Read Online Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot - Free Book Online Page B

his hoodie and backpack into a heap on the floor.
    “He also asked me if you were going out with anyone. Ha. As if.”
    Vere shook her head and gave him her most scathing glare, refusing to let him tease her about her crush. “ Mom! Charlie’s too cheap to call me on his cell and text messages have a really long delay at the school. And he knows it!”
    “I only have eight hundred minutes of text-and-talk time each month. Bought by me and not budgeted for you,” Charlie whispered as he stalked past her, heading for the fridge.
    She followed, grabbing the orange juice first. “Seriously? That’s why you didn’t text me?”
    “Yes, seriously.” Charlie took the juice carton right out of her hand, opened it and took five, huge gulps. “I’m not made of money.” He smacked his lips and slobbered on the spout as though he were making out with it or something. Charlie was famous for this move. “Mmm. Mmm. My juice.”
    “You are so disgusting.” She hid a smile.
    “I know, right?” He grinned.
    The door to the fridge hung wide open while Charlie held out the carton, wiggled his eyebrows ridiculously, and invited her to take it. “Want some? I’m done.”
    “ Mom! ” Vere reached around him and took out a cold water bottle. “Charlie’s contaminated the whole juice carton!”
    “Guys! Come in here, please.” Her mom’s voice drifted in from the front living room.
    “Coming!” Vere motioned to Charlie. “After you, big brother.”
    “Hell no. You go first. Figure out what hellish project she has in mind and report back.” Charlie dove into a bag of pretzels.
    “Do I look stupid?”
    Charlie fluttered his eyelashes. “Do you really want me to answer that? Because I will.”
    She rolled her eyes.
    He noisily gulped the last of the juice and packed five pretzels into his mouth. “Ready?” he said spitting bits of dry pretzel out of his mouth on purpose.
    “Let’s agree to stick together. No matter what it is.”
    “Deal.” More pretzel dust flew in all directions.
    Vere was about to crack up. The guy could disgustingly, charm anyone out of being angry, even her.
    They headed single file toward the front of the house. “Hey, Mom! “ Charlie hollered down the hallway. “Vere tried to get a boyfriend today. Howie told me she fully propositioned Curtis in the science lab. She turned all red and purple. Offered to clock him and drag him back to her cave. She even got her cell phone put on probation!” He laughed.
    “Lies! Rumors,” Vere gasped out, horrified the news of how she’d made a fool out of herself had already spread.
    Most probably that’s what he and Curtis had been talking about on the ride home, not about her. Not if she was dating anyone, that’s for sure.
    “Stop teasing me about Curtis. You know I’ve sworn not to like him anymore. For real.” She launched onto his back and pummeled his shoulders.
    “Please.” Charlie hooted, securing her legs. “Despite your first failed make out session, and even though you don’t believe me—and even though I think he’s nuts to consider you—I’m pretty positive the guy is tracking you on the crush radar. He did ask me about you on a serious level today. HE DID.”
    Vere landed a good karate chop between his shoulder blades, but her brother was so huge he didn’t even flinch. “Just shut up about him. It’s not funny. You know I’m broken where he’s concerned. Even if he asked, it’s not going to happen.”
    He stopped and spoke over his shoulder. “I wish you wouldn’t think that about yourself. You just need a little practice. Curtis told me you had a whole conversation this afternoon. A cute conversation. I puked when he described it.”
    She stopped punching him, and tried to keep her elation—her hope—out of her voice. “Honest? He did?” she whispered.
    “He did. You have potential, but you first have to believe you have potential. I’m going to help you work on this. After I make you puke for