Read Online Montana Skies (You, Me and the Kids) (Harlequin Superromance, No 1395) by Kay Stockham - Free Book Online Page B

Should she tell her now? “I…got in trouble again today.”
    Her mom’s head jerked toward her. “What?”
    The second light turned red. “Watch out!”
    The wreck flashed through her mind in an instant. Her dad driving, yelling at her. Cursing, swerving, weaving in and out of traffic trying to get there faster. Then he’d cut a delivery truck off and—
    Her mom jerked the car to a stop at the last minute, but Skylar sat frozen, unable to catch her breath because the deafening sound of squealing tires and crunching metal filled her head, the horn blaring from where her dad lay slumped against it. Blood. His blood. All over everything.
    If you’d only kept your stupid mouth shut.
    â€œSkylar? Oh, honey, I scared you. I’m so—”
    â€œI’m okay.” She tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t let her.
    â€œYou had a flashback, didn’t you?”
    The tenderness in her mom’s voice brought tears to her eyes and she blinked, belatedly realizing her mom had put her hand over hers where she clenched the seat like a baby holding onto a blanket.
    â€œI’m okay,” she repeated, her voice sounding hoarse in her ears, unable to let go even though she told herself to.
    â€œYes, you are. You’re fine and you’re here, and I thank God for you every day.”
    She laughed weakly. “Don’t overdo it.” She unclenched her hand and pulled it from beneath her mom’s, then slid her arms around her stomach and squeezed. She felt sick. Hot. Really dizzy. She leaned her head against the seat rest, stared straight ahead and tried to forget about everything but being in her mom’s car right at that moment.
    The light changed.
    â€œSkylar—”
    â€œIt’s green now. Go.”
    A horn honked behind them. Some people were idiots. Always in a hurry. She wanted to flip the jerk off because she felt like it, but thankfully the horn made her mom get the car going again.
    â€œSo…how did you get in trouble?”
    The sick feeling was slowly fading, but now she had the shakes. Quivering inside like a puppy on its first car ride. God, she was a mess. “The stupid teachers don’t like me.”
    â€œAnd you’re completely innocent?”
    Her mom’s tone was soft, quiet, like she asked simply because she wanted to believe her. Yeah, right. “Me and a girl got into it, that’s all.”
    â€œWhat girl? Who?”
    She shrugged. “Mandy somebody. She’s a bitch.”
    â€œWatch your language, Sky. That is not acceptable.”
    â€œWell, she is. And before you say it’s my fault, what happened to the whole spiel about not making fun of people? I don’t say stuff to her, not unless she says things to me first.”
    Her mom slid her a glance and pulled in to park right in front of the library. Geez, she really didn’t trust her,did she? So much for using the excuse of getting something out of the car if she needed a break.
    â€œWhat’s your punishment?”
    â€œAnother week.”
    â€œSkylar!”
    â€œIt’s not fair! She started it and she didn’t get anything!”
    â€œWere there any witnesses?”
    â€œOnly her friends. Look, just forget it, okay?”
    â€œHow can I when the drama never ends?” Her mom shook her head, her eyes sad when she looked at her. “What’s next? Jail? Violent people lead violent lives. It’s a simple fact. And eventually those people have to own up to what they’ve done.”
    â€œ She started it!”
    Her mom sighed and grabbed her purse and the apron she’d left on the backseat. “Maybe she did. But from the sound of things, you ended it.”
    Skylar sucked in a sharp breath. She’d ended it all right. Everything had happened because of her.
    Â 
    C AROLINE STARED at the new girl from school. Her dad would be picking her up soon and she needed to sit by