Under the Lights Read Online Free PDF Page B

when it opened, and Willa stepped out onto the small back porch. She didn’t look happy to see me. Not that I expected her to be thrilled, but she had to be in need of a friend after today. She was a girl after all. Didn’t they need friends to talk to? Sure she hadn’t been girly back in the day, but she was all girly-looking now.
    â€œI’m not doing your book report, nor am I going to steal cookies out of the kitchen for you,” she said as shepropped her hip against the door frame and crossed her arms over her chest. Thank God she was wearing a bra. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to control my reaction to her if she’d been that comfortable.
    â€œDamn,” I replied to her, unable not to grin. “And I was sure I’d get those chocolate chip cookies while you did all my homework. What happened to you, Willa? You’ve changed.” I was teasing, but then I wasn’t. I did want to know what had caused the lightness in her eyes to darken and fade.
    She shrugged. “I realized I was being used for my nonna’s cookies and my brain, so I moved on.”
    Having her back was odd. I used to lie in bed at night and imagine what it would be like if she came back. But those days were long gone. It had taken me months to get over the ache of her leaving. Brady had even teased me about being lovesick. It had made me mad at him for not missing her like I did when he had been the one she wanted. He had her love and didn’t even realize it.
    â€œThere’s a family meal going on up at the big house. I peeled potatoes, chopped up broccoli, and rolled up fancy cheese in fancy meat for over three hours this afternoon. You should be up there eating it. What will your mother think?” She was mocking my mother with her proper tone.
    â€œShe’ll bitch and moan and apologize to my old-as-fuckgrandmother; then she won’t speak to me for a week. It’ll be heaven and worth it all.”
    A smile broke across her face, and I swear my heart skipped. Damn.
    â€œNothing has changed in the Lawton house, I see.”
    I shook my head. “Nope. Not a thing. Still one big happy family. Except Rhett’s off at college now and I’m left to suffer through hell alone.”
    At the mention of happy family her smile faded and her shoulders lost some of their bravado. She was hurting. I knew that already. I just wish I knew why.
    â€œGotta love those fairy-tale lives. Must be nice.” I knew she wasn’t accusing me of having one. She knew how badly my family sucked. Her more than anyone.
    â€œSure you don’t want to share some of Nonna’s cookies with me? I’m missing dinner with that lovely family to see you. At least you could feed me.”
    She shoved off from the door frame and nodded her head toward the kitchen inside. “I guess. Come on, and I’ll feed you a healthy meal of peanut butter cookies and whole milk like only my nonna can supply.”
    It had been a while since I’d had her nonna’s cookies. My mother didn’t allow anything as terrible as sweets in the house, and I was too old to come begging Ms. Ames for a treat. Not to mention, the idea of coming to this houseand not seeing Willa had been too hard for so long it had become a habit to stay away from here. Even after time healed my broken eleven-year-old heart.
    Following her into the house, I watched her ass twitch. It was a really nice ass. Hard not to look at, and I wasn’t going to not look while I had the chance.
    â€œI think she has lemon pound cake, too. Want to add that to your healthy dinner of cookies and milk?”
    â€œHell yeah. I’m a growing boy.”
    She let out a soft laugh and shook her head. “I’d offer you a sandwich, but I doubt you’ll have room for it with all the baked goods.”
    â€œCookies and cake are just fine. So how did you like school today? Suck here as bad as your last school?”
    I doubted