Never (The Ever Series Book 2) by C. J. Valles

Author:C. J. Valles [Valles, C. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-11-04T00:00:00+00:00

14: In Your Eyes

I wasn’t looking for an improvement when I decided to move back to Southern California. My choice was purely for survival. During the walk back to my dad’s house, I accept that all I have to do now is survive. Not be happy. Just survive and try to act normal. Things might look better someday. I might trust my heart to someone. But for now, it’s better that I don’t let anyone in, and that includes strangers with questionable motives.

For better or worse, I am starting over—again—and I’m doing it alone.

This makes me think of my little brother. Despite what I think of Jessica, I truly hope that Benjamin never has to question his parents’ love. Because from experience, I know it forces you to question whether anyone else can love you. By the time I get back to my dad’s house, there’s an enormous black sedan parked at the curb. My dad must have bought it after the divorce—and his promotion, which, funny, happened around the same time. Like the stranger that I am, I walk to the door and knock since I don’t have a key. Several seconds pass before the door swings open.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hello, dear.”

I smile crookedly. I guess dear is better than Wrennie. My father has always had a penchant for out-dated nicknames. He reaches out and hugs me awkwardly. This is not new. Thomas Sullivan has never been a hugger. And now that I’m standing in front of him, I actually can’t see how he and my mom were ever married. It just doesn’t make sense. With dark hair, sharp features, and olive green eyes that match mine, my dad is handsome. He’s also slick and charming, while mom had—until a week ago—always been so warm and loving. … My stomach clenches, and I stop, pushing aside any thoughts of her.

“Thanks for getting my car back,” I smile.

He nods.

“Jessica says she ran into traffic picking you up from the airport?”

Yeah, that or she was getting her nails done, I don’t say.

“It wasn’t too long,” I lie.

“Wrennie!” Jessica chirps in a scolding tone. “Where have you been? When your father got home, I had no idea where you had run off to! You have to tell me the next time you’re going to leave like that.”

“I do?” I ask with more surprise than sarcasm.

My father loosens his tie—and that’s when I realize that he was at the office on a Saturday. Again, no surprise there. When he walks over and picks up Benjamin, the look of pure adoration on my dad’s face makes me squirm. Clearly both he and my mom wanted some type of do-over after me. Jessica’s cell phone rings again, and I take the opportunity to walk over and pat Benjamin on the head before going to “my” room.

When I get there, I try to figure out how I’m going to make some space in the middle of Jessica’s obvious shopping addiction. Suddenly, I remember standing in my new room in Portland after my first day of school.

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