Read Online Waiting for Wyatt (Red Dirt #1) by S.D. Hendrickson - Free Book Online Page B

sister went to college, and I had followed along with her as she moved closer to campus. And now, she was going to graduate with a double major in business and music education while I had a few credits that might get me into nursing school one day.
    “Emma? Are you getting out of the car or going to Talladega for a qualifying round?” Blaire looked at me from the driveway. My mother’s newly planted yellow flowers glowed like happy beacons from the flower bed behind her. Opening the car door, I stepped out in the driveway, feeling my knee jerk at the weight required to lift my body from the seat.
    “Can you just cut me some slack? I’ve had a rough day.”
    She studied me for a moment. Worried creases outlined her puffy lips. They were the same as mine, like someone had shot three pumps of collagen into each one. “Fine. Let’s do this girly shit. Why do you like him so much? There’s lots of guys out there with way less problems.”
    “I didn’t say I liked him.”
    “But you do. I feel it. And something happened today.”
    I let out a deep breath, sitting down on the front steps of the porch before going inside the house. “Wyatt told me not to come back.”
    “Why? Did he see you drive?”
    “ Blaire. ” My voice shot her a warning.
    “Okay, okay. So I guess you got into a fight.” She sat down on the front steps beside me. “What happened?”
    “I said some things that upset him. I pushed, and he didn’t like it very much.” I frowned, remembering all the words I’d spat at Wyatt. None of the angry words were that horrible, but for a guy who refused to come out of his trailer, I might as well have flung the whole book at him.
    “Like what?”
    “I yelled some things about Wyatt having cancer.”
    “He has cancer!” Her eyes got big. The serial killer had suddenly become human in her robot-functioning mind.
    “No, he doesn’t have cancer. I asked if he had cancer. And I may not have exactly asked. I may have yelled it at him as more of an accusation.”
    She snorted a laugh. “Wow. You really know how to help people. Don’t look into being a counselor.”
    “It’s not funny. The guy has problems.” I frowned at my sister thinking, So do you . “I just can’t figure out how to help him.”
    “Maybe you should listen to him and just leave him alone.”
    “I can’t.” I couldn’t possibly leave him alone at this point. “He needs me.”
    “Emma. You can’t help people who don’t want it. Whatever shit is going on with him, maybe you should just let it go and not get involved.”
    “It’s too late. I’m already involved. And I’m going back tomorrow.”
    “Really? After he threw you out?”
    “Yes. I screwed up. He needs help. And I have to keep trying. I have to fix this.”
    “Maybe you can’t fix him, Emma. Some shit can’t be fixed. Maybe he’s just a jackass. And there’s nothing actually wrong with him.”
    I leaned my head against the shoulder of my eccentric sister. She just didn’t get it. “I wish it was simple, but it’s not. At least, not anymore.”
    “So I guess that means you are ready to admit that you like like the jackass too?”
    I contemplated her question even though I already knew the answer. He was so awful at times, but something changed when he talked about his dogs. His voice came alive with compassion and understanding. There was a good person hiding behind the pain and anger. And maybe I was attracted to that person.
    Maybe. Just a little.
    But that wasn’t my motivation.
    “It’s not what you think,” I whispered.
    “Hmm. I don’t think you are supposed to fall for the people you are trying to help. That’s like a classic textbook violation or something.”
    “I know. That’s why I’m not getting involved with him.”
    “You are such a liar.”
    I decided not to argue with her. We sat on the steps for a few more minutes as I thought about Wyatt. I thought about him and the dogs. His lonely existence. I thought about where I went