Veer (Clayton Falls #2)(15)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“It must be really bad.”

“Just not an exciting conversation topic.”

I stood back up. “Try me.” I found I actually cared. I needed to know what was upsetting her.

She smiled for real this time. “Do you have all night?”

I snapped myself out of the daze her smile put me in. “Actually, I do.”

Max chose that moment to pull on his leash. He was usually so obedient, but I guess all dogs have their limits.

“I don’t think he does.” She bent down to pet his head, and he nuzzled right up to her. Unbelievable. He hated everyone but me.

“Want to walk?”

“Sure.” She stood up, and Max whimpered in protest. “I’ll finish that later, boy.”

We started down the beach. “So, you were about to tell me about your week.”

“I’d hoped you’d forgotten.” She turned back toward the ocean.

“No such luck.”

She sighed loudly. “I don’t get this town.”

“What do you mean?”

She looked up at the darkening sky then back out at the water. “I just don’t know why people act the way they do, and how I’m supposed to act, or what’s appropriate and where lines are drawn.”

“Any specifics to back that up?”

“You really want them?” she asked.

I looked at her curiously. It sounded like she was getting worked up. “Yeah, I want to know.”

“First, why is everyone in this place so touchy feely?”

“Touchy feely?”

“Yeah, I mean where I come from, you don’t put your hands on people unless they’re your family or super close friends—and even that’s questionable.” She wrapped her arms around her. I wondered if it was because of our conversation or the breeze.

“Who’s been uh, overly friendly with you?” My body tensed. I didn’t like where this was going.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Sure, it does. I might be able to explain it better.”

“Only if you promise to keep it between us. I’m not trying to stir up trouble.”

A light bulb went on. “It’s Matt then, isn’t it?”

“How’d you guess?”

“You’re working for him, he’s married, and he has a bit of a reputation.” I was only friends with Matt because of Tom. I’d never understood how someone with so much going for him could be so stupid sometimes.

“Why is it that no one bothered to tell me that ahead of time? Couldn’t Molly warn me? Or warn me that Mr. Morgan senior isn’t around?” She wrung her hands. “Okay, sorry. This isn’t Molly’s fault.”

“Either Molly didn’t want to scare you off, or it’s because she wants to believe the best about people. Maybe a little of both.”

“You’re probably right.” She finally met my gaze.

“How bad has he been?”

She looked away and picked up her pace.

“Whoah. Come on.” I caught up and matched her pace.

“Nothing awful. He just always makes excuses to touch me, and it makes me uncomfortable.”

“I can talk to him for you.”

She shook her head adamantly. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t need problems. I’m sure it’s all innocent.” I hoped she was right, but I had my doubts. Matt had been far too interested in her at the beach. “If you change your mind, let me know. We’re friends, so it would be really easy to do.”

“Thanks.” She sounded nervous. I hoped she realized I’d keep my word and stay out of it—at least for the time being.

“Is that the only thing getting you down, or is there more?”

She let out another deep breath. “I still don’t have my car back, and I feel bad using Molly’s. She invited me down here to be nice, and all I do is keep getting in her way.”

“I’m sure you’re not in her way.” Molly wasn’t the kind of girl to be catty.

“Okay, no more complaining.”

“I don’t mind.”

“But I do. Let’s talk about something else.” She brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“How about them Yankees?” she said with a grin.

“Aren’t you from Boston?”

“Yup. It was a joke. I hate the Yankees.”

“So a big Red Sox fan then?” I vaguely remembered Molly mentioning it once.

“Diehard. My mom practically raised me on them.”

I wondered about her definition of diehard. I hadn’t met too many girls who really loved baseball. Usually if they said they did, it was just an attempt to sound more appealing to a guy. I didn’t think that’s what Becca was doing. “That’s cool. You said your mom. Was your dad not into baseball?”

She paled, and I instantly regretted the question. “Sorry, it’s none of my business.”

Max started barking at something he saw down the beach and took off again. I jogged after him, and she kept pace. Once he slowed down, I looked toward her, hoping she’d still answer.

“I don’t really know my dad.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s all right. He just decided having a kid wasn’t for him and took off when I was pretty young.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah, but my mom was awesome, so she made up for it.”

“Was?”

She bit her lip. “She died a few months ago.”

Damn it. I needed to stop asking questions that upset her. “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been really tough.”

“Yeah, it’s life. What’s your family like?”

I wasn’t prepared for her question about my family. I was still trying to process how hard losing her mom must have been. “I’m the second youngest of four, and my parents are still alive and together. My older brother and sister both live within twenty minutes of my parents.”

“Wow, four? That’s cool. I’m an only child, so I can’t imagine what it’s like.”

Wow. No parents, and no siblings. “It was busy, but always fun.”

“That’s cool. I always swore that if I had a family, I’d have a large one so my kids had each other.”

“If you had a family? You don’t know if you will?”

“You never know. I’m single right now, so it’s not really on my radar, you know?” She shrugged.