Earning Edie (Espinoza Boys #1) (3 page)

His dark hair was short, but neatly styled, and his fitted T-shirt and dark-wash jeans hugged his body perfectly. He was lean, rather than bulky, but with enough muscle definition to show when he leaned back on his elbows and his shirt stretched tighter.

I liked his eyes best, though, a deep blue that contrasted vividly against his olive-toned skin.

In a word: gorgeous.

“Why so glum tonight?” he asked. “The only time you smiled was when I called Carlos a dick. Did he do something to you?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I just had a bad day.”

“Why’s that?”

He stared at me so intently, and with such sincere interest, the words slipped free before I could think them through.

“No one came to my graduation today.”

I shrugged, trying to play off how much it bothered me.

“It’s pretty typical of my parents, actually. They’ve missed a lot of special occasions, but I was really hoping this one would be different, you know?”

“Out of town?”

I shook my head and sighed. “No, they just—” I stopped abruptly and glanced at him. “You don’t need to hear all this.”

“Actually, I’d like to hear it,” he said, leaning in close and lowering his voice. “And, it seems like maybe you’d like to tell it.”

Maybe it was the alcohol loosening my tongue, or maybe I just needed to vent. But I told him my whole sad life story.

At first, I talked about my disappointment with graduation. But he kept asking questions, and he was so easy to talk to, that before I knew it I’d given him a rundown of every birthday my parents had missed, every school concert. Even the story of my parents’ divorce, and the strain with my mom ever since I chose to live with my dad.

I went on and on, taking breaks only to gulp down the rest of my drink. And he soaked it all in, never interrupting, always listening intently.

When I finished, I felt drained but also lighter. As though I’d been carrying a burden of bitterness for so long, I didn’t realize it had made it hard to breathe.

“Wow,” he said when I finally fell silent, my throat a little sore from talking so much. “That is some story.”

“Sorry. I’ve probably bored you.”

“Nah, I’d like to hear more. Like your name, maybe.”

“Oh,” I laughed and held out a hand to shake, trying to ignore the flutters in my stomach when his fingers brushed my palm. “I’m Edie Mason. And you?”

“Nick,” he said as he pumped my hand with exaggerated enthusiasm and a grin that made my heart skip.

“Edie’s an unusual name. You spell that with a Y?”

“No, it’s i-e. E-D-I-E,” I said. “So, would you like to share your sob story now? It’s what drunk people do, apparently.”

“Ah, but you forgot,” he said with a slight smile, “I’m not drunk; you are. So why don’t you tell me more? Is your mother remarried too?”

“What are you, training to be a bartender?”

He laughed and nudged me with his shoulder. “No, really, I’m interested.”

I didn’t pause to consider why he wanted my story. It was just nice to have someone interested. So, I rolled my eyes at him good-naturedly and kept answering his questions until Lily arrived.

I didn’t notice her presence on the stairs until she tapped my shoulder.

“Edie, we’re getting ready to leave.”

I looked up. “Oh. Already?”

Lil rolled her eyes. “It’s 2 a.m., and Samantha’s got to work early tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Time had flown by while I talked to this guy.
Nick.

He stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet, where I swayed for a moment before catching my balance against the wall.

“I’m Nick,” he supplied to Lily. “Edie and I were just talking about graduation.”

“Uh-hmm,” Lily said noncommittally. “And will Edie ever see you again?”

“Lil! He doesn’t have to see me again.”

Lil thought I was naive, and Nick was looking to take advantage. As if a guy that good-looking would actually pursue me.

Nick just grinned at Lily as if he knew exactly what she was about.

“I’m sure Edie and I will meet again,” he said. “At any rate, she can figure out how to find me.”

To my disappointment — but not surprise — he didn’t offer a phone number or ask for mine.  He started down the stairs.

“What’s that mean?” Lily called after him, but he didn’t answer.

“Oh, well, let’s get you out of here. You can sleep over at my house, so you don’t go home drunk,” Lily said, helping me down the stairs.

