Read Online Sunset: 4 (Sunrise) by Karen Kingsbury - Free Book Online Page A

this, talk to me.” Dad paused, making eye contact with each of them. “Everyone has a right to an opinion, so I want to know.”
    Their mom had a Crock-Pot chicken and rice dinner going on the kitchen counter, so they set about the meal, and when they were seated around the dining room table, the conversation went in three main directions—basketball, football, and the auditions.
    Shawn and BJ kept things interesting by entertaining them with random facts, the way they often did. There were days when the craziness at their dinner table frustrated Bailey, testing her patience when she had something to talk to their parents about. But tonight their banter was a welcome distraction.
    Anything so her mind would steer clear of Tim or Cody.
    Her parents were talking in low tones about the position with the Colts and Connor was saying that he thought the Picks turned in their best auditions yet when Shawn jabbed his finger into the air. “Did you know,” he said to no one in particular, “a cheetah can run seventy miles per hour for seven hundred yards without stopping?” He had been fascinated with animal facts from the day he came home from Haiti six years ago, so no one at the table was truly surprised.
    “That right?” Dad stroked his chin twice and then turned back to his conversation.
    “This is better.” BJ pulled a book from beneath his chair. It was Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader , a gift he’d gotten from Shawn this past Christmas. “Take a guess how many calories are in the world’s largest burrito.” BJ held up his hand and shook his head. “Wait . . . don’t guess. You’ll never guess!”
    Ricky didn’t wait. “Four hundred thousand.”
    “Not four hundred thousand.” Justin rolled his eyes.
    “It could be.” Shawn giggled. “That’s how much Justin eats in a day.”
    “That’s how much you eat in an hour.” Justin volleyed back. He wasn’t serious, but he liked having the last word. Even though he wasn’t the oldest of their adopted siblings, he often acted like it. “I’ll bet it’s four hundred million.”
    BJ tossed his hands in the air and let them fall back to his lap. “Now you ruined it. I said not to guess!”
    “Okay, okay.” Justin laughed and elbowed BJ, who was sitting next to him. “Go ahead. It’s four hundred thousand, right?”
    Bailey felt a little sorry for BJ. He was the least excited about school or reading or studying, and at least now he was enthusiastic about something. Their parents weren’t really listening, so she gave Justin a mild warning look. “Let him tell us.”
    “I am.” Justin laughed, the way he always did when he didn’t want to get in trouble. He meant well, but he could sometimes take his teasing a little too far.
    BJ seemed to appreciate Bailey’s support. He sat a little taller in his chair. “Eighteen million calories! Can you believe it? There were two thousand tortillas and a thousand pounds of sour cream and lettuce. Eighteen million calories!”
    “That would be enough food for . . .” Connor looked up, doing the math in his head.
    “Eleven years!” BJ held up the book. “Says so right here.”
    The trivia took them through the meal and into the dishes and cleanup that followed. They watched a nature video about polar bears that night, and Shawn kept a running dialogue, reaffirming or commenting on half the facts provided by the show’s host. Again, Bailey welcomed the distraction.
    The younger boys went to bed around ten, and Bailey finished talking to her mom about seeing Tim at auditions and how that felt compared with how this spring might’ve played out without the theater company.
    After an hour, Connor took a chance and checked the CKT Web site. “It’s up!” He hovered over the keyboard.
    Bailey peeked over his shoulder. “Well? Are we there?”
    “Yes.” Connor pointed to the screen. “We’re on it! We both go from ten to two tomorrow!”
    Bailey felt relief, and immediately she was consumed by one