Once and Again - By Lauren Dane Page 0,31
to keep Beth safe from my father. So mainly I just thought she was a nice kid and all. Until I saw her later. In college. She’d grown up.” He grinned. “Filled out. We started going out after a pool party a friend had planned. When she came out of the water, glistening and wet…she had on a blue bikini. I can still remember it. Polka dots. Christ. Anyway, no more thinking of her as my little sister’s friend. We were friends and then we were lovers and then we were nothing and I’ve missed her over the years.”
Matt nodded. “The power of seeing those boobs in a bikini would be an awesome one I bet. So you gonna be her friend then first?”
“That’s the plan. But I can’t seem to stop kissing her every time I get her alone. I don’t kiss my friends. Not like that. So yes, I want to be friends again and then lovers, but the not-kissing part is impossible.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Matt laid his cards down again much to everyone’s annoyance. “I know the Murphys are in on the whole woo thing. I know my momma is too. I propose the Chases and the Murphys unite and make this happen.”
Nathan laughed and leaned in. “All right. Here’s my general plan.”
Chapter Seven
“I don’t see why you can’t be around more often. Mom needs the help and you’re freeloading.” Nancy was seated at the kitchen table when Lily walked through her door.
Who was freeloading? Boy did Nancy pick the wrong day to be self-centered. She’d just returned from the counselor’s office where they’d discussed ways for Lily to broach her mother’s substance-abuse issues. She was wrung out and emotionally on edge.
And totally and utterly done with this nonsense.
“Why are you in my place?”
“Your place? Seems to me this is Mom’s place.”
Not so much, but nothing she needed to share with Nancy. “Huh. You spend an awful lot of time thinking about this apartment. You might need some help with that. So again, why are you in my place?” She hung her bag up and noted her sister had rummaged through things. “Also, this isn’t a garage sale, don’t rifle through my stuff. If you want to borrow something, ask.”
“Why are you such a bitch?”
“This isn’t going to be your day to act like this with me. Just be warned. Now, back to the question. Why. Are. You. Here?”
Nancy started to reply and then apparently thought better of it. Her mouth flattened and she took a moment before speaking. “I need five hundred dollars.”
Oh surprise.
“I just had to give up a full-time job to move back here to help Mom. Even if I had a spare five hundred dollars, you still owe me twenty-five hundred dollars from last summer. You are aware of those things called jobs right? I know you’re unfamiliar with the concept, but that’s how people earn money so they’re not constantly asking people for loans they never pay back anyway.”
“Things always come so easy for you. You come here and live off Mom, and you can’t lend me five hundred dollars?”
“No. I can’t. Even if I had it to spare, which I don’t. Now, get out.”
“I’ve been telling Dad you’re selfish. He agrees.”
“Oh does he? Well who better to make moral pronouncements than a man who dumped his long-time wife for an empty-headed pair of fake breasts on legs.”
“He’s your father! She didn’t understand him. You don’t know what it was like.”
“Oh for God’s sake! Neither do you. If he’s so great, why aren’t you at his house asking for five hundred bucks?” She looked her sister up and down. “Yeah, thought so. Now get out and don’t come back in here unless you’re invited. Like it or not, this is my place. I’ve got a rental agreement as it happens.” She’d done it to protect her mother, but this was an added bonus.
“You think you’re so much better than everyone else because you came back to this shithole of a town to help with Chris. But I see right through you. Your life in Macon not what you wanted? Decide to come home and see if you can’t get Nathan again? It’s not that hard to convince Nathan to have a little fun.”
No. There was a lot she’d believe of Nathan, but messing around with Nancy wasn’t one of those things.
Lily opened the door. “Get out, Nancy. I’m not kidding. I don’t have to take any of your crap.