Chapter 3

Headline
: The Lonely Graduate

Subhead
: Time to get a new family
Byline
: By Nick Espinoza
Lead
:
We’ve come to associate high school graduation with a lot of things: growing up, becoming independent, moving on to the next chapter of our lives. We’ve also come to associate it with applause and cheering and congratulations from friends and family.

But one graduate in Friday’s ceremony faced this milestone alone. One lonely graduate had no one in the audience to cheer for her, no hugs waiting in the crowd. Because her family didn’t go.

Think about it. They weren’t out of town. They didn’t have prior commitments.

They. Just. Didn’t. Go.

EDIE

“Nice of you to finally come home.”

I jumped, surprised to see Debra sitting in the armchair just inside the living room. At 11 a.m. on a Monday, I didn’t expect her to be home, but she must have taken an early lunch.

After the party, I’d spent the weekend at Lily’s nursing a hangover.

“I called and left a message. Didn’t you get it?”

Debra snatched up a copy of a newspaper, lying on the end table, and marched over to me with her mouth in a stern line.

“Yep. I don’t know why you bothered considering you obviously have no respect for me or your father.”

“What—“

She thrust the newspaper in my face, narrowly missing my nose. I leaned back, attempting to focus on the type.

“The lonely graduate?” she spit. “Time to get a new family?”

My mouth dropped open, and I grabbed the paper so I could read the text. Debra continued the tirade as I attempted to process what I was seeing.

“You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

I tuned her out as I stared at the headline and byline below it. When I spotted the columnist photo, I gasped.

Nick
.

A sense of horror spread as I read the first few lines of the column.

“Oh no. No, no. I didn’t know!”

His last name was Espinoza? As in … related to Carlos Espinoza? It would explain why he’d come out of a bedroom upstairs, rather than from the party below. I should have realized.

Thinking back to my conversation with Nick, I felt so stupid. How could I have thought he was actually interested in my pity party? He’d seemed so sincere, but my judgment had obviously been skewed. He’d been looking for a story, and I’d given it to him.

“Didn’t know what? That you were insulting your parents for the paper? That you were treating your father like crap?” Deb shook her head. “I’ve told Paul for years he was being too easy on you. That you were spoiled. And here’s the proof!”

“Being too easy on me?” I asked in disbelief. “I was a straight-A student. I never got into trouble. Why would he need to punish me?”

“You’re disrespectful—“

“Maybe you never earned my respect!” I blurted, instantly regretting it when her eyes narrowed.

“What’s going on here?”

We both turned to see my father glowering from the hallway. Judging by his wild hair and sleep-creased face, he’d been napping.

“Edie was just informing me that I have to earn her respect,” Debra said, crossing her arms and looking at my father pointedly.

I hated when they teamed up on me.

“Dad, she basically called me an ungrateful brat!” I exclaimed before he had a chance to back her up.

Dad leaned heavily on his cane, his eyes disappointed. “Well, when the shoe fits—“

“Oh, please!”

“You disappointed me, Edie. I understand you were upset, but instead of talking out your feelings with us, you went blabbing to some stranger, and now the whole town thinks we’re shitty parents!”

His voice became progressively louder, and I realized Dad was angrier than I expected. I kind of thought he’d be the peacemaker while Debra and I duked it out.

I was wrong.

My mouth opened and shut as tears welled up. My dad was so even-keeled, it was completely unnerving to see him lose his temper.

“If the shoe fits …” I mumbled.

“What was that?” he bellowed, his face turning red.

Debra was surprisingly quiet, watching my father yell at me with a stunned expression.

“Nothing, Dad. Nothing I say matters anyway.”

“You’ve got some nerve, mouthing off after what you did. You’re 18. I don’t have to let you live here.”

“Paul,” Debra said uncertainly. “Maybe we should all cool down.”

“No, he’s right,” I said, my voice wavering with tears. “You’ve always felt like you
had
to let me live here. Not like you wanted me here because you loved me. I was an imposition. And I’m done. You want me gone? Fine. I’m gone!”

I rushed down the hall toward my bedroom, with my father yelling after me.

“Go! Don’t bother coming back until you grow up, Edie!”

