“Later Grace.” I flipped up the deuces as I walked down the steps of the library. I didn’t want to think about Little Bo Peep again.
15
Grace
The weeks had passed by so quickly. I loved my job and had picked up all the hours that Trish would allow. I was there more often than not, which was perfectly fine by me. I loved the money and the comfort of having a routine. Kennedy and I were still having the best time. She hung out with me a lot at the house, and Aunt Darcy loved her. We went on shopping trips, movie trips, and even trips to the salon. She had paid for me to have my first pedicure, and I got my hair trimmed by someone other than my mom. It was perfect, sort of. I doubt that I’ll be having any more pedicures anytime soon. I didn’t realize I was so ticklish and it was hard communicating with the lady because she didn’t speak English. I could mark it off of my freedom list, but wouldn’t be experiencing it again any time soon.
I’d just gotten off the phone with Kennedy who was on her way over with exciting news. I wasn’t sure what that meant, and by the tone of her voice I was a little scared. She was the most unpredictable person I’d ever met, and the funniest.
There was a knock on the door, but I didn’t bother getting off the couch. Kennedy would just walk on in liked she owned the place.
“Guess what?” She hopped onto the couch next to me. I was too busy staring at her breasts to guess.
Holy crap, where was the rest of her shirt?
“You like.” She wiggled her chest in front of me.
I laughed. “I hope you didn’t pay full price for that. They forgot some material.” I joked. I loved being able to be myself around her. I didn’t even realize how funny I actually was until Kennedy came into my life.
“Ha ha,” She rolled her eyes. “But really, guess what?”
“I’ll never guess it right, so just tell me and save us both the trouble.”
“We have a date.” She squealed.
I’m pretty sure that was the exact moment that I’d forgotten how to breathe. I couldn’t get it right. Was it in and out, or out than in.
She grabbed me by my shoulders and gave me a little shake. “Pull yourself together woman.”
“A date.” I could feel the look of horror all over my face.
She nodded. “With Adam and Preston. A double date,” she explained.
I let out my breath. Whew. I guess I knew how to breathe after all.
“Let’s go to my house and get ready.” She jumped up grabbing my arm.
“Wait. Are you sure that I’m wanted on this date? I mean this isn’t some pity thing were Preston and I are needed for some kind of friend diversion?”
“What?” She laughed. “What the hell is a friend diversion?”
“You know like you can’t go on your date without having a friend with you as backup.” I explained. How did I know that, and she didn’t?
“I have got to get you away from the television. It’s seriously frying that gorgeous brain of yours. Now stop fretting. When Adam called me earlier he said that Preston wanted to ask you himself, but since he had no way of contacting you, he left Adam to do his dirty work. They both want us to come out. So we are going.”
I grinned sheepishly. “My first real date.”
“Yes, now go get your stuff and lets go.”
I made it to my room and back in record time. I was more excited about the date then I realized, and this was the first time that I was going to be inside of Kennedy’s house. For some reason that excited me too.
We made the drive to her house and when we pulled into the driveway I suddenly got nervous. I hadn’t seen Jackson in weeks, and I was worried that I’d run into him. If I did, what would I say? How would he act? I hesitated before getting out of the car.
“He’s not here.” She eyed me curiously.
“Are you telepathic or something?”
Kennedy put her arm around me. “No, but your expressions are easy to read. It’s one of the many things I love about you. Now come on.”
She put her key in the lock and turned the knob to the front door. The noise was crazy loud. I arched an eyebrow at her wondering what was going on. It sounded like there was a concert coming from somewhere inside the house. She rolled her eyes and led me into the largest sitting room I’d ever seen. Seriously, my bedroom would have fit inside of it five times. My mouth dropped open when I saw a guy standing on the floor in front of the television holding a plastic colorful guitar and banging his head to what I then realized was the concert coming from the T.V.
I couldn’t contain the laughter that escaped my mouth. He was like a rock star or something.
Kennedy walked over to the remote and hit a button causing the room to grow silent. The tall guy with the shaggy hair started to say something to her, which I figured wouldn’t be nice, but that was until he spotted me. A large playful grin spread across his beautiful face, and he had the cutest dimples I’d ever seen.
“Grace, come meet my other brother Tucker.” She waved me over.
“Hey Gracie,” he said with a sugary tone and I was flattered all the way to my toes. Good looks obviously ran in this family. He was clearly much older that Kennedy and Jackson, but still super cute.
He held out a hand to me and I placed mine inside it. “Hey, nice to meet you Tucker,” I said.
“Aren’t you the cutest thing ever?” He gloated still holding my hand in his.
I wanted to say likewise, but didn’t have the guts. His harmless flirting was already making me a weakling.
“She is also too young for you.” Kennedy growled at him, taking my hand out of his.
Tucker was still smiling at me as Kennedy pulled me away quickly. “Nice to meet you Tucker.” I called after him.
“You too beautiful.”
“Do not pay any attention to him. Please.” Kennedy explained.
“He’s harmless,” I said. “And very cute.”
“And too old for you.” She said.
“I know. I’m just stating the obvious.”
She shook her head. “I really am rubbing off on you.”
Up the stairs, to the right, and at the end of the long hallway was Kennedy’s bedroom. Or should I say Kennedy’s apartment. This place had everything. There was an attached bathroom with a shower and a tub the size of a small swimming pool. She had a small balcony, and there was a mini fridge next to her closet. I couldn’t stop myself from opening it. I had to see what was inside.
There were Mt. Dews, bottled water, and Reese cups.
“The necessities,” she said tossed her stuff on the floor like it was no big deal.
“Since when is caffeine and chocolate a necessity?” I asked.
“Since forever.” She gave me a weird look. “You were deprived as a kid, and don’t tell me you weren’t. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.”
I just laughed. I knew I wasn’t deprived. We had sweets and caffeine sometimes, especially during holidays. My childhood wasn’t awful –at least not always, just very strict and defined. If my father had never hit me, I’d probably still be there, despite my indifferences and their beliefs.
“Let’s change and get ready.”
She started stripping off her clothes right there in front of me.
I gave her an awkward glance.
“Oh come on Grace. We are both girls. I have seen all the girlie parts there are to see, yours will be no different.”
That’s easy for her to say. She stood there, bare chest, and she was beautiful. I was as modest as they came.
I turned my back to her and lifted the shirt over my head. If she could do it, then so could I. Kind of. I kept my back facing her so that she wouldn’t get a frontal view. I wasn’t quite ready to jump all in.
“Grace. Oh my God.”
Realization hit me.
The scars.
She saw my scars.
Crap. I’d been so worried about her seeing my front that I hadn’t even thought about my back. No one had seen those scars, but my mother. It was the worst memory I’d had of my father, and I was in no way ready to relive that day yet. Not with myself, and definitely not with Kennedy. Not yet.