Read Online Perfectly Hopeless by Holly Hood - Free Book Online Page B

shimmery lip-gloss. “I thought we agreed on eleven.”
     
    He dropped his head in defeat. “You got me.”
     
    She brought her hands to her hips, poking one leg forward. Her smile as bright as the sunshine pounding down on him, he ran a hand down the back of his neck, amused she was teasing him about being three minutes late.
     
    “ I always thought you were such the gentleman.” She smiled sweetly, coming down the steps. And instead of their usual greeting, she moved in, wrapping her arms around his torso. The sweet smell of her hair and perfume tickling his nose, he immediately did the same, squeezing her tightly.
     
    “ I never said I was gentle. And most days I don’t feel to manly.” He grinned as they broke apart.
     
    Maven’s father opened the screen door. He stepped onto the porch. He was a lot sterner then Henri anticipated. A tall muscular frame, arms as big as tree trunks. He wasn’t the man to mess with, Henri could see that. His eyes narrowed and he jutted his chin forward staring at the two of them. Maven quickly put a space between them.
     
    “ Hey, Dad.” She waved.
     
    “ You two heading on down to help with the painting?” He settled into the rocking chair, his mass dwarfing the chair. The sunlight made his wavy brown hair glisten, and also showed the hints of silver sprinkled around in it. He had a fair complexion and deep blue eyes that were always analyzing his surroundings.
     
    Henri looked at Maven before he opened his mouth to reply. “Yes,sir.”
     
    His dark eyebrows knitted together sizing him up further. A boy with manners this was new. Jake hardly called him his own name. He was used to bro or dude . He leaned back in his chair, a small grin creeping up on his face as he shook out the newspaper that only seconds before was lying at his feet.
     
    Maven shook her head. “You can call him Grant. He’s not as mean as he looks I swear.”
     
    Henri refused to believe this. Grant looked meaner then he looked. And the way he watched his daughter told him he cared a great deal about her and her happiness. He could tell he didn’t trust just anyone with his family.
     
    “ You two have a good time. Tell Miss Lisa hello for me and your mother.”
     
    Maven agreed. She gave Henri the look before she turned on her heels and started down the sidewalk.
     
     
     
    “ Your dad is scary,” Henri said as they walked down the cobblestone road to get to Portwood square. It literally was the end of the line, the last bit of property owned by Portwood. A cul-de-sac strewn with willows, park benches and a little concession stand for drinks and food. And one aged barn that housed all the summer decorations.
     
    “ He’s so not.” She gave Henri a smile staring down at her feet. “He’s a doctor. And he is super nice to all his patients. He’s scarier to his us if anything.”
     
    Henri’s expression fell. Maven waved a hand. “I didn’t mean it that way. He’s a good man. He just… expects a lot from us kids.”
     
    “ That’s not so bad,” Henri said. “It’s good that your parents expect a lot from you. If they didn’t care who else would?”
     
    “ I understand that. But most kids my age don’t. A lot of people give us a hard time. I’ve been called a goodie goodie my entire life.” She shrugged. “I got used to it a long time ago though.”
     
    Henri couldn’t help but feel bad. “I’m sure your real friends didn’t think that right?”
     
    Maven laughed. She had no real friends. “The friends I had I no longer talk to. Ever since Jake and I broke up we haven’t spoke. They decided being friends with Jake was more important I suppose.”
     
    One time Maven had lots of friends. Friends she confided in, ones that spent the night at her house. The kind you called all hours of the day and night to gossip with, but soon that all changed. Soon an imaginary divide had her on a totally different level then everyone else. Her friends were no longer her