Splinters of Light Read Online Free PDF

really not a big deal, anyway.”
    Mariana’s hand crept up to grip the edge of the couch cushion her head leaned against. “You didn’t do anything wrong by not telling me. I’m sorry I reacted like that. Tell me everything.”
    Her smile was an antidote to everything that hurt inside Nora. “Okay.”
    “Most importantly, was it good?”
    Nora folded her lips around her smile.
    “Right
on
. More, please. Is he hung?”
    Nora could only squeak. She held a finger to her lips andlooked over her shoulder toward the staircase. It had been years since Ellie had hidden there, listening, but it could still happen.
    “The reason I ask,” Mariana continued, “is because of his hands. They’re small. But I think they’re the deceptive kind of small, because his feet are frickin’ e
nor
mous. Remember when we went to the lake a few years back with Ellie and him? I couldn’t take my eyes off what was in his flip-flops.”
    “Seriously?”
    “I mentioned it to you then.”
    “If you did, I blocked that out completely.” Harrison had brought an intelligent-looking but not-quite-smart-enough law student who hadn’t understood the importance of sunblock and had ended up with a blistered sunburn. Nora had shared her aloe vera gel.
    Mariana shrugged, tucking her fist under her chin, catching it between her jaw and clavicle. “‘Friends with benefits’ isn’t a phrase because it never happens. Happens all the time. Look at me and Luke.”
    “You met him in a bar and”—Nora broke off before almost whispering—“
slept
with him the night you met.”
    “Yeah, but then he became my friend. Okay, and then my boyfriend. But whatever.”
    Nora shook her head, but her heart felt light, like it was made of paper. She hadn’t realized how much she’d hated keeping the secret from her sister.
    “Anyway. This isn’t about me. More.” Mariana rocked forward and backward once, tapping Nora’s knee with her forehead. “How did it start?”
    “We had too much wine. Isn’t that always how it happens?”
    “Where was Ellie?”
    “At Samantha’s.”
    “Ah. So you had too much wine on purpose.”
    “No.” But she had.
They
had. She knew that. It was nice to have something to blame it on. The next morning, Harrison hadrolled over with such a
look
, and it had cut something inside her, sliced her heart in a way she knew she couldn’t handle. He wanted more. She hadn’t seen that coming.
Oh, man,
she’d said to him.
I drank so much last night. Can hardly remember a thing!
She’d seen him pull back, a hurt snail retreating into its beloved shell.
Yeah. Me, too.
    They hadn’t talked about it. Not once in two months. He’d tried bringing it up one night, but she’d asked him not to. He’d complied.
    “Whatever it was, I blew it.”
    “Oh, my god.” Mariana sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. “That means you’re admitting there was something to blow.”
    “No, I didn’t . . .”
    Mariana scrambled to her feet. “I’m going over there and dragging his ass over here.”
    “No.”
    “What?” Her sister cocked a hip. “I thought he was your best friend. Your other one.”
    “Don’t,” said Nora, feeling as if they were in high school again and Mariana was teasing her, cajoling her to talk to boys when she could barely look at them. “Please don’t.” Tears thickened in her throat. Good grief, it wasn’t that serious. Mariana was teasing. Nora sucked in a breath. She couldn’t
cry
about it. God, don’t let Mariana see . . .
    But she had. “Oh, honey. No. I’m sorry. Please, don’t . . .” Mariana sunk to the couch, pressing her knees against Nora’s. “Please don’t cry. You know how I get when you do.”
    It was true. Sometimes it seemed like nothing in the whole world could truly upset Mariana except for seeing Nora cry. When Paul left, Mariana would climb behind Nora in her bed, unable to look her in the face while she howled, wrapping her arms around her, able to console