• thirteen •

“That library needs to be put to use.”

Rumor

The long dining room table was full, and it sounded as if there were also people in the kitchen. King had placed me beside Maeme and a lady who introduced herself as Annette Kingston. She was married to Barrett, and they were Storm’s parents. That much I could remember. The others, however, started to get confusing. Except for Ronan Salazar. King’s father. He was nothing like his son. In fact, he was intimidating and unfriendly-looking.

Maeme spoke to him as if he were one of the younger men she called the boys. He was her son after all, but it still surprised me. His icy gaze made me even more nervous than I already had been. I tried my best not to look in his direction, but it was hard because King was two seats over from him, and I found myself wanting to look at King. Even though he had dropped me off with Maeme and basically gone to the farthest end of the table away from me, not giving me a backward glance.

I tried not to think about it too much. Facing a crowd was something I had never been good with, even before Hill. But life with Hill had made it almost unbearable. I hated that about myself. I wanted to be normal. If only I could smile, have confidence, enjoy life instead of wanting to hide in the shadows and go unnoticed.

“Sorry I’m late! Traffic from Atlanta was a bitch,” a female said, and I turned my attention to the blonde walking into the room. She was stunning. As in thick, long platinum hair, big blue eyes, full, pouty pink lips.

“Language, Lela!” Maeme scolded.

The blonde swung her gaze to Maeme, and she smiled brightly. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied, and even her voice had a sexy timbre to it.

“I didn’t know you were coming, darling,” Annette Kingston said beside me. The pleased tone in her voice was clearly affection.

“I wanted to surprise you,” Lela replied, then walked over and bent down to kiss Annette on the cheek. “Surprise, Momma.”

Momma. Lela was Storm’s sister. Much younger sister, I guessed. She still had the youthful glow to her. Life hadn’t handed her any struggles yet. But then seeing as she belonged to this family, I wasn’t sure it ever would.

Lela then stepped over and wrapped her arms around Barrett Kingston’s neck and pressed a kiss to his head. “Hey, Daddy,” she said as he reached up and patted her arm.

She turned then, and her eyes locked on me. I saw the curiosity as she stood back up.

“A new face that I don’t know,” she said.

“This is Rumor,” her mother informed her. “She’s a guest of Maeme’s, staying out at the shotgun house for a while.” Then, Annette turned to me. “Rumor, this is my oldest daughter, Lela.”

Lela’s lips curled up on each side. “I wish I didn’t have to go back to Atlanta so soon.” She glanced over the table, then back to me. “Things should get interesting around here.”

“Go on and get you a plate. Nailyah and Teller are in the kitchen, eating with Birdie. There’s a stool left for you,” Maeme told Lela.

Lela beamed. “Birdie is here!”

“The brat hasn’t even come in here to see me yet. I didn’t know she was here,” King said, pushing back his chair and standing up.

Lela tilted her head and gave King a smile that made my stomach knot up. “Before she gets all your attention, I’d better get some.”

King walked over to Lela and wrapped an arm around her neck, then pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Come on, gorgeous. Tell me about college life,” he told her. “I want to hear all the good shit too.”

They left the room, and Annette sighed contentedly beside me. “I have all my kids home today.”

“Ah, Mom. I didn’t know you were expecting me to come visit,” Storm drawled. “I feel so wanted.”

“You have work to do,” Barrett replied. “You know what she means. You’re all in Madison. Not an invite to come to my house.”

“Barrett”—Annette’s voice sounded angry—“our son is always welcome at his home.”

“He eats our food and puts his feet on the goddamn furniture like he owns the place.”

“Barrett!” Maeme scolded. “The Lord’s name is never to be used in vain at my house. You know that.”

My gaze swung back to the door that King had walked through with Lela. I wondered who Birdie was and how long he would be gone. Then, I realized I was obsessing over it and tried to shut it out. This wasn’t my business. I had to remember not to dwell on King and what he did.

Conversation picked up again, and I took another bite of my food. The waffles were as delicious as King had promised, but I found myself missing my cottage, the more I sat there. I felt out of place. I kept my head down and finished my food, surprising myself with how much I had eaten. When King came back in the room, I heard him talking, but I didn’t look at him—or anyone for that matter.

“Ready to go check out the library?” King asked close to my ear.

I jerked my head, snapping up from being startled. I hadn’t known he had stood up, much less was behind me.

“Don’t scare her to death,” Maeme snapped at him. “Sneaking up on folks.”

I took the napkin from my lap and placed it on the empty plate, then stood up.

When I reached to pick up my plate, Maeme placed her hand over it. “No. Leave it. You go on with King and pick out as many books as you’d like. That library needs to be put to use.”

Ready to escape the room, I thanked her for the meal, then followed King from the room. This time, he didn’t touch my back, and I found that I missed that. When he had done it earlier, I’d felt secure. I couldn’t blame him for being careful not to touch me this time. I’d all but mauled him when Storm arrived. He was probably afraid I’d do it again.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked as we crossed the foyer and made our way over to the other side of the house.

I hadn’t enjoyed it, but I’d survived, unscathed.

“It was a lovely meal,” I replied.

“Sitting beside Annette was purposely organized by Maeme. She’s good with reading people and knowing what makes them comfortable.”

I thought back to the meal, and I could see that. She hadn’t pushed too much and had been careful to give me space, but not make me feel unwelcome.

“Whereas Luella—she was the blonde across from me, Wells’s mom—she’s got no fucking filter. Clueless to anyone else or anything unless it affects her.”

I hadn’t studied the table closely, but I had listened to conversations. I knew who he was talking about simply because her voice stood out. She’d been louder and very focused on herself.

“Annette was very nice,” I agreed.

King shot me a crooked grin, then opened the door we had stopped at. When he stepped back and waved his hand for me to enter, my eyes locked on the inside. Books covered the walls from floor to ceiling. There was even one of those rolling ladders attached so that you could reach the top shelf.

“This is amazing,” I breathed as I went past him and into the library.

Inhaling deeply, I felt a smile spread across my face so big that it hurt my still-sore lip. I didn’t care. I was happy. I was ecstatic. There were thousands of books in here. It would take me a decade to get through all of them. Not that I would be here that long, but the thought of a never-ending supply was the most wonderful thing I could think of.

“Fuck,” King muttered, and I spun around to see what was wrong.

He was studying me with a stunned look on his face. I wondered if my lip had started to bleed and reached up to check, but it felt fine.

“This makes you happy,” he said, and then a soft expression touched his face.

I nodded. “Yes, it does.” I let my eyes wander over the titles and colorful bindings. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. “Go on and take as much time as you’d like. Stay all day if you want to. If I’m gone when you’re done, Maeme will drive you back.”

Before I could respond, he was almost out the door. I opened my mouth to thank him and say goodbye, but he was already closing it behind him.

Had I done something wrong? Or was he just in a hurry?

It didn’t matter. I was here. In my own little heaven.