Falling for the Ghost of You(15)

"Yup," I sigh. "And now everyone thinks I’ve lost my virginity. I can tell this is going to be an awesome year."

"Oh, V," she says comfortingly. "Most people think you lost it a long time ago, anyway."

Great. Thanks, Lauren. I can always count on my best friend to make me feel better.









Chapter 7



Mom is leaving for her honeymoon, and I don't want her to go!

"You can't overdo it," I tell her for the fifth time.

We're at the airport right now. Bill and Jane are here, too, but I ignore them.

"I'll be fine, Violet." Mom laughs. Her eyes are sparkling excitedly. She can't wait to get on that plane.

"And remember to stay away from anyone that looks sick. But even if they don't look sick, they could still—"

"Violet."

Mom stops my babbling by putting both hands on my cheeks. "We don't have to worry about that, anymore. I'm okay. In fact, I've never felt better in my life."

I stare into her shining eyes, seeing the happiness there—and I swallow all my words of caution. "Maybe I just don't want you to have too much fun without me."

Mom grins and squeezes my cheeks together. "You'll always be there in my thoughts," she says sweetly.

"I hope not always," I say through squished lips. "At least, not when you and Bill are getting it on."

"Violet!" Mom laughs and lets go of my face. She turns to Jane to hug her goodbye.

I look over at Bill who is standing there, fidgeting with his armful of electronic devices. I suppose he has them out and ready for when they go through security.

"Have a good trip, Bill," I say. "Send me lots of cool pictures."

He nods at me, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I will. I'll take care of her, too."

I tentatively pat his shoulder. "Thank you."

We all say our goodbyes, and then all too soon, Mom and Bill get in line at the security checkpoint. Both Jane and I are sniffing at this point.

"Doesn't Lily look so beautiful?" Jane sighs, staring dreamily after Mom.

I've always wondered if Jane had a thing for her. Sometimes, the way she looks at her...it's kinda like the way I used to look at Twinkies.

Or the way I stared at Zane...

“Well, kiddo,” Jane says, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “Looks like it’s just you and me. How do you feel about pizza and Ho Ho’s for dinner?”

“Jane,” I reply, looking at her. “I’m think I’m going to love staying with you.”



“Oh, my God, Violet. You can’t stay with me, anymore!”

I sit up from the couch I had been lying on. “Huh?”

Jane is pacing back in forth, cell phone in hand. Her bushy black hair is floating in a disheveled cloud around her head. “Emily’s going into labor right now,” she says tersely. “I have to go to her.”

My eyes widen in concern. Emily is her only daughter, pregnant with Jane’s first grandchild. “Isn’t she only six or seven months along?”

“Six and a half. I need to book a flight to Atlanta…oh, where did I put my purse?”

I point towards the kitchen. “I saw it on the counter, next to the microwave.”

“Thanks.” She stands there indecisively. “I don’t know what to do—I don’t know how long Emmy will need me to be with her. I guess I should call your mother. Or…is there anyone you can stay with?”

I bite my lip, thinking. I quickly discard Lauren from my prospects. Her apartment is way too crowded already, and her mom is really weird about people staying the night over there—I doubt she’d allow it. Who else did that leave? Not Matt’s, for obvious reasons. God, I don’t know. None of my relatives live close enough to Hidden Cove for it to even be feasible, and I’m not close enough friends with anyone else to ask. “Can’t I just stay here by myself?” I ask.

Jane mulls it over, but then quickly shakes her head. “No, no! The whole point of you staying here is so you wouldn’t be alone. Lily would freak. Oh, I hate to do it, but we don’t have a choice. I guess I’ll call her…”

“No, wait!”

There is no way I’m going to allow this to interrupt Mom’s dream vacation. And knowing her, she would immediately hop on a plane and head back home. I couldn’t let her do that.

“You know what? I can stay with Lauren,” I say quickly. “It’s totally fine. I can sleep on the couch, no problem.”

Jane hesitates. “Are you sure? Call her right now and ask.”

“Um…okay.”

I jump off the couch and grab my phone off the coffee table. Pretending to punch in her number, I walk towards the kitchen for privacy. Then, in case Jane is listening in, I pretend to have a conversation with Lauren, in which she agrees to let me stay at her place.