Read Online Ever Bound by Odessa Gillespie Black - Free Book Online Page B

designs my eyes were glued to.
    She nodded to me and smiled.
    I tried to appear unmoved as Annabeth took the place setting between Grace and her oldest cousin.
    She was a year or two older than Grace with hair the color of straw pulled away from her face and higher cheek bones than either of the Rollins sisters.
    “Olivia, you remember Colby.” Annabeth placed her hand on her cousin’s arm.
    “Hello.” My pulse sounded like trampling horses in my ears at the mere sound of Annabeth’s voice.
    “I remember. He was a boy the last time we met.” Olivia took an inventory of me.
    Annabeth grinned.
    I was so used to being blamed, with a mere look from Grace, for any attention I received from other girls that sweat broke out on my forehead.
    “You should get acquainted,” Annabeth said with a mischievous smile. What was she trying to do? Get me in more trouble with yet another of the Rollins women? She had no idea how deep I was already sinking.
    Olivia raised an eyebrow as if she might consider it. “You have grown into a fine young man.”
    Translated, she wanted to get me down to the pond too.
    If Annabeth hadn’t been two people down, I might have given her a friendly little what-the-heck-are-you-trying-to-get-me-into kick.
    Annabeth gave me a wink.
    Grace clanked her fork loudly on her plate and huffed. “You just can’t stop flirting.”
    Mrs. Rollins cleared her throat meaningfully. “Remember your manners.”
    Annabeth ducked her head with a grin, primly folded her napkin, and delicately laid it on her lap.
    Mr. Rollins glanced down the table and smiled at me as if we shared some secret.
    I nodded in return.
    A few seconds later, he did it again, then returned his attention to his wife and Mama as they talked about some sewing technique.
    With my hands on either knee under the table, I waited for my legs to stop shaking. I eyed the door. I could dart out of it, feigning illness.
    The smells from the kitchen were too enticing to pass up after the long day I’d had at the maze, so I decided to stay.
    When the cook brought in the food, we all started in on dinner. I ate a few bites but ended up rearranging the rest of it at least fourteen times.
    “Colby, you aren’t eating,” Mama said. She put her napkin down.
    I’d be forty-seven, and I’d still be her baby.
    “The heat. I’ll be fine.” I forced another bite but almost couldn’t swallow.
    Annabeth’s concerned gaze silently questioned me.
    “On that note, Colby, you’ll be glad to know”—Mr. Rollins stood, the sharp points of his collar giving his chins some relief. He lifted his glass—“you might not have to sweat the days away on the property if you play your cards right. Miss Peachtree has contacted me about your schooling. She and I are both in agreement that you are one of the brightest students she’s ever taught and that you need to spend your time not in the heat, wasting away like the other workers, but in putting your talents to use. For that reason, I am willing to offer you schooling in whatever field you’d like. I have spoken with an architect friend of mine who would love nothing better than to take you under his wing. Your father has voiced that you can’t leave to go to school, so I will hire the best architect to tutor you in the field if you so desire. You deserve this. You’ve worked hard.”
    I looked to Pop.
    He dipped his head and stared at the place setting in front of him.
    Was I supposed to be happy about this? It was already obvious that we weren’t part of the family and that we were poor, lowly farmhands just by the derelict condition of our clothes.
    Did Mr. Rollins really have to point it out in front of everyone that we didn’t have enough money to send me to a good school?
    I really wanted to crawl under something now. All I could muster was, “Thank you, Sir.”
    “And that would give you the perfect social standing to have your choice in the local ladies.” Grace took a bite of green beans, sliding