I Like You Like This by Heather Cumiskey

Author:Heather Cumiskey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: She Writes Press
Published: 2017-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

“STAY AWAY FROM HER,” TAYLOR’S MOM TOLD HER DAUGHTER when Hannah passed their house Friday morning to catch the bus. Hannah rolled her eyes and pressed on.

Taylor’s mom reminded Hannah of one of those impossibly skinny-legged models out of a Ralph Lauren catalog, complete with her plaid headband (like mother like daughter), uniform pearls, and crewneck top, paired smartly with her never-been-on-a-horse equestrian pants and stylish heels. She exuded enough pep and false empathy to equal a gymnasium full of Garden Club groupies. Hannah imagined that those gratuitous hugs she’d seen her bestow on her lady friends in public were really barbed wire in disguise once backs were turned.

Taylor definitely favored her mother in the looks department. She was by far the real beauty between the two of them, but still, her mom looked pretty great for her age. Hannah wondered what it was like for Taylor to have a hot mom who strutted around like she owned the town, her spry, wiry body wrapping itself around all the right people.

It’s fine, Hannah told herself, shrugging off Taylor’s mom’s words. Those girls didn’t mean much to her now. It was actually a relief to not be so preoccupied with them and trying to fit into their fake world. The real problem now was with Deacon and the never-ending stream of losers who appeared out of nowhere wherever he went, like at school or in the park when they were making out last night.

Luckily, her parents had been upstairs when she got home and didn’t seem to have noticed her absence. Kerry and her mom went to bed early, while her dad stared at the downstairs TV late into the evening. Still Hannah tortured herself, tossing in bed, running through everything that happened. Deacon hadn’t called and she was sure he was pissed. Times like this, she didn’t even know what they had together. Obviously not good communication skills. Was it just physical between them? But he didn’t pressure her sexually and had moved pretty slowly so far, she reasoned, especially for a senior. He could be so sweet with her, too—protective, even.

But his ever-present beeper was definitely the third wheel in their relationship.

Hannah chewed on the ends of her hair, telling herself that what he did on the side didn’t matter. She thought about what Peter said. Was Deacon putting her in danger? She knew she was falling for him and becoming more dependent on their relationship. She’d hated her life before him, and the thought of them being done summoned a lump in the back of her throat. She tucked the wet strands of hair behind her ear. Did I just screw the whole thing up?

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