Crazy For You Alexander, S.B. (ebook reader 8 inch .TXT) 📖

storm is coming in,” I said mostly to myself, hoping to quell the sadness that was seeping in.

He reached out and took my hand. “Thank you, Skyler, for listening. For being there for me.” He sounded like it was the last time I would see him.

I staved off tears and squeezed his hand. I wasn’t going to cry. I wasn’t going to break down. Not yet, anyway. I had a week to try to convince him to stay.

I prayed that I could.

22

The next morning, tears slid down Georgia’s face as she hugged Dad. “You’re a great man, Mr. Lawson, and so undeserving of this. Please know I love you with all my heart.”

I held back tears as I stood at the end of Dad’s bed. I loved my BFF more in that moment than ever before. She was more than a friend. She was the sister I’d never had.

Georgia sniffled as heels clicked on the hardwood, the sound echoing in the hall before Nan waltzed in.

Dad’s face lit up as if Nan had come to save him. But I knew Dad adored her. In another life, I had no doubt Dad would’ve asked her out. She wasn’t Mom, but she was just as pretty. Her dark hair was coiled in a sleek bun, her crisp white blouse hung over her blue pencil skirt, and her tan-and-blue heels made her legs look longer than her five-foot-three-inch height.

With a smile all for my dad, she said, “Morning. How is everyone?”

Georgia dabbed the underside of her eyes, careful not to ruin her mascara. “You look fantastic, Nan. I’m used to seeing you in your scrubs.”

Nan blushed. “Why thank you, Georgia.”

“How was Sunday mass?” I asked Nan. She didn’t take much time off, except for church and a few hours here and there to run errands. On those days, I stayed with Dad.

“The priest gave a great sermon this morning,” she said. “You two”—she wagged a finger at Georgia and me—“should accompany me one Sunday. Well, one of you, anyway. The other would have to stay with your father.”

Georgia raised her hand. “Take Skyler. I’ll stay with Dad.”

I wasn’t opposed to going with her. My parents believed in God, as did I, but they hardly went to church. I could only remember a few times when we’d gone to Sunday mass, and that was when I’d been in elementary school.

“What was the sermon about?” I asked. Maybe the priest had talked about teenagers, given how adamant she was that Georgia and I attend church with her.

Nan’s face brightened, eager to share. “Salvation.” She pinned me with a pointed look, as though I needed salvation. I was sure I would need a lifeline when Dad finally passed.

Georgia eyed me for some odd reason. “Everyone needs saving. Right, Skye?”

I could feel a deep crease forming in between my eyebrows until I got her silent message—Colton. Or maybe she meant me.

Dad and Nan exchanged a surprised look.

“Are you talking about Colton?” I asked Georgia.

“Maybe,” Georgia said.

Nan went over to Dad and fluffed his pillows. “What’s going on with Colton other than family troubles?”

Georgia sidled up to me and hooked her arm in mine. “Yeah, Skye. Want to dish?”

Nan laughed. “We know Skye likes Colton.”

Dad grinned.

What they didn’t know wasn’t my story to tell, though, and I would never betray Colton’s trust. It was time to change the subject.

Nan beat me to it, as though she knew I needed help. “I bought some cinnamon rolls from the bake sale at church. They’re homemade.”

My stomach growled as if on cue. I was famished. I hadn’t eaten anything since the morning before. I had planned to eat dinner with Colton that day, but after he’d finally changed the oil in my car, I hadn’t seen or heard from him. The Caldwell house had been quiet all night. Even Colton’s room had been dark like he wasn’t even there. But I knew he had been—his truck had been in the driveway. I suspected after that tense night with his dad, he and his parents were probably working things out. Or at least I hoped they were.

I gave Dad a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you later. Maybe we can watch a movie?”

He blinked once, telling me yes, he would like that.

Nan rolled his table away from the bed. “Skye, I know it’s only been a couple of days, but have you thought any more about your birth mother?”

My mind wasn’t on her, and I felt weird talking about the woman who’d birthed me with Dad present.

“I’ll be in the kitchen,” Georgia said, then bounced out.

I gnawed on my bottom lip. “Not really. But I haven’t changed my mind about Nan being my guardian.” I looked at Dad when I spoke. “Honestly, I have too much going on right now to process and dissect the whole adoption thing.”

Dad raised an eyebrow, wanting me to explain.

“School, for one. And I’m not ready.” I didn’t want to tell him that Colton had taken possession of my thoughts just about every minute of the day. Or that I felt like I would be betraying Dad if I learned more about my biological mom.

“When you’re ready,” Nan said.

Dad blinked in agreement.

I gave him a hug, then met Georgia in the kitchen. “What in the world are you doing?”

She was up on her toes, her face practically plastered to the kitchen window. “Shh. Colton is outside with his dad.”

I yanked on her pretty silk top. “Get back. They’ll see you.”

She stepped away. “Oh, come on,” she whined. “I can make out words here and there. Colton called his father a dick.”

I glanced quickly. Colton sat tensely in a chair, clearly ready to jump up. The good news was that a table separated him from his dad, and they seemed calm, not throwing punches. Mr. Caldwell’s features said otherwise, though. He was definitely angry.

“Do they normally air their differences outside?” Georgia asked. “It’s kind of odd.”

I guided her away from the window and up to