Read Online Paradox (Travelers Series Book 2) by Claudia Lefeve - Free Book Online
Authors: Claudia Lefeve
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stop that. You know my Southern manner’s don’t allow me to turn away guests.”
“Yeah, but there’s a fine line between inviting someone in and a full-blown home invasion,” I quip back. “Besides, you’re from right here in Alexandria. I’d hardly call it the South.”
“Bite your tongue. I’ll have you know that back in the day, Northern Virginia was the epitome of Southern and good social graces. It wasn’t overrun by transients and trashy politicians.” I can tell she’s having fun sparing.
It must be horrible for her, knowing she’d missed most of my life. Sure, she has memories of taking care of me, but it was the Etta who never left to another dimension when she was only five. Once I came back, that Etta never really existed. That memory was replaced by the real me.
“Now, girls, you haven’t even experienced the true essence of the South, until you’ve been to Richmond,” Cooper chimes in.
“I thought the true essence of the South is somewhere down in Georgia?” I tease.
Aunt Maggie throws one of her kitchen towels in our direction. “You two stop that. I’m laughing so hard and this old woman can’t race to the facilities as fast as she used to. And you two aren’t even that funny!”
At that, Cooper and I double over laughing. It’s at this moment that I feel truly happy. Being with the people I love, sharing jokes, and laughing over silly things. Now I just have to sit and wait for the proverbial shoe to drop; the big bad that almost always follows the short-lived good.
“So, Coop, did you know you were invited to dinner under false pretenses?” I continue to tease.
He scoots in his chair in a manner that signifies I have his full attention. “Do tell,” he says, eyebrows raising.
“Aunt Maggie only invited you over so she can grill you about being a traveler,” I pretend to whisper, knowing full well she’s within earshot.
“Etta! Don’t tell tales. You know I adore Cooper and he always has an open invitation to dine with us.”
Cooper laughs. “I’ll say this, ma’am. If dinner is half as good as it smells, I’m liable to tell you anything you want to know.”
You can see the pride in my aunt’s face. If given a choice, I’m sure she’d love to have her own cooking show on The Food Network—if it exists in this reality, that is. Not only is she a great cook, but even in her mid-fifties, she’s still a pretty good looking lady. The cameras would love her.
• • •
“So, how was school today?” Cooper and I retreat to the backyard after dinner. I’m starting to feel more comfortable out here than I do in my other favorite room in the house, the kitchen. Besides, it also offers us the much needed privacy for our discussions. We take our seat on the chaise lounge, which I’m starting to think of as ‘our’ chair. I know it’s corny, but that’s what happens when you have a major crush. You start to think silly things like that.
“Oh, the usual. Same old, same old.” What’s the point of telling him how crappy my day actually was? Getting bullied by Jenny and having your quasi-boyfriend mad at you just sounds so trivial compared to real problems, like Jaime missing.
He studies me for a second. “Didn’t look that way over dinner. Looks like you kinda had a rough day. Maggie told me you broke up with your boyfriend.”
I cross my eyes at him. “Alex wasn’t really my boyfriend and you know it. I just simply told him we needed to take a break that’s all.”
“A break huh? This doesn’t have anything to do with what I told you Friday night does it? About us being married? Because I told you that being with Alex doesn’t change our future together.”
Even though he insists that any relationships I have now in the present doesn’t affect the timeline, I know he’s still jealous over me dating Alex. So, I don’t know if he’s messing with me or not. It’s hard to tell sometimes with Cooper. “Of course not! I’ve just had
“Yeah, but there’s a fine line between inviting someone in and a full-blown home invasion,” I quip back. “Besides, you’re from right here in Alexandria. I’d hardly call it the South.”
“Bite your tongue. I’ll have you know that back in the day, Northern Virginia was the epitome of Southern and good social graces. It wasn’t overrun by transients and trashy politicians.” I can tell she’s having fun sparing.
It must be horrible for her, knowing she’d missed most of my life. Sure, she has memories of taking care of me, but it was the Etta who never left to another dimension when she was only five. Once I came back, that Etta never really existed. That memory was replaced by the real me.
“Now, girls, you haven’t even experienced the true essence of the South, until you’ve been to Richmond,” Cooper chimes in.
“I thought the true essence of the South is somewhere down in Georgia?” I tease.
Aunt Maggie throws one of her kitchen towels in our direction. “You two stop that. I’m laughing so hard and this old woman can’t race to the facilities as fast as she used to. And you two aren’t even that funny!”
At that, Cooper and I double over laughing. It’s at this moment that I feel truly happy. Being with the people I love, sharing jokes, and laughing over silly things. Now I just have to sit and wait for the proverbial shoe to drop; the big bad that almost always follows the short-lived good.
“So, Coop, did you know you were invited to dinner under false pretenses?” I continue to tease.
He scoots in his chair in a manner that signifies I have his full attention. “Do tell,” he says, eyebrows raising.
“Aunt Maggie only invited you over so she can grill you about being a traveler,” I pretend to whisper, knowing full well she’s within earshot.
“Etta! Don’t tell tales. You know I adore Cooper and he always has an open invitation to dine with us.”
Cooper laughs. “I’ll say this, ma’am. If dinner is half as good as it smells, I’m liable to tell you anything you want to know.”
You can see the pride in my aunt’s face. If given a choice, I’m sure she’d love to have her own cooking show on The Food Network—if it exists in this reality, that is. Not only is she a great cook, but even in her mid-fifties, she’s still a pretty good looking lady. The cameras would love her.
• • •
“So, how was school today?” Cooper and I retreat to the backyard after dinner. I’m starting to feel more comfortable out here than I do in my other favorite room in the house, the kitchen. Besides, it also offers us the much needed privacy for our discussions. We take our seat on the chaise lounge, which I’m starting to think of as ‘our’ chair. I know it’s corny, but that’s what happens when you have a major crush. You start to think silly things like that.
“Oh, the usual. Same old, same old.” What’s the point of telling him how crappy my day actually was? Getting bullied by Jenny and having your quasi-boyfriend mad at you just sounds so trivial compared to real problems, like Jaime missing.
He studies me for a second. “Didn’t look that way over dinner. Looks like you kinda had a rough day. Maggie told me you broke up with your boyfriend.”
I cross my eyes at him. “Alex wasn’t really my boyfriend and you know it. I just simply told him we needed to take a break that’s all.”
“A break huh? This doesn’t have anything to do with what I told you Friday night does it? About us being married? Because I told you that being with Alex doesn’t change our future together.”
Even though he insists that any relationships I have now in the present doesn’t affect the timeline, I know he’s still jealous over me dating Alex. So, I don’t know if he’s messing with me or not. It’s hard to tell sometimes with Cooper. “Of course not! I’ve just had
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