Read Online Promise by Kristie Cook - Free Book Online

Already?! But I like it here!
    "Mom?" I asked shakily. She came into the
hallway, pulling her door closed. "What's the suitcase for? Are we
leaving already?"
    "I'm just going out of town for a couple
days," she said. She sounded more relaxed than she had in days or
weeks.
    Whew . But then I realized what that
meant.
    "You're leaving me? Alone?" She'd
never left me alone overnight.
    "I'm…going to a booksellers' convention. My
first holiday season's coming. I need to make sure I know
everything I should be doing." She spoke quickly and wouldn't look
directly at me. She lied, but I didn't know why. "Owen said he can
work today and come in at one tomorrow and close up, if you can
open the store and stay until then. Of course, we're closed Sunday
and I'll be back Sunday night."
    "No problem," I mumbled, following her into
the kitchen. I wasn't worried about having to work. It was being
alone that scared me. What if they find me and I'm all
alone? I fought a shudder.
    "Thanks, hon." She picked up her travel mug
and planted a kiss on my forehead, before turning back toward the
hallway. "Call Owen if you need anything—his number's on the
fridge."
    She stopped and turned back into the
kitchen.
    "Do me a favor, please? Keep your distance
from Tristan at least until I get back? We can talk about it then,
okay?"
    I plopped into a chair and shrugged. I hadn't
planned on seeing him anyway. Except for that one time at the
coffee shop, I never saw him on weekends.
    "Please? Promise?" She nodded her head
slowly, part of her persuasion technique. Next, she would reach out
to touch my hand or arm.
    I glowered at her, refusing to let her get to
me. "No, Mom, I won't promise. It probably won't matter, but I
won't make a promise I don't want to keep."
    She didn't even try her next move.
    "Fine," she snapped. "I'll see you Sunday
night."
    She marched down the hallway and I heard the
suitcase roll over the tile floor, then the front door open. Almost
in a whisper, she said, "I love you."
    "I love you, too." The door closed and I
didn't know if she heard me.
    "Stay away from her, Tristan." Mom's harsh
order came through my open window.
    Tristan's here? I dashed to my room
and peeked out the window. He leaned against Mom's car as she
dropped her suitcase in the trunk. I stepped to the side so they
couldn't see me, which meant I could only listen and not watch.
    "She's not ready yet," Mom said.
    "You mean you're not ready yet."
Tristan's voice was also confident, but not cold like hers.
    "That, too."
    "It's out of your hands, Sophia."
    "We'll see about that." A second of
silence.
    "You're going to see them, aren't you?"
    Mom answered with her own question. "When was
the last time you saw your kin?"
    "I've never gone back and I never will."
Complete sureness in his voice, with that steely undertone, as if
he despised his family.
    "And you expect me to trust you ?"
    Tristan exhaled loudly. "You have to, don't
you?"
    "Why should I? She's my daughter , for
heaven's sake." Oh! She just blew our cover! My
breath caught and my hand flew to my mouth, afraid they heard.
    "It's time to let go, Sophia. I think she'll
be okay."
    "You think she'll be okay? I need more
than that, Tristan. I need one-hundred-percent surety."
    More silence. When Tristan spoke, his voice
was low and grim. "You know I can't give you that."
    " Exactly ." Her icy tone sent a chill
up my spine. I heard her car door slam, then the engine start. A
moment after she left, the motorcycle fired up and sped away.
    I threw myself on the bed and stared at the
ceiling. What the hell just happened? They apparently knew
each other, well enough that Tristan knew where Mom was really
going and Mom thought she couldn't trust him. And obviously, he
hadn't come to see me. What is going on with them?
    When I finally glanced at the clock, I
groaned. Class started ten minutes ago. Tristan was sitting in
women's studies, probably wondering where I was. And I wasn't sure
if I cared. I just didn't know what