Happenstance 2 (Happenstance #2)(12)
Author: Jamie McGuire

I turned over on my side, holding the remote in my hand, wondering if Julianne knew about the journals. They weren’t particularly hidden. Maybe Julianne respected Alder’s privacy enough that Alder didn’t feel like she needed to hide them.

I closed my eyes, wondering if I was the one Weston was looking at. I had to know. The next time I was alone in the house, I would keep reading until I found out why—why Alder hated me. Why she acted the way she did. And why she hated Blackwell so much when she had it all. Maybe she didn’t. Maybe she didn’t want it. It was none of my business. I shouldn’t read those journals. But my should and want were so polarized, I knew curiosity would win in the end, especially since those answers were something I’d wanted for so long.

It wasn’t until I hit the bottom step that the fatigue hit. Sleep hadn’t come easy the night before, and even after I drifted to sleep, I couldn’t stay asleep.

Sam breezed past me toward the kitchen, patting my shoulder.

“Morning, kiddo. Watch that gas gauge. Oh!” he said, turning on his heels and digging into the front pocket of his slacks, pulling out his wallet. “Use this when you get gas. And if you need anything else. Well…within reason.”

I gently pushed it back. “I have money.”

He held the small silver card out again, insistent. “Your paycheck is spending money. We’ll get the rest. Just take it, sweetheart, I’m late.”

After a small pause, I took the card and tried to stick it in the back pocket of my jeans, but they were the new ones Julianne had bought, and the pockets were flapped and buttoned shut. I couldn’t figure out which was the button with all the bling covering the fabric, so I shoved it into my front pocket. It would go into my backpack later. Having it at all made me nervous.

“Thank you,” I said.

Sam winked and rushed to the back door that led to the garage. “Gotta go, honey!”

“Have a good day!” Julianne called.

I joined her in the kitchen. “I’m heading out.”

“No breakfast?” she asked, trying not to let the disappointment show. A beautiful omelet was folded perfectly on a white floral plate. A fork on a cloth napkin and a half glass of orange juice sat nearby.

“You’re so…Everything is always so perfect. This whole house could be photographed for a magazine.”

Julianne beamed. “Thank you. It’s to pass the time, really. I get restless,” she said, putting her palms on the edge of the counter. She looked around. “And a little bored, if you want to know the truth.”

“Have you thought more about going back to work?”

She nodded. “Sam and I discussed it. We think it would be best if I stayed home a little longer. Especially over the summer when you’re home more.”

“I work a lot in the summer,” I said with chagrin.

“About that,” she said, biting her bottom lip. “How would you feel about cutting your hours? That would give you more time at home…and with Weston. And more time to enjoy your senior year and your summer before college. No pressure. Just a thought.”

“I work so much to save up for college.”

“Erin, sweetie, we’re paying for your college. Whatever you’ve saved up is yours to spend however you wish.”

“Um…that’s so generous. But you and Sam have already done so much. You’ve given me a place to stay and that amazing car outside. I couldn’t accept anything else from you. And I have a scholarship.”

She smiled. “I’m so proud of you.”

Her words took me aback. I couldn’t remember anyone saying that to me before.

“You’ve worked so hard, and you’re such a good person despite your circumstances.” She teared up, but quickly wiped her eyes. “Your money is yours. Whatever your scholarship doesn’t cover, we’ve got handled. I know it probably seems like we’ve done a lot, but that’s just because it’s all at once. If you’d been here the whole time, it would have been a more gradual process. If it’s overwhelming, I apologize.”

I shook my head. “You don’t have to apologize, Julianne. For anything. All you’ve done is been wonderful. Both of you.”

Julianne’s expression turned soft, and she reached across the island to clasp my hand in hers.

“You’re our daughter,” she said softly. “Let us take care of you. Let us make things a little easier than they’ve been for you. It helps us too.”

My mouth pulled to the side. “Maybe I can talk to Patty about hiring someone for weekends and cutting down my hours for the summer.”

Julianne beamed, patting my hand before returning to the stove. “I’m excited. We can go to the city or something and eat dinner, or shopping, or to the museum.”

Her enthusiasm was infectious. “Sounds like fun.” I sat down and took four or five quick bites of the omelet, drank the juice, wiped my mouth, and picked up my backpack.

“See you tonight,” I said.

“Okay, sweetie,” she said, taking my plate.

I walked down the hallway, toward the back door this time. Sam had left the single-car garage door open, knowing I would be leaving soon. I shook my head. The thought of having a car—much less a BMW—to drive to school was unbelievable, but there it was, shiny, gorgeous, and waiting for me to sit inside.

I backed out slowly and carefully made my way to Weston’s house around the corner. I parked in the street, but when I got out, I realized I had parked too far from the curb. I started to get back in to amend my poor parking.

Weston jogged out with his backpack in his hand, smiling. “Don’t worry about it, babe.”

He was looking particularly appealing in a pair of nice jeans held up with a thick, brown leather belt. His light-turquoise polo shirt made him look even more tanned, and his wrists were cuffed with a watch on his left hand, a couple of braided leather bracelets on his right. He had the lean, toned body of a baseball player, and his hair was messed strategically with the slightest bit of gel. His eyes still looked a little sleepy, but the bright green globes gleamed brightly as they always did.

I didn’t know if I would ever get over someone who looked like him calling me babe. I’d always thought those sickeningly sweet nicknames were ridiculous, but when Weston said it to me, warmth spread from my cheeks to my toes, and I only wanted him to do it again. Something about the way he said it so casually made me feel like there would be no end to our beginning. No worry about us in sight.