Read Online My Life as the Ugly Stepsister by Juli Alexander - Free Book Online Page A

put her hand on my knee. “Yes, I do. You’ll know if I forgot anything. Plus, my flight isn’t until midnight.”
    “Hey,” I said as I realized my dog wasn’t there. “Where’s Mojo?”
    “He’s fine. I went ahead and dropped him off. I couldn’t fit everything in the car with him along.”
    “He’s at Dad’s?”
    “No. He’s at Jonathan’s. I made arrangements with his mother, and she put water and food out back for him. They’re keeping Buddy in until Jonathan gets home.”
    I thought of Mojo all alone in a strange back yard and felt like I might throw up.
    “He’ll be fine.” Mom patted my leg again. “Really. You’ll be there soon. He’s going to adjust to the situation. We all will.” She sounded kind of wistful as she said it. “I made sure they had all my contact info and Mojo’s vet records. I also put a copy in the box for you.”
    How very paralegal of her.
    When we pulled up at my dad’s, Diane opened the door and came out. “Make yourselves at home,” she called. “I’m going to run over to the school and get Caroline.”
    I was glad to see she had clothes on, but her top had a plunging neckline that belonged in a nightclub and not a carpool lane. My mom had on a trendy black track suit with pink piping. Mom looked casual but sophisticated and very much like a mother. Her breasts wouldn’t tumble out while she helped me unpack.
    “Oh, I’m sorry,” Mom said. “Did we hold you up?”
    “Oh no,” she waved away Mom’s concern. “I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
    I watched her climb in her car and back out of the driveway. “I think she was running away from you, Mom.”
    “Good,” Mom said. “Uh, I mean, don’t be silly.” She gave a little fake laugh.
    “Pretend you never said that?” I asked.
    “Please.” She scooped up my laptop and a big suitcase and headed into the house.
    Mojo must have heard us, because I heard whining and scratching on the nearby fence.
    “Go ahead and check on him,” Mom called over her shoulder. “I’ll unload the car.”
    “I’m coming Mo,” I said. I set down my backpack and purse and stepped into Jonathan’s yard to the gate.
    I couldn’t see him behind the tall, cedar fence, but I was already smiling at his greeting. I opened the gate and slipped in. Mojo jumped up putting his front paws on my waist. He wasn’t supposed to do that, but I didn’t mind.
    “Hey baby,” I said, leaning down to hug him. He kept wiggling around excitedly. “Do you like it here?”
    In response, he ran to the gate and jumped up like he was ready to go.
    Oops. “No, sweetie. You’re staying here.”
    I guess I was totally wrapped up in comforting Mojo because I didn’t notice Jonathan until he was right beside me.
    Jonathan had his hands in the pockets of his shorts. “He settling in?” he asked.
    “Hard to say,” I answered, suddenly aware that I still had my uniform on. Oh, right. It didn’t matter anyway. He had a thing for Caroline. I could relax. He would never look at me that way.
    Mom chose that moment to open the fence and peek in. “Are you coming?”
    “Yeah, Mom. Just a minute.” I motioned to Jonathan. “Have you met Jonathan yet?”
    “No. Nice to meet you,” my mother said, her big smile showing off her newly whitened teeth. “I’ll take another load up, but we need to get you settled. Then you can see to Mojo.”
    “Okay.”
    “I’ll throw a ball with him and Buddy while you do that,” Jonathan said. “Maybe it’ll distract him.”
    I smiled at him. “Thanks. I guess I can’t do everything at once.”
    “C’mon, Mojo,” he called. “Let’s play.” He started walking across the yard and Mojo followed before he noticed that I was slipping out the gate.
    I heard him run after me with a bark of dismay. “Be right back, boy.”
    When I got upstairs, Mom said, “You didn’t tell me he was cute!”
    Darn her for noticing. “He is?” I tried to sound vague and detached. I don’t think I quite