A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) - Darynda Jones Page 0,88
wanted to know if you could take a look at her carburetor.”
He sat up straighter. “Really? Is tonight okay?”
She chuckled. “You’re so whipped. Does she even have a carburetor?”
He bit back a curse. “I can’t help it. I’m in love with her. And it’s more than that pitiful crush I had on her when we were kids.”
“Had? And what about my father?”
A patient smile spread across his face. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What?” When realization dawned, she shrugged. “Maybe. It’s just hard to talk about.”
“Well, get the fuck over it. Tell me everything, or I walk.”
She knew he wouldn’t, of course, but he did deserve to know what she knew. He’d stood by her every second of every day and never questioned any of her decisions, though he wasn’t very happy about her initial exodus.
Anita came over the radio for her. “Sheriff, what’s your 10-20?”
“We’re at the SAR site.”
“Copy that. We have a 10-39 at the high school. Sheriff, it’s your daughter.”
They looked at each other for 2.4 seconds and then tore out of the ambulance and headed for town.
18
Our favorite flavor of cake is more.
—SIGN AT THE SUGAR SHACK
Auri curled her fingers into Cruz’s hair in something akin to a death grip. They were sitting on the cot in the nurse’s office, her legs draped over his lap, as she sobbed until her chest hurt.
How would she face her mother now? How could she?
With her world collapsing around her, Auri contemplated the penultimate of last resorts again. She’d done it before, but it had been years.
And Cruz—tall, gorgeous, charismatic Cruz—was letting her slobber into his jacket. Why? Didn’t he see the broadcast? Didn’t he realize what she was?
He tucked a strand of hair over her ear and ran his fingertip over the outer edge. He felt good. Soothing. Wet.
She pulled back, suddenly mortified. Well, more mortified than she had been five minutes ago. His jacket was wet from her sobs. She reached over, grabbed a tissue, and tried to pat it dry.
He caught her hand in his and held it to his chest.
Then she realized she was sitting on him and tried to wiggle off. He caught her legs and pulled her even closer to him.
She let him, but did feel the need to protest. “I’m too heavy.”
“Please,” he said with a scoff.
“I can’t believe that just happened.”
“Sadly, I can.”
“You don’t have to wait with me.” She dragged out her inhaler and breathed in two pumps before continuing. “I’ll understand if you need to go.”
“Good for you.”
She turned to face him. “No, really. It’s okay. You don’t have to hang out.”
He cocked his head to one side. “And why wouldn’t I want to?”
She shifted away. “You saw the video, Cruz.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I don’t know, you saw the video.” She began feeling defensive.
“Okay, so, I’m supposed to be scared of you now?”
“No. Not scared. Just . . . All I’m saying is I’ll understand.” Just then, she noticed his hands. His scraped and blood-covered hands. She leaned away from him. “Cruz, what happened?”
He examined them. “Something that’s going to get me grounded for a very long time.”
Her lids rounded, but before she could ask him about it, Principle Jacobs walked in. “Auri, your mother is here.”
And the world fell out from under her. She covered her face with her free hand, unable to face her, as the sobs started anew.
“Auri!” she heard her mom say. She felt arms fly around her as she was practically plucked off Cruz’s lap and held close by her mom. “Auri, sweetheart, you’re okay. You’re okay.”
There were some things in life that a person just could not handle, no matter how hard she tried. No matter how cheerful the spin she put on it. It was different for everyone. Maybe it was the loss of a loved one. Or being abandoned by a parent. For Auri, it was the fact that she’d single-handedly ruined her mother’s life.
She had to know it. Her mom. She’d never said it out loud, but there was simply no other way to look at it. She was at the root of everything bad that had ever happened to her mother. And now, her mom would know that she knew.
She’d tell Auri she was wrong, of course. She’d tell Auri that she was all that mattered and that her life would have been so different without her.
And she would be right. But what she wouldn’t say, because Sunshine Vicram was not that kind of