Evenfall by Liz Michalski

Author:Liz Michalski [Michalski, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781101650929
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2011-02-01T05:00:00+00:00

BY early morning the lightning bugs have lost their energy, sparking only intermittently from their place on Andie’s dresser.

“Worn out,” Andie says. “Like us.”

Cort lays his leg across hers and nuzzles her ear. “Don’t even think it.” He rubs her neck and she groans in pleasure.

“Mmm, that feels good.” Maybe it’s because she’s tired, but the next words spill out before she thinks. “God, I wish summer could last forever.”

He slides his hands to her shoulders, kneading them gently. “Who says it can’t?”

“My bank account, for one.” The money she’d deposited when she’d arrived in town is almost gone, and she’ll need to find a job soon. The thought of sending out her CV, applying for positions, facing the inevitable rejection, makes her shoulders tense up. She takes a deep breath, flips over on her stomach so that Cort can reach her whole back, and tries to relax.

“Why not look around here?” he says casually. His hands increase their pressure, their rhythm slow and languid, sliding up and down her spine. “There are plenty of museums and schools in the state. You could live at Evenfall, save up some money, and pay off your loans.”

“Great plan,” she says. “Except for the fact that it’s going up for sale.”

“Then live with Gert. She could use the company.”

“Right,” Andie says. “I’ve already proven I couldn’t last a day there.”

“Then live with me.” His hands stop moving.

She buries her face in the pillow, takes a deep breath before turning over to face him. She’d had a feeling this was coming ever since the lemonade last night. Still, it would be easier if she weren’t naked.

“Look, I’m flattered,” she says gently. “Really. I am. But there’s a bunch of reasons why it wouldn’t work.”

“Like what?”

“Well, for starters, you live with your folks,” she says, trying for humor. “Let’s be realistic, okay?”

“Say yes and I’ll be out of there tomorrow.” Cort’s face has such an eager, hopeful expression that Andie has to look away.

“Cort, I’m sorry,” she says. Even as she’s saying it, she knows the words don’t help, not even a little bit. “I thought you understood I was only here for the summer.”

“That was before,” he says. “I figured things had changed. You’re telling me they haven’t?”

She reaches out to touch his arm, but he brushes her off. “You don’t feel something special here? I know you do.”

“Look.” She pauses, choosing her words carefully. “I’ve had a lot of fun this summer, with you. But we both know this is just a temporary thing. I need to be in a big city, for my career. And there are too many differences between us for this to work long term.”

“Name one.”

She can’t believe he’s making her spell it out.

“Well, there’s your age, for a start.”

“That’s it? That’s what’s got you so upset?” He smiles, and it pisses Andie off a little, that he thinks it’s funny. She’s a little less careful when she speaks this time.

“That and the fact that we have totally different lives.

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