Read Online Lost and Found by Nicole Williams - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nicole Williams
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Jesse, but exhaustion finally creeped into my veins.
“Don’t tell my mom I know how to clean. It’ll ruin her whole world outlook.”
Rose took a few steps inside the room, looking around it like she didn’t recognize it. “Speaking of your mom . . .” Nothing good could come of that opening line. “I just got off the phone with her. I guess she hasn’t heard back from you since you got in yesterday, and she was worried.”
That’s because I hit “ignore” every time one of her calls came in. “I doubt that was worry, Rose. It was probably irritation. Or annoyance. Or something more along the Rowen-is-hopeless line.”
Rose stopped in front of the island and leaned her hip into it the way Jesse had. In fact, I saw a lot of Jesse’s mannerisms in Rose. Like mother, like son. “No, it was worry. Concern. After thirty years of knowing your mom, at least give me a little credit that I’ve almost got her figured out. Your mom might act a certain way and say certain things, but she keeps her intentions hidden between the lines.” Rose paused and looked at me pointedly. “Sound like anyone else you know?”
Damn. If Jesse wasn’t shoving my repressed issues into my face, it was Rose. What did a girl need to do to catch a break? I had issues. I didn’t like to talk about them. I didn’t like to think about them. End of story.
“Is there anything else you need tonight?” I asked, worrying over a stack of shirts on the island to distract myself. I noticed a JW written in black pen on the tag. Dammit. Did I even gravitate to his clean laundry?
The skin between Rose’s brows came together. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Shaking her head, her face ironed out. “No, I think you’ve done more than your fair share of work today. In fact, I’d say you earned yourself a day off tomorrow.” Her voice was back in all its Rose warmth. “Go into town and check out the sights. Relax. Unwind. You have my blessing.”
The sights? Jesse and I’d driven through what I guessed Rose was referring to as the “town,” but it was more like a one horse village still stuck in the 1800s. It was so non-descript, I’d already forgotten its name.
“Did you tell my mom you were giving me tomorrow off?”
“No,” she answered. “That’s between me and you. Your mom wanted you here so you could ‘prove’ yourself.” Rose’s eyes almost performed a full-on eye roll. Impressive. “From the moment you stepped foot at Willow Springs, you’ve proven yourself, Rowen.”
I shifted and eyed the exit. The conversation was taking another turn toward the uncomfortable.
“Listen, I don’t know what you’ve done, or what your mom thinks you’ve done, to deserve spending your whole summer where I’d guess is the last place you’d want to spend your summer. And you know what?” She didn’t wait for me to reply. “I don’t care. Every morning we get a chance to be different. A chance to change. A chance to be better. Your past is your past. Leave it there. Get on with the future part, honey.”
The laundry room was either the mecca of pure genius or utter insanity. After what Jesse and his mom had said, I couldn’t quite decide. What was it about the Walkers and their need to have deep, meaningful conversations? Apparently they’d missed the memo about the rise in casual conversation.
“I drank a lot. I skipped class a lot more,” I started, the words coming out of me before I knew they were coming. “I messed around with guys. I did drugs.” Rose’s gaze didn’t shift once. “I ran away from home. Twice. I got arrested. Twice. I tried hurting myself so many times I can’t remember how many.”
After that, I shut my mouth. Not that it really mattered. I’d said more than enough, but at least she knew who I was and what she was dealing with. If Mom had decided to leave out the gory details, Rose knew now. I wasn’t just one of those kids off on the outside; I was off all the way
“Don’t tell my mom I know how to clean. It’ll ruin her whole world outlook.”
Rose took a few steps inside the room, looking around it like she didn’t recognize it. “Speaking of your mom . . .” Nothing good could come of that opening line. “I just got off the phone with her. I guess she hasn’t heard back from you since you got in yesterday, and she was worried.”
That’s because I hit “ignore” every time one of her calls came in. “I doubt that was worry, Rose. It was probably irritation. Or annoyance. Or something more along the Rowen-is-hopeless line.”
Rose stopped in front of the island and leaned her hip into it the way Jesse had. In fact, I saw a lot of Jesse’s mannerisms in Rose. Like mother, like son. “No, it was worry. Concern. After thirty years of knowing your mom, at least give me a little credit that I’ve almost got her figured out. Your mom might act a certain way and say certain things, but she keeps her intentions hidden between the lines.” Rose paused and looked at me pointedly. “Sound like anyone else you know?”
Damn. If Jesse wasn’t shoving my repressed issues into my face, it was Rose. What did a girl need to do to catch a break? I had issues. I didn’t like to talk about them. I didn’t like to think about them. End of story.
“Is there anything else you need tonight?” I asked, worrying over a stack of shirts on the island to distract myself. I noticed a JW written in black pen on the tag. Dammit. Did I even gravitate to his clean laundry?
The skin between Rose’s brows came together. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Shaking her head, her face ironed out. “No, I think you’ve done more than your fair share of work today. In fact, I’d say you earned yourself a day off tomorrow.” Her voice was back in all its Rose warmth. “Go into town and check out the sights. Relax. Unwind. You have my blessing.”
The sights? Jesse and I’d driven through what I guessed Rose was referring to as the “town,” but it was more like a one horse village still stuck in the 1800s. It was so non-descript, I’d already forgotten its name.
“Did you tell my mom you were giving me tomorrow off?”
“No,” she answered. “That’s between me and you. Your mom wanted you here so you could ‘prove’ yourself.” Rose’s eyes almost performed a full-on eye roll. Impressive. “From the moment you stepped foot at Willow Springs, you’ve proven yourself, Rowen.”
I shifted and eyed the exit. The conversation was taking another turn toward the uncomfortable.
“Listen, I don’t know what you’ve done, or what your mom thinks you’ve done, to deserve spending your whole summer where I’d guess is the last place you’d want to spend your summer. And you know what?” She didn’t wait for me to reply. “I don’t care. Every morning we get a chance to be different. A chance to change. A chance to be better. Your past is your past. Leave it there. Get on with the future part, honey.”
The laundry room was either the mecca of pure genius or utter insanity. After what Jesse and his mom had said, I couldn’t quite decide. What was it about the Walkers and their need to have deep, meaningful conversations? Apparently they’d missed the memo about the rise in casual conversation.
“I drank a lot. I skipped class a lot more,” I started, the words coming out of me before I knew they were coming. “I messed around with guys. I did drugs.” Rose’s gaze didn’t shift once. “I ran away from home. Twice. I got arrested. Twice. I tried hurting myself so many times I can’t remember how many.”
After that, I shut my mouth. Not that it really mattered. I’d said more than enough, but at least she knew who I was and what she was dealing with. If Mom had decided to leave out the gory details, Rose knew now. I wasn’t just one of those kids off on the outside; I was off all the way
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