Read Online Always Upbeat / All That by Stephanie Perry Moore - Free Book Online Page A

was old folk’s night. However, I could not rule it out until I got there. But my instincts were right; his car was not there either.
    I did an immediate U-turn. While I loved my car to pieces, this was one time I couldn’t wait to find his. I wanted him to drive me around in his car, look over at me with his gorgeous eyes, recline in his passenger seat, and allow the moment to sweep us away. Where was he?
    Then I drove to the strip where all the restaurants were. I did a double take when I saw my father coming out of a fancy restaurant with a lady I’d never seen. She was laughing, and she had her hands on his back. Quickly, I took both hands off the steering wheel while I clutched my heart. It just started burning. I felt like I could not breathe. It was as if someone was holding me underwater, and I wanted to come up for air. Finally, when I saw him open his car door for her and kiss her hand, I gasped.
    I screamed out, “Dad!”
    Of course my windows were rolled up, and he could not hear me. This was so unfair. My mom had been fussing with him about something, and I thought it was all her fault. However, no woman makes a man cheat. He could at least have the decency to end it with my mom before he moved on.
    As I had seen people do in detective movies and television shows, I followed them. Suddenly, two cars got in front of me, and I lost my father. But I couldn’t shake the vision of him kissing someone else. Even though it was a hand, he was smiling too wide for it to be innocent. He was a jerk.
    Needing a milkshake, which always made me feel better, I pulled into Zaxby’s. I did not want to go in. I needed to find my father and Blake, but I was shaking too much. So I decided to take a break and went inside. But the line was too long, so I went to a booth and sat there.
    â€œYou okay, Charli?” a familiar voice said to me. I looked up and was surprised to see Brenton. I could only nod. “You are not all right. I’ma get you some water.”
    Before I could say, “No, thank you. I’m all right. I got it.” He had gone and was back. And I was still not all right. I could not even drink the water. He was dressed in a Zaxby’s uniform and had a broom in his hand. He sat down on the other side of the booth.
    Brenton said, “What’s wrong?”
    â€œMy life’s just falling apart,” I blurted out to my boyfriend’s cousin.
    Brenton and I went way back to elementary school. We used to be best buddies. When his cousin moved here in the ninth grade with his family, we drifted apart, like fall leaves blowing in the wind. I was his cousin’s girl, and I now knew that hanging out with boys wasn’t as good as hanging out with my girls. So we just lost touch. Knowing that he cared about me deep down, made me ready to open up.
    â€œIt’s Blake, huh?” Brenton said.
    â€œWhat? What do you know? What … what aren’t you telling me?”
    â€œI’m just asking. I don’t know anything. I haven’t even talked to him since practice.”
    â€œI can’t find him. But even as scared as I am about what’s going on with him and where he is, I got bigger issues right now.”
    â€œI’m listening.”
    â€œI don’t understand men. Can you explain that to me, Brenton? Why do you guys cheat?”
    Boldly he said, “All men aren’t dogs.”
    â€œYeah, some are snakes.”
    â€œBut girls don’t want nice guys. They want the popular, crazy dudes.”
    â€œI’m not even talking about girls and boys now. I’m talking about grown men with families.”
    â€œI don’t know. I’ve asked myself that time and time again. My dad left my mom before I was born.”
    Wanting to hit myself for not being sensitive, I said, “That’s right.”
    It was already bad enough that I felt bad. I certainly did not want company in my misery. I remembered hearing that