Asking for More by Lilah Pace

Author:Lilah Pace
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-02-26T16:57:07+00:00

Chapter Five

On our way home from the airport, Jonah and I stop at the supermarket. This is a necessity, because after this long, most of the food in our fridges will have gone to the dark side. Jonah and I haven’t done simple, domestic stuff like this much . . . at least, not until now. There’s something sweet about standing here, discovering the likes and dislikes we have in common, and planning meals we’ll share.

You’re getting gooey because this guy eats the same brand of peanut butter you do, I tell myself at one point. You’ve got it bad, girl.

As I steer our cart into the beverages aisle, however, I’m jerked out of those pleasant thoughts by the sight of Arturo, Shay, and baby Nicolas only a few paces ahead. Arturo’s placing a twelve-pack of ginger ale in their cart; Shay has the baby in a tie-dyed sling. They both look happy and healthy. Like they’re just fine.

So what the hell?

My first instinct is to head to another aisle. When I glance up at Jonah, though, he gives me a look that’s practically a dare. Am I going to run from another confrontation, or am I going to deal with it?

“Hey, guys!” I call. They turn toward me, faces so guilty I might as well have caught them lifting bars of gold from Fort Knox. Yeah, something’s going on.

But Shay comes forward with a smile on her face. “Vivienne! Jonah! You’re back from Belize, then?” Even though she’s blushing, I can tell she’s genuinely glad to see me. She’s dyed a few purple streaks into her hair, and is wearing a pale cotton bell-sleeved dress that looks like it’s from the 1970s—no doubt another of her thrift-store finds.

“Just off the plane,” I say. “Jet-lagged but good.”

“And your sister’s all right, Jonah?” Shay looks up at him, and I remember all over again that they know each other through her work in the earth sciences department; it’s not like they’re close—not even near it—but their relationship doesn’t totally revolve around me.

“Shaken up, but okay.” Jonah looks down at Nicolas, who is fast asleep, his tiny fists balled under his chin. He holds out his hand as if to touch the baby, but doesn’t quite. He has so much tenderness inside him, just waiting.

I’m touched by this, but distracted, too, because Arturo is still standing by the freakin’ 7 Up, mouth shut, not even looking directly at me. The thought that he might be angry with me winds me up so much inside that I almost feel sick.

Even though I don’t want to talk about this, letting it fester in silence would be even worse. So I say, more quietly, “Hey, Arturo.”

“Hey.” He’s staring down at the soda like it’s super-fascinating all of a sudden. Shay’s obviously trying to think of something else to say to distract me from Arturo’s standoffishness.

Just do it. I take a deep breath. “Have I done something wrong?”

That does it. Arturo turns to me, but the expression on his face isn’t hurt or resentment.

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