Read Online Just a Little (5-8) by Tracie Puckett - Free Book Online
Authors: Tracie Puckett
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Matt’s request to cut my uncle some slack, “but nothing too extravagant, okay?”
“You’re kidding yourself if you actually think I’ll get any kind of say in that,” he put a big, red X across the order form he’d just fulfilled.
“Matt—”
“I’ll talk to him, Julie,” he said, “but I’m not making any promises. I’m not a miracle worker, you know.”
I watched my cousin with a keen eye, hoping my wide-eyed stare would earn me some sympathy. Unfortunately, Matt wasn’t so easy to break. He kept his head low and read over the numerous order forms strewn about the counter.
“Matt—”
“It’s one party,” he sounded as though he didn’t feel the least bit sorry for me. “You’ll get over it.”
“He didn’t throw you a party for your birthday,” I said, praying to hit a nerve. I desperately needed Matt on my side of this issue. If that meant playing dirty, being mean, and pulling out all the stops, I didn’t really care. I’d say whatever I had to say. I needed to make myself clear. No—surprise—party.
“I know what you’re doing,” Matt arched his brow. “I’m not falling for it.”
“But he ignored your birthday,” I said, “and now he’s throwing me a party? That hardly seems fair.”
“He didn’t throw me one because I asked him not to.”
“Great,” I said, realizing that maybe I wouldn’t need Matt’s help after all. “I’ll just ask him not to throw me one, then. Problem solved.”
“Except it’s not,” he said. “He’ll never go for that.”
“ You said it worked for you !”
“Yeah,” he leaned a little closer, “but the last year hasn’t been nearly as craptastic for me as it has been for you. He just wants to do whatever he can to make you happy, Julie.”
“I know, but—”
“But nothing,” he said. “He’s not blind to what’s going on. No one is. Ever since your parents—”
“Don’t go there!”
“And Luke was the only person who’s been able to get through to you. Now that he’s out of the picture, we’re desperate—”
“Matt—”
“ Let us help you ,” he said. “I know you may not realize this, but we understand—”
“Well, look at the time,” I glanced at my watch.
“Don’t do that,” he said, not even the slightest bit oblivious to the fact that I was searching for an excuse, any excuse , to duck out and avoid the inevitable direction of this conversation.
“You’ll be home later?” I reached for the door.
“Yeah, see ya tonight.”
I nodded and opened the door, stepping out into the cool spring evening. The faint orange glow of the sun shone through the branches that lined the street of the district. Birds flew from tree to tree, softly singing and chirping. Fresh flowers bloomed on every curb, serving as a great reminder that the snow days were far behind us. It was truly the most beautiful day, weather-wise, of course, that Oakland had seen in months. Just the thought of short-shorts, flip-flops, and beach balls had me yearning for the next few months to fly by.
The wind picked up moments later, reminding me that it was still too early to get excited about the upcoming summer days. I took a moment to pull the zipper tighter on my jacket before looking up, but my attention to the sidewalk came a few seconds too late. By the time I turned the corner, my body had slammed directly into another, throwing me back on the sidewalk with a forceful thud.
I didn’t even bother looking up to identify the person I’d collided with. Instead, I assessed the burning wounds on my scraped palms and rubbed the blood off on my jeans.
“Oh my God!”
I closed my eyes at the sound of his voice. It only took a millisecond to identify exactly whom it belonged to. Through great reluctance (and even more humiliation), I finally managed to look up and meet Luke’s brown-eyed gaze. Towering over me in jeans and an Oakland PD sweatshirt, he extended his arm to help me up.
“Jules, are you—”
“I’m
“You’re kidding yourself if you actually think I’ll get any kind of say in that,” he put a big, red X across the order form he’d just fulfilled.
“Matt—”
“I’ll talk to him, Julie,” he said, “but I’m not making any promises. I’m not a miracle worker, you know.”
I watched my cousin with a keen eye, hoping my wide-eyed stare would earn me some sympathy. Unfortunately, Matt wasn’t so easy to break. He kept his head low and read over the numerous order forms strewn about the counter.
“Matt—”
“It’s one party,” he sounded as though he didn’t feel the least bit sorry for me. “You’ll get over it.”
“He didn’t throw you a party for your birthday,” I said, praying to hit a nerve. I desperately needed Matt on my side of this issue. If that meant playing dirty, being mean, and pulling out all the stops, I didn’t really care. I’d say whatever I had to say. I needed to make myself clear. No—surprise—party.
“I know what you’re doing,” Matt arched his brow. “I’m not falling for it.”
“But he ignored your birthday,” I said, “and now he’s throwing me a party? That hardly seems fair.”
“He didn’t throw me one because I asked him not to.”
“Great,” I said, realizing that maybe I wouldn’t need Matt’s help after all. “I’ll just ask him not to throw me one, then. Problem solved.”
“Except it’s not,” he said. “He’ll never go for that.”
“ You said it worked for you !”
“Yeah,” he leaned a little closer, “but the last year hasn’t been nearly as craptastic for me as it has been for you. He just wants to do whatever he can to make you happy, Julie.”
“I know, but—”
“But nothing,” he said. “He’s not blind to what’s going on. No one is. Ever since your parents—”
“Don’t go there!”
“And Luke was the only person who’s been able to get through to you. Now that he’s out of the picture, we’re desperate—”
“Matt—”
“ Let us help you ,” he said. “I know you may not realize this, but we understand—”
“Well, look at the time,” I glanced at my watch.
“Don’t do that,” he said, not even the slightest bit oblivious to the fact that I was searching for an excuse, any excuse , to duck out and avoid the inevitable direction of this conversation.
“You’ll be home later?” I reached for the door.
“Yeah, see ya tonight.”
I nodded and opened the door, stepping out into the cool spring evening. The faint orange glow of the sun shone through the branches that lined the street of the district. Birds flew from tree to tree, softly singing and chirping. Fresh flowers bloomed on every curb, serving as a great reminder that the snow days were far behind us. It was truly the most beautiful day, weather-wise, of course, that Oakland had seen in months. Just the thought of short-shorts, flip-flops, and beach balls had me yearning for the next few months to fly by.
The wind picked up moments later, reminding me that it was still too early to get excited about the upcoming summer days. I took a moment to pull the zipper tighter on my jacket before looking up, but my attention to the sidewalk came a few seconds too late. By the time I turned the corner, my body had slammed directly into another, throwing me back on the sidewalk with a forceful thud.
I didn’t even bother looking up to identify the person I’d collided with. Instead, I assessed the burning wounds on my scraped palms and rubbed the blood off on my jeans.
“Oh my God!”
I closed my eyes at the sound of his voice. It only took a millisecond to identify exactly whom it belonged to. Through great reluctance (and even more humiliation), I finally managed to look up and meet Luke’s brown-eyed gaze. Towering over me in jeans and an Oakland PD sweatshirt, he extended his arm to help me up.
“Jules, are you—”
“I’m
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