[Tales from Ballena Beach 01] • Strings Attached by Nolan Nick

Author:Nolan, Nick [Nolan, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Source: Amazon, Suspense, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, GLBT Fiction/Literature, Mystery
ISBN: 0982555016
Goodreads: 7540152
Publisher: AmazonEncore
Published: 2001-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

“So, like, what are you gonna do first to this big old place?” Coby mumbled, his words thick with the last of their pizza.

“I’ll get the important stuff fixed first.” Jeremy pushed himself up from the wooden coffee table, around which the four had just finished their delivered dinner, then stooped to collect their dirtied plates. “You know…like the roof and the plumbing. Stuff like that.”

“If it was me, the first thing I’d get is a big fuckin’ plasma screen to put up where that buffalo head is.” Coby gulped some soda, then pointed with his empty glass to the decapitated bovine hanging over the fireplace veneered with white jigsawed quartz rocks.

“I think those head things are disgusting,” Reed declared, flipping through an ancient People magazine. “What kind of coward hunts defenseless animals, anyways?”

“My uncle used to hunt a lot,” Jeremy told them. “He shot that one. And he has this big polar bear rug in his office too. But he’s really a nice guy.”

“Nobody nice hunts,” corrected Ellie. “I mean, who would want that thing around? It’s like a trophy you won for murder, only with eyes that follow you like it’s still alive, accusing you…accusing you…accusing you.”

“Kind of like The Telltale Heart?” asked Reed excitedly.

Coby lifted his head. “What the hell are you girls talking about?”

“Shhhh, my beauty.” Ellie leaned over and pressed her index finger to his lips. “God didn’t create you to understand literary references.”

He snarled at her and tried to bite her finger. She squealed, then stood up. “Reedie-pie, tomorrow we should explore this place. I’ll bet there’s lots of funky junk tucked away.”

“I love looking through other people’s closets,” Reed agreed. “You never know how many skeletons you’ll find, and what labels they’ll be wearing.” She turned to Jeremy. “Do you think your family left any of their old clothes here?”

“Probably.” Jeremy nodded. “Go see what you can find.”

“Shall we?” Ellie asked Reed slyly.

“Why, yay-yes!” Reed exclaimed.

Ellie snatched Reed’s hand and pulled her to her feet, then the two disappeared chattering up the stairs.

“Those two,” Coby began, after the girls were gone. “I love thinking of them jiggling around in their bras and panties right now playing dress-up. And maybe…” he whispered “…even a little slap and tickle, pass the pickle.”

“Ellie and Reed aren’t like that,” said Jeremy dismissively.

“Who knows, man. Nothing about them surprises me.” He yawned, leaning backward with his hands clasped—biceps popping—behind his head. “Ellie’s got a mind of her own, and so does Reed, and we’re all old enough to make our own decisions about stuff like that, don’t you think?”

“Sure, but wouldn’t it bother you? I mean, you guys are together just like us, and I wouldn’t want Reed messing around with someone else.”

Coby lifted himself from the floor and sat next to Jeremy in the spot vacated by Reed. “Hey, if it bugged Ellie every time I connected with someone besides her, and vice-versa, we wouldn’t be together. Believe me, I’m not a jealous dude. We love each other and nothing can change that…but we’re not ready for marriage—at least I’m not.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.