Somewhere Over the Freaking Rainbow (A Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (The Secrets of Somerled) Read Online Free PDF Page A

final bell rang, Jamison raced to the parking lot but the green Beemer was gone. He hadn’t hoped for a ride, but for a dozen other things...
    Another reassurance that his friends had not been blown up, or frightened to death.
    Another moment of slack in the rubber-band between them.
    Another chance to hear her laugh.
    Maybe a casual question about who Somerleds were allowed to date.
    He remembered the PA announcement about the Homecoming Dance the following Saturday, and a cold fish flapped in his stomach.
    Please no.
    He could just see himself up-chucking on a pair of white Cinderella slippers.
    Jamison shook himself. He had more important things to do than stand and stare at an empty parking stall, imagining his worst nightmares. He had to get to the Recovery Center and see Grandpa, then track down Ray. Together they would find out if Burke had any memory of the Exploding Man Ceremony.
    ***
    The Recovery Center smelled like a pharmacy. Med carts lined the hallway leading to his grandpa’s room and Jamison made a mental note to never take Burke along for a visit.
    A woman’s voice came from room 124 as he neared. Ken Jamison was still posted under the number. It always made him smile, being reminded who he was named after, but his face froze when he recognized the woman’s laughter.
    Someone had pushed that imaginary sticker in the middle of her glove.
    A heaping spoonful of jealousy made that cold fish flap in his belly again and for a minute he forgot why he was standing there. Was he jealous someone else had made her smile, or jealous someone else was visiting his granddad?
    No telling. Probably both.
    Jamison knocked on the door as he pushed it open. He ignored the white blur by the window, looked toward the bed, and was rewarded with his grandfather’s sparkling smile.
    Now sparkle wasn’t the kind of term he’d ever used when talking about his rough Scottish grandpa, but this was the second time he’d seen it. The first was the day before, when the old man was being wheeled away for some kind of test as Jamison had arrived. It took less than a second for the old Scot to recognize his grandson and when he had, the world had lit up with the raise of his eyebrows, as if there was no one else who could make him that happy.
    In that instant, Jamison had come home, and the past five years had disappeared like popped bubbles.
    Today was no different, even though someone else already had the old man in a good mood.
    “It’s our Jamie. Come here lad. Come here.” Plaid flannel arms rose to welcome him and Jamison bent and hugged what used to be the biggest man he’d ever known. As if determined to prove he was still as strong as ever, the man squeezed Jamison until he squeaked.
    “Mercy, Granddad.”
    “Weel, I didna get to touch ye yesterdie, did I? All tied doon as I was.”
    The old hands clutched at Jamison’s arms as he stepped back, as if Granddad couldn’t bear to let go, so he pulled up a chair and held his grandpa’s hand. He didn’t care who was watching. He’d waited a long time for such a chance.
    “It’s grand to see you, son. Has yer mither come with ye?”
    “Not yet.”
    If the man was surprised, he hid it well.
    “Ach, she’ll come ‘round, I warrant.” Granddad smiled.
    The finest actor in the family wasn’t Jamison after all.
    “Aye, she will that,” Skye said.
    Her mocking Scottish accent pissed him off, then he looked at her. She was grinning at his grandpa and the old man was grinning back, making both green-eyed monsters start duking it out in his chest.
    “Jamie, me boy, this is Skye Somerled. Skye, this is Jamison, me daughter’s lad and me pride and joy besides.”
    “We’ve met.” Jamison couldn’t help but growl.
    One of his grandpa’s eyebrows rose in a look that was completely Kenneth Jamison. “Oh, and I see there’s a bear inside that hide of yers, wantin’ to be let out.” The soft leathery hand slipped from Jamison’s and the old man’s arms folded.