An Inconvenient Flame by Jen Talty

Author:Jen Talty [Talty, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jupiter Press

7

“Don’t do it.” Tayla leaned against the hood of her sister’s car and folded her arms. “I’m begging you. Tell him it’s late. You have to work tomorrow. You don’t have to be mean; just tell him no.”

“I have no intention of taking him back,” Tiki said. “However, I can’t turn off my love for him and I want to hear what he has to say. I’m not doing it for him. I’m doing it for me.”

Tayla realized she wasn’t going to talk her sister out of it and because she was working on this whole balance thing and being supportive, perhaps she could skip out on spending more time with her nose in her sketchbook. “Would you like me to come with you?”

“No. If you showed up, he’d probably take off running. He’s terrified of you. More so than anyone else.”

“As he should be.” Tayla laughed. “I have half a mind to cause that boy some bodily harm.”

“Thank goodness your bark is worse than your bite.” Tiki pulled open the car door. “Thanks for being here for me. It means the world to me.”

Tayla hugged her sister. “You can call or text me later. If I’m awake, I promise to take the call. Hell, if you want me to, I’ll make sure I stay up until I hear from you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that and I will message you when I get there and when I leave.” Tiki smiled. “I want to see if you can keep the promise.”

“Oh. A challenge. I love it.” Tayla did her best not to be insulted by the jab. She didn’t like that her sisters didn’t trust that she’d be there for them, but she also understood that she’d broken it one too many times.

Tiki took her hands and squeezed. “I’m going to need both you and Tonya through this. Please don’t break my heart this time.”

Shit. That was a tough pill to swallow and there was nothing Tayla could say in her own defense, even though she had an entire speech forming in her brain. The words dropped to her tongue, but she refused to unleash them.

There was no point.

She’d made a promise to her grandfather and she wouldn’t dare break it. She also told her sisters the earliest she’d leave would be Wednesday night or Thursday and that if all went well, she’d come back.

Those were promises she could keep.

Unless all hell broke loose, and then she’d be groveling. But she would be honest as to why, where in the past she’d sneak out, avoid, and give all the same excuses.

“I love you, Tiki,” Tayla said. “I will have my cell with me at all times. Keep me posted.” She waved her phone, taking a step back. She watched her sister pull out of the driveway and head off down the long windy road.

Fireflies filled the sky.

Tayla smiled.

As a child she used to love to run around, catching the funny creatures, putting them in a mason jar, and then she and her

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