Underneath It All
viest when she stepped
small cluttered with medical bills, a worn out couch, and her father's crutches leaning against the wa
o the kitchen. The refrigerator hummed softly as she opened it,
h. But
ce floated from the nex
Dad. It
s. The sight still stung. Once, her father had been larger than life-str
said, easing himself in
. help someone with a project." She didn't mention who her father
doing too much, Ava. You
cracked the eggs into a bo
school, work, and keeping everything a
ftly. "I'm proud of
t tightened
eing proud didn'
-
n his father's gleaming office
ffs of his tailored suit. "Your grades are already an emba
The city skyline stretched behind his father's desk gl
ng it," he
y what? Chasing after some sch
ed. "I'm not c
te your time with? I need you focused. You will graduate at the top of y
n mapped out before he was old enough to speak. And no matte
leb repeated, biting back th
of cold satisfaction. "Good
-
he kitchen counter as s
Hey. Yo
ands dry and ty
, just ti
licated. Can w
ated? Grace rarely k
se. Library
You're
t a small knot of worr
-
a shifts at Page & Quill and late nights finishing research, she barely
in the library Monday afternoon
s late," she said,
ogance, but something about the way he leaned
pulling out her notebook.
ainst paper. But Caleb was distracted-fidgeting with his pen, tappi
ldn't s
id finally. "W
, surprise
acting
ugh. "You're observant
an eyebro
uch to say. Finally, he sighed. "Let's just say... my
ck. "And that
, I've been told what to do. Who to be. My mistakes aren't just mine-they're h
or a brief, startling moment, Ava saw the tru
ising in her throat. "Th
tterly. "You
ment asked softly, "What do you want, Caleb
ing real flickered in his expression longin
ng myself that
have an ans
-
tting by their usual spot in the
liding into the sea
p. "You know Dan
all, charming, and captain
y. "We... kissed. At t
. Daniel Scott kissed you? W
cheeks flushing. "But... I think I like
"Then maybe it's
ek, Grace laughed. "You'r
le, a small ache tugged at her heart. It
g harder
-
he hall, Isabella M
e with her?" Isabella demanded,
completely unbothered. "It
voice was low, venomous. "She doesn't
"I don't need your
d coldly.
he sinking feeling that Isabella Mon
by a