Read Online Tangled Thoughts by Cara Bertrand - Free Book Online Page B

room door, as she leaned over Carter and his unbuckled pants. I could still feel the breathless surprise that he’d followed me into the bathroom. Still feel the way he’d kissed me there, his lips on mine and trailing down…
    Amy was looking at me funny, at my neck. I realized I was tracing the path of his kisses with my hand and dropped it into my lap. In a calculated way she said, “You know he’s moved on.”
    â€œI’ve moved on too.”
    She tilted her head and looked again at where my fingers had brushed my neck, at the necklace tucked under my sweater. “See, I don’t quite think you have and I don’t—”
    â€œNorthbrook is his home,” I said, cutting her off. “This is mine. I’m not going back.”
    â€œOh-kay,” she dragged out. When I looked back at her, she repeated it, softer now and with more understanding. “Okay.” I wondered what my face looked like.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said, because that’s what I always said when I disappointed someone, including myself.
    Amy shook her head. “It’s okay. I
don’t
understand”—she held up a hand to keep me from interrupting again—“but I don’t have to. It’s your decision.”
    â€œThank you.” Without warning, I hugged her, a load of tension slipping off my shoulders.
    Amy hugged me back. “Thank you, too. For taking care of me.”
    I thought that would be it, she’d said her piece and would be ready to leave, but Amy bit her lip, hesitating again. “What is it? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
    Her curls bounced when she shook her head. “No! Just…listen, okay?” she started, and I knew exactly what she wanted to talk about.
    â€œGoodbye, Amy,” I said, turning back toward the fireplace before she could say anything more.
    Behind me, I heard her shuffle. “Okay, I get it, you don’t want to talk about him either, but have you considered maybe you were
meant
to meet Jack. He’s
like
you. He’s someone you could be yourself with,
everything
about you. Isn’t that a
good
thing?” She paused, waiting for me to respond or for her words to sink in, I didn’t know. When I didn’t say anything, she sighed. “Okay. Bye, Lane. Just think about it, okay?”
    I didn’t move until the door closed behind her and I flopped down on my couch. Everything from last night to Amy’s last words raced through my head. I hadn’t wanted to think about it, but now I couldn’t think about anything else.
    All I’d wanted to do was forget, to be
free
, from Sententia and from everything. But how could I be free from who I was? Maybe that was just a foolish dream. I fell asleep there in my living room and dreamed of Jack Kensington instead.

Chapter Eight
    Carter
    F lying sucked. In the time it took me to pry my fingers off the arm rest, Alexis was already wheeling her—surprisingly—compact bag down the aisle with one hand while dialing a car service with the other. It was obvious to anyone watching she’d been born holding her passport, ready to be stamped. Just another of the considerable differences between us.
    â€œI still can’t believe that was your first time,” she said, as she zoomed around slower-moving travelers in the concourse. “I mean, you’re
twenty
years old.”
    â€œI thought you’d be happy to be my first partner for
something
.”
    â€œHa! Who’s funny now? Did you get your little set of wings from the Captain? You were a
very
good boy on the flight.”
    She didn’t ask if I’d liked it, the flying. I’m sure the answer was obvious. Being cooped up and powerless were not high on my list of enjoyable activities. I didn’t look forward to doing it again in a few days. But for now, I was home, or almost.
    An hour into the two hour ride from Boston, Alexis’s hand