Rock Hard: A Stepbrother Romance Page 0,67
plate in front of me.
“Oh no, you eat first,” I said.
“Already did. I was just finishing off the batter.”
I nodded thankfully and dug in without another word. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until the soft, fluffy goodness hit my lips. I poured on some syrup and went to town.
Cora sat down across from me. “Hungry?”
“Starving,” I said with a mouthful of pancake.
She laughed. “I can make more if you want?”
“No, thanks. This is great.”
I continued to scarf down the cakes as Cora read the paper and drank her coffee. Finally, after every single delicious bite was gone, I leaned back in my chair. Cora grinned at me.
“Hey, how about taking a walk with me?” she asked.
“Okay, sure. Any place in mind?”
“Nope. Just a little hike around the property. I feel like I’ve barely seen you.”
“I know. Sorry I’ve been so busy at work.”
“Don’t apologize.” She stood up. “Meet me out back in ten?”
“See you there.”
The woods were cool and crisp as we crunched and squished our way along the path. We walked slowly, avoiding the puddles. We had clearly gotten a lot of rain overnight, though I hadn’t noticed at all.
Normally, my mornings would be spent curled up on the couch watching trashy TV and sipping coffee until I felt awake and human. I was admittedly a bit of a couch potato, but I loved being comfortable more than anything in the world. And I was really good at being comfortable.
But as we walked, I had to admit that the forest was beautiful early in the morning. It wasn’t too hot or humid, and the trees and leaves were sparkling slightly with the damp dew leftover from the rain.
“How is it being back?” Cora asked.
“It’s good. It feels like everything and nothing is different.”
She nodded. “This place does that to you sometimes. Feels like it never moves.”
“That can be a good thing, though, right?”
“Sure. Your father loves it.”
“You don’t?”
“I’ve grown used to it. And I love your father.”
“I can’t really say how I feel about it. I mean, I grew up here, so Ridgewood will always be special. But I’m noticing things that I never saw when I was a kid.”
“Welcome to being an adult.”
I laughed. “Being an adult sucks.”
“Tell me about it.” She made a face. “Anyway, this is the longest you’ve stayed here in a while.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Do you like your job?”
“It’s okay. I don’t love being a waitress, but I like the place and the people.”
“That’s good. Working with good people can make a bad job bearable.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been home more. You know I wanted to come back.”
“Don’t start with this again,” she said, waiving me off. “You did the right thing.”
“I know. I still feel guilty.”
She smiled. “Well don’t.” She paused and looked out across the forest. “How’s Reid doing?” she asked, changing the subject.
“I’m not sure, honestly,” I said cautiously.
“He didn’t come home again last night.”
“Does he do that often?”
“Sometimes. He’ll disappear for a few days, and if we ask where he’s been, he makes up some excuse.”
“Do you know where he goes?”
“I have guesses, but no, not really. Do you?”
“No, I’m sorry. I have no clue.”
“He can be . . . frustrating, that boy.”
I laughed. “That’s an understatement.”
“But he’s been so helpful,” she said, continuing. “I don’t want to come down on him because he’s done so much for us, but I just wish he would be a little more open.”
“He has done a lot,” I said, nodding.
“Too much, if you ask your father.” She glanced at me. “And don’t get me wrong, we’re not stupid. We know the amount of money he’s given us hasn’t come from climbing competitions alone.”
I looked at her, surprised at how open she was being, but decided to stay quiet. It wasn’t my place to tell her anything. Even if I was pissed at Reid, I still cared about him more than I wanted to admit. It wasn’t my place to tell his mother something he wanted kept secret.
“I just hope he isn’t doing something stupid, you know?” she said.
I nodded slowly. “I completely understand.”
“It’s good for him that you’re back. There aren’t many decent people left in this town. His friends are mostly . . . unsavory.”
“I’m not sure I’m much better.”
She laughed, taking my arm. “You certainly are, dear, believe me.”
I laughed with her and she let me go. We walked for a minute in silence.
“Can I ask you something?” I said suddenly.
“Sure, anything.”
“Why do you think Reid never moved out?”
She laughed.