The Broken Lake Read Online Free PDF

I’m sure he wouldn’t start now.”
    “Hmm. Well, maybe he’s helping out his new buddies.”
    She laughed again. “Yeah, maybe…if they were
in
school at all. He’s the only one still taking classes.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Danny can do no wrong in Dad’s eyes.” Some newfound resentment was in Dawn’s tone.
    I figured she’d spill when she was ready and moved to a lighter subject. “Well, what am I supposed to do with all this food?”
    “Take it home, or better yet, leave it here. We’ll eat it again tomorrow!”
    I took a bite of some chef’s rice and agreed. She stabbed a shrimp and popped it into her mouth, seemingly unfazed by her spontaneous display of tension.
    We put the leftovers in the fridge and both of us worked until 8:00. Mr. Healey ended up closing by himself since Dawn wasn’t about to cover for Danny, and I simply didn’t want to stay. Working my normal shift was one thing, but staying late was another.
    I had things to do and they began when Wes picked me up as part of the agreement. My mom was not ready to let me drive with my broken hand and she was still worried about my safety. And, since I refused to let her drive me, she was happy to let Wes help. He pulled up right as I walked out, and I hopped into his car too fast for him to get out and open the door for me.
    “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were happy to leave that place.”
    I leaned over and gave him a kiss. “No, just happy to see you.” I buckled my seat belt and turned my body toward him. “Drive me somewhere, anywhere,” I ordered.
    “Your mom is expecting…”
    “So what?” I countered.
    He just looked at me, his stare as still as a statue’s. I tried to return one of equal intimidation, but it didn’t work. He wasn’t budging.
    I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’ll call her.” I dialed her number and the second ring was cut short as she eagerly answered the phone. I let her know we were grabbing dessert somewhere and then I put the ball in his court. “Now take me somewhere.” I smirked.
    The statue came to life as his lips parted, at first with a smile and then with the words I was waiting to hear. “Where do you want to go?”
    “Anywhere. I don’t care. I just don’t want you to take me home yet.”
    Smoothly putting the car in motion, he confidently said, “I have an idea.” He shifted through the gears with ease and directed the car away from my house. I smiled in reaction, but of course, curiosity got the best of me.
    “Where are we going?” I asked, feeling myself swell on the inside with hope of it being someplace alone.
    Without taking his eyes off the road, he answered, “To get dessert. That’s what you told your mom, right?”
    I frowned. “Are you
always
such a goody two shoes?”
    He laughed. “Aren’t you?”
    “Only because you make me that way.”
    After a few moments, he interrupted my silent sulk. “So how was it being back at work?”
    “Weird,” I answered, looking out the window.
    “Weird how?”
    I looked over at him and he was still watching the road, unaware of my silent wish to head off to that island Dawn had been talking about. I guess it was unreasonable, but being close to him made my desire for it all the more real. I snapped out of my secret dream.
    “Well, Dawn is acting like she wants to run away, and Danny left early to
study
.” I laughed at the last part. Saying it out loud made me hear how untrue it sounded.
    Wes smiled in response. “Where does Dawn want to run off to?”
    I rolled my eyes. “I have no idea. She just kept saying I was stupid for not riding off with you on your white horse into the sunset.” He studied me briefly for my reaction to the idea. I looked out the window again. “Then she said she’d rather be on an island somewhere instead of at Healey’s. She couldn’t understand why I was still hanging around.”
    “And what did you say?” His voice was softer, as if he realized he’d missed something