubrey looked up at the fat white moon, thinking she should go.
    “I should go,” she said.
    “You could.” He sat in an old aluminum lawn chair. The kind
her grandparents had had. He pushed the twin to his chair out with his foot and
said, “Or you could sit here and finish that drink you’re holding.”
    “I really should go,” she said even as she dropped into the
chair and stretched out her legs.
    “That was fun,” he said. He slid down in his chair and tilted
his head back. He’d shut his eyes, so it gave Aubrey a chance to study him. His
profile was just as strong and handsome in person as it was on film. His body
language expressed relaxation. It made her happy that he felt he could let his
guard down around her.
    “It was. Kids, right? Laura’s a sharp cookie. To mix
metaphors, there’s no moss growing on her.”
    “That’s a really mixed bag of metaphors.” Mike smiled but
kept his eyes closed.
    “Whatever floats