The Perfect Family Read Online Free PDF

crept up behind her and palmed her cheeks. She startled, then said, “Is that you, Luke?”
    “Like hell. Crane would never move in on me.”
    Heather straightened and when she faced him, her hair bobbed in its ponytail and her dark eyes sparkled in delight. “Hi, guy.”
    His heart flip-flopped in his chest. Not only did she give him a boner by just looking at him, but she made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “Hey, beautiful.” He kissed her on the mouth. “Hmmm.”
    She drew back when they heard a noise down the hall. Brian turned and saw Jamie approaching.
    “Get a room!” his brother said when he reached them.
    Brian told him to fuck off, then playfully socked him in the arm. “Need a ride?”
    They shared a Prius hybrid, which his mom’s brother, Uncle Jimmy, had given them when he’d bought a newer model. Jamie was really into the environmental stuff, too, but Brian never gave it much thought.
    “No, thanks. I gotta go over some songs with Ms. Marlo as soon as she finishes with the dancers. I’ll hitch a ride with somebody else. See ya later.”
    Brian shrugged into his coat and was waiting for Heather to do the same when he saw Luke Crane come around the corner and bump into Jamie. They stood and talked for a few minutes and Luke smiled. The guy didn’t do that a lot, was always real serious. But Jamie had that effect on everybody. He made people happy, and it was a talent Brian admired in his brother.
     
    *
     
    “Sorry,” Jamie said when he bumped into Luke Crane in the hallway. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Because he was thinking of how he hadn’t told Brian about his meeting with Ms. Carson.
    Luke gave a half-smile, revealing a dimple Jamie never noticed before. “Me, either. I was thinking about something else.”
    The guy looked totally cool. He’d obviously just showered and his dark blond hair, short and spiked, was damp. The blue of his sweatshirt accented his eyes. He was bigger than Jamie with broader shoulders and a hell of a lot more muscle.
    Jamie shifted his backpack from one arm to the other. “Have a good practice?”
    “Yeah.” Luke stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall of lockers. “I hurt my shoulder last year, but it’s back in shape.”
    “Bri told me. Glad it’s better.” Duh, he sounded like a dunce. Why couldn’t he think of something interesting to say? “I don’t know how you do it, star pitcher and valedictorian of the class. You make it seem easy.”
    “That’s all a performance.”
    Interesting choice of words. “What do you mean, Luke?”
    The guy’s face blanked. “Nothing. It was a dumb thing to say. Speaking of performances, I hear you’re the lead again in this year’s play. Brian brags about you all the time.”
    “Thanks. I love acting. I think I might do it out in the world, you know, someday.”
    “That’s great, Jamie. That you do what you want to.”
    “Don’t you?”
    Luke’s blue eyes filled with sadness and he shrugged as if to say, “I wish.”
    “There you are.”
    Jamie startled at the intrusion. He saw Kiki Jones, Julianne’s best friend, come up behind Luke. Her reddish hair fell in soft waves around her face and she had delicate features. She greeted Jamie, then said to Luke, “I’ve been waiting at my locker for you.” She sidled in front of him and gave him a kiss on the mouth. A long one.
    Luke pulled away, his face red as he darted a glance at Jamie.
    Jamie cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you two love birds alone.”
    “Nice talking to you, Jamie,” Luke said as Kiki slid her arm through his. “Really.”
    “See you later.”
    Jamie hurried down the hall, his stomach in knots. Kiki Jones was pretty and popular. She’d been voted queen for last year’s Junior Prom and everybody thought she was hot. Why should Luke be an exception?
    Sighing, Jamie went out the side door and was glad for the cool winter air. He’d walk around the building to the auditorium so he could