Second String (In Too Deep #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

arm met my chest for a pillow.
    "How'd you end up here on Christmas?" I asked. "Why didn't you go to your family's place?"
    "My parent s are both shot-out," she said. She let out a little laugh.
    "What's shot-out?" I asked.
    She was still laughing a little when she said, "It's something my dad used to say all the time about random people. " How's he doing?" my mom would ask, and my dad would say, " He's shot-out," which could translate to he's in jail, or he's a gambler, or he's a slob, or any number of things. Being shot-out can mean lots of things, but it's never a compliment."
    "And, your dad's shot-out ?" I asked.
    "Yeah, I guess so," she said laughing again. "I've never used the phrase on him, which is why it's making me laugh. He used to say it about other people all the time, but I'm just realizing it applies to him now."
    "So he's a gambler?" I asked, figuring that was the least offensive of the options she'd given.
    "No. Both of my parents had a really hard time with my sister's death." Emily's laughter was replaced with an unreadable expression. "She was sixteen. I was fourteen. It was a car accident. My parents basically turned into robots after she died. I took off for Vegas the day I graduated from high school and haven't seen them since. I'd just turned eighteen, and all I had was two thousand in graduation money. Anyway, they're in Sedona, and I call to check in every three or four months."
    I didn't quite know how to react to everything she'd just told me. That must have sucked to lose your big sister (and essentially your parents too) in one car accident. It must have been obvious that I was at a loss for words.
    "It's okay," she said. "Everybody ha s a story. I'm not the only person in the world who's had it less than perfect. You just have to keep doing your thing, right?"
    The hammock had almost come to a complete stop, so I stuck my leg out to give us a little push. I thought about how brave she must be to face the world alone. Someone like her could make friends easily enough, but still. I couldn't imagine feeling like you didn't really have family to go home to.
    "You're not saying anything. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all deep."
    "No, it's not that. I was just thinking you must be pretty brave, going at it alone."
    "Don't give me that much credit," she said. "It's impossible to be scared when I have Sal to protect me."
    I picked my head up and sq uinted into the sun at the huge dog who had followed us out, and was lying on his side. His favorite position was flat on his side and motionless. He might as well have been dead for all the protecting he was doing.
    "I'm glad you have that kind of confidence in him," I said. I rested my head back on the hammock and closed my eyes to avoid staring into the sun. "Have you ever seen him in action? Like where he moves?"
    "Shut-up," she said. "He's got plenty of energy. I take him for a walk everyday."
    "All right," I said skeptically, "but he looks pretty shot-out to me."
    She laughed and wiggled a little, making the hammock creak. "He is not shot-out… are you boy ?" We both looked at Sal who did nothing but open one eye and smack his lips. "He's exhausted!" she said, trying to make excuses for the lazy dog. "He's worn out from all the kids."
    I just laughed as I wrapped my arm around her head and pulled her in to kiss her forehead. She turned toward me, almost flipping all the way onto her stomach. The hammock creaked again as she adjusted. She stared up at me. It was hard to see her since I was fac ing the sun. I picked up my arm, shielding my eyes.
    "I'm really glad we got to see each other again," she said. "I was just thinking about how weird it was that I saw your friends at a game, and now here you are."
    "Here you are too," I said.
    "I know," she said, "we're right here next to each other."
    "Yep," I said, "in the very same hammock."
    She smiled and rested her head on my chest. I relaxed the arm that had been serving as a sun shield, and let my leg