Read Online Tied - Part Three (The Tied Series) by Ellen Callahan - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellen Callahan
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and kissed him before the doors could open. “I’ll miss you,” I said quietly, searching his eyes.
“I’ll miss you too,” he said, his voice low. A sadness settled over his face. I’d have to ask Alexa and Mallet to check on him and to make sure he didn’t just stare at the walls all night. “Have a good visit.”
He patted my ass when I turned to go. I giggled and scampered off to catch the elevator before it left me behind. I took that as another good sign. Every hint of playfulness, every glimpse of the old, fun Lockett, I clung to like a tiny thread of hope. I needed him to be okay. We need him . I rested my hands on my belly. We .
Big Mike picked me up at the train station when I arrived in Connecticut. He seemed happy enough - or at the very least, content. He whistled along with the radio as he drove us to the house.
Shockingly, my mother was smiling when I walked inside. Even more surprising, she looked like she’d lost a little weight. What was going on? Was the woman actually happy or something?
“We’re going out to dinner tonight,” she announced. She reached out with both hands and rubbed my shoulders. Damn . That was as affectionate as she’d ever been, even when we were kids.
“You look good,” I said, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. “You look… happy.”
“Yes, well…” she held out her left hand, revealing a modest diamond ring.
“Oh, wow! Congrats!” I exclaimed. That explains it . “When did this happen?” Isn’t it a little soon? Doesn’t he still not have a job? If she was happy, though, I was more than willing to go with it.
“Last weekend,” she said, “We were at a beer festival.”
“How appropriate,” I said, intending for it to sound like a tease. She frowned.
“Don’t get on your high horse. Not all of us have a problem handling our liquor.”
It hit me like a slap. I tried to school my face into stillness but I flinched. Mom’s usual smug expression returned. Some things will never change .
“We’re going to have a summer wedding,” she went on, “And everyone had damn well better be there. I mean everyone. I want to rub it in your father’s face.”
“Sounds fun,” I mumbled.
“You look off,” Mom said, frowning, “Are you sick?”
She knows. Moms always know . “I’m fine. Dinner?”
Big Mike finally piped up. “Friend of mine just opened up a new crab place. Benny’s Crab Shack.Thought we’d give that a try.”
“Sounds good,” I said. It didn’t. Shellfish - or hell, any fish - wasn’t sounding very appealing. But I was ready to get out of the house. I hadn’t even put my bag down and I was ready to leave. I should never have left Lockett. I shouldn’t have come .
○●○●○●○●○
The all-encompassing salt-water seafood smell of the restaurant made my stomach turn before we even stepped inside. Once we were seated, I was afraid I wouldn’t even be able to make myself eat.
I also couldn’t shake the feeling that I was indirectly funding this outing. I had come up to pay a few bills, hadn’t I? Maybe Big Mike’s buddy will give us the family discount .
It was a nice place, though. Everything was new and clean. It had a sort of vintage sailor theme to the decor and big windows facing the beach. I tried to calm my nerves and just enjoy the atmosphere, even if I couldn’t enjoy the food.
“You look a little green,” Mom commented. She and Big Mike dug into their pails of crab legs. “What’s wrong with you?”
I wrinkled my nose. I’d ordered a burger but hadn’t touched it yet. “The smell’s a little strong, don’t you think?”
“It’s seafood,” Big Mike said with a shrug, “Doesn’t smell bad. Smells normal enough to me.”
“You’re not gonna be sick, are you?” Mom asked. I shook my head. She scoffed. “Then what are you, pregnant?” I felt the color drain out
“I’ll miss you too,” he said, his voice low. A sadness settled over his face. I’d have to ask Alexa and Mallet to check on him and to make sure he didn’t just stare at the walls all night. “Have a good visit.”
He patted my ass when I turned to go. I giggled and scampered off to catch the elevator before it left me behind. I took that as another good sign. Every hint of playfulness, every glimpse of the old, fun Lockett, I clung to like a tiny thread of hope. I needed him to be okay. We need him . I rested my hands on my belly. We .
Big Mike picked me up at the train station when I arrived in Connecticut. He seemed happy enough - or at the very least, content. He whistled along with the radio as he drove us to the house.
Shockingly, my mother was smiling when I walked inside. Even more surprising, she looked like she’d lost a little weight. What was going on? Was the woman actually happy or something?
“We’re going out to dinner tonight,” she announced. She reached out with both hands and rubbed my shoulders. Damn . That was as affectionate as she’d ever been, even when we were kids.
“You look good,” I said, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. “You look… happy.”
“Yes, well…” she held out her left hand, revealing a modest diamond ring.
“Oh, wow! Congrats!” I exclaimed. That explains it . “When did this happen?” Isn’t it a little soon? Doesn’t he still not have a job? If she was happy, though, I was more than willing to go with it.
“Last weekend,” she said, “We were at a beer festival.”
“How appropriate,” I said, intending for it to sound like a tease. She frowned.
“Don’t get on your high horse. Not all of us have a problem handling our liquor.”
It hit me like a slap. I tried to school my face into stillness but I flinched. Mom’s usual smug expression returned. Some things will never change .
“We’re going to have a summer wedding,” she went on, “And everyone had damn well better be there. I mean everyone. I want to rub it in your father’s face.”
“Sounds fun,” I mumbled.
“You look off,” Mom said, frowning, “Are you sick?”
She knows. Moms always know . “I’m fine. Dinner?”
Big Mike finally piped up. “Friend of mine just opened up a new crab place. Benny’s Crab Shack.Thought we’d give that a try.”
“Sounds good,” I said. It didn’t. Shellfish - or hell, any fish - wasn’t sounding very appealing. But I was ready to get out of the house. I hadn’t even put my bag down and I was ready to leave. I should never have left Lockett. I shouldn’t have come .
○●○●○●○●○
The all-encompassing salt-water seafood smell of the restaurant made my stomach turn before we even stepped inside. Once we were seated, I was afraid I wouldn’t even be able to make myself eat.
I also couldn’t shake the feeling that I was indirectly funding this outing. I had come up to pay a few bills, hadn’t I? Maybe Big Mike’s buddy will give us the family discount .
It was a nice place, though. Everything was new and clean. It had a sort of vintage sailor theme to the decor and big windows facing the beach. I tried to calm my nerves and just enjoy the atmosphere, even if I couldn’t enjoy the food.
“You look a little green,” Mom commented. She and Big Mike dug into their pails of crab legs. “What’s wrong with you?”
I wrinkled my nose. I’d ordered a burger but hadn’t touched it yet. “The smell’s a little strong, don’t you think?”
“It’s seafood,” Big Mike said with a shrug, “Doesn’t smell bad. Smells normal enough to me.”
“You’re not gonna be sick, are you?” Mom asked. I shook my head. She scoffed. “Then what are you, pregnant?” I felt the color drain out
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