Read Online Miles From Kara by Melissa West - Free Book Online Page B

happiness it promised to bring.
    â€œCan I help you with something, dear?”
    I opened my mouth to say no, but then the eager look on her face made me reach back down and grab the first candle I saw. I picked it up and almost laughed.
Peace and Clarity
. Hell, at this point I was willing to try anything.
    I passed the candle to the vendor. “Just this one. Thanks.”
    She packaged the candle up for me and passed the bag over with a smile.
    All right, candle, let’s see what you’ve got
.
    ***
    I closed my bedroom door that night, Chinese takeout in one hand, my new candle in the other. I set the takeout on my bed and peered around in search of the perfect place for the candle. Finally, I settled on my desk. Maybe I could burn it when I was studying for an exam and it would deliver the clarity it promised. I lit the candle and sat back down on my bed, gently taking out my takeout containers as I watched the flame dance around. I glanced down at the black screen of my phone and then back at the candle. “You’re telling me to call, huh?” I stared at the candle, waiting for some cosmic
yes
, and then found myself laughing at my stupidity. Candle, Kara. Candle.
    I took a bite of my food, but I couldn’t keep myself from eyeing the candle again, and before I could think better of it, I was dialing Colt’s number.
    It took one and a half rings for him to answer, and only one breath for me to say, “Ethan and I broke up. I just . . . thought you should know.” I bit my lip, nervous over his response. What was I doing? This was Colt, Ethan’s roommate, Ethan’s friend. Yet, despite everything, we were something, too. I just didn’t know what.
    He released a breath. “I heard. Are you . . . all right with that?”
    I eyed the Clarity candle. Was it my imagination or had the flame suddenly stilled? “I am.”
    I could almost hear his smile on the other end. “All right, then.”
    I smiled, enjoying the new swirl in my stomach at the sound of his voice. “All right, then.”

Chapter Ten
    â€œKara, grab those boxes in the back,” Tori said from over her shoulder. Helping Hands was running a clothing drive for a local women’s shelter, and the response had been so overwhelming that Tori had called me in, even though it was a Saturday. Finals were over and I still hadn’t decided whether I wanted to go home. I figured I had at least until Sunday to decide.
    I brought the cardboard boxes to the front of the room, sorted the clothing into them, and then labeled the boxes—long-sleeve shirts, short-sleeve shirts, pants, shorts, etc.
    Tori glanced over at me with a grin. “You’re good at this,” she said.
    I smiled back. “Thanks. You know how I am with organizing.”
    â€œWell, if you really like it, I could use your help this summer. I could offer you a part-time job or you could add it to your resume as a paid internship if that’s more helpful. College credit and all. I had a girl do that last summer.”
    I stopped folding clothes. “Are you serious?”
    â€œAbsolutely. You’re a natural here, Kara. I know you’re worried about your program, but this”—she motioned around the center—“you’re meant for this.”
    My heart warmed, and I turned away so she wouldn’t see that I was on the verge of tears. It’d been two weeks since Ethan and I broke up, and aside from an occasional
how are you
text, I hadn’t spoken to Colt since it happened. I began to wonder if the thing with him was in my head or if maybe he was just into it because I was Ethan’s girlfriend and it was wrong, exciting. That sort of thing. So, for Tori to be offering me a real job, here, doing what I loved, felt like I was finally seeing the light after driving through a long, dark tunnel.
    â€œThat would be perfect,” I said, smiling. “When can I