I didn’t have boxes to pack everything I owned, nor did I have the time. I wanted out of the house as quickly as possible. So, I grabbed the few possessions I didn’t want to leave behind — my Harry Potter books, my stash of spending money, and a stuffed lamb Lily had given to me when I was 7.

Debra stopped in my bedroom doorway while I hurriedly packed, pausing only to wipe at the tears that wouldn’t stop pouring down my face.

“Your father’s just angry.”

“He’s not the only one.” I grabbed a duffel from my closet and started shoving in T-shirts, shorts and underwear.

“You seem to have that in common. Easygoing until your top blows off,” Debra said. “You’ll regret this moment one day, and when you’re ready to apologize, he’ll forgive you.”

I straightened, loaded down with my belongings, and turned toward the door.

“Maybe I’m not the one who needs forgiveness.”

I had plenty more I could say: that I’d only wanted a sign they cared; that they’d hurt me by treating me as an afterthought; that other people besides me clearly thought it was wrong, too.

But the words were locked inside, trapped by my anger and my fear. Even now, as I left the house, I couldn’t face down Debra or my father. It was a miracle I’d blurted as much as I had in those first few flashes of anger.

And it hadn’t helped anyway.

I brushed past Debra and headed for the back door so I wouldn’t have to see my dad on the way out.

“Eventually you’ll realize not everything revolves around you,” she said, as she followed me. Of course, she had to have the last word.

“The whole world is unfair, Edie. Do you think it’s fair your father lives in all that pain? Someday you’ll grow up, and realize that as long as you continue whining about it instead of living your life, you’ll never be happy.”

I closed the door before she could offer any more worldly wisdom, and ran down the steps. But once I reached the sidewalk, I paused, unsure of where to go.

Going to my mom’s was the logical choice, even if I didn’t relish the idea of living in a small, rundown mobile home crammed with all of Ray’s junked technology in various stages of repair.

I walked the few blocks to her place, taking the time to stop at a convenience store and buy a copy of the newspaper.

My mom would be angry about the column, too, but she wasn’t a subscriber and probably hadn’t seen it. Even so, I’d have to explain why I needed a place to stay, so I’d have to meet this one head-on.

My bag strap dug into my shoulder the whole way, and I clutched a few items that wouldn’t fit in the bag. The short walk took longer than usual, because I had to stop every few feet when I dropped something or had to readjust my grip.

Finally, I reached Mom’s trailer park. Unlike Dad’s neighborhood, the lawns here were patchy, a mottled mix of grass, weeds and dirt. Some of the yards contained sun-bleached toys and rusted bikes, but Mom’s yard was clear of debris. Her porch was another matter, sagging under boxes full of motherboards and other parts for the computers Ray repaired and sold.

I sat my things down by the first step, and then edged through a narrow space to knock on the door. I waited a few minutes, then knocked again.

Mom wasn’t a morning person; I knew that. Ray’s beat-up blue pickup was in the drive, so they were home.

After I pounded a third time, Mom opened the door in her nightgown. She looked out at me, then at all my stuff on the ground.

“No, Edie,” she said before I could explain. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Your dad called me. I know all about you badmouthing me in the newspaper.”

“I wasn’t trying to hide it from you,” I said, handing her my copy of the paper. “I brought it so you could read it. And so I could explain.”

Mom took the paper and skimmed through the first few paragraphs.

“Well, you’ve really made us look terrible, haven’t you?” she said quietly.

I felt more afraid of this calm side of Mom than the volatile reaction I’d expected.

“Mom?” I said hesitantly. “I didn’t know he was a reporter. I didn’t know he would write it in the paper. It was just a conversation.”

“Still, it’s what you think of us, isn’t it?”

I glanced around, noticing a curious neighbor watching from across the street.

“Can’t I please come in?”

“No,” Mom said. “Leaving your dad to come here won’t solve anything. Besides, you know how cramped it is.”

“
Seriously
? Don’t you even care what happens to me?” I asked, hot tears pricking at the back of my eyes.

“Stop right there. Before you go and chalk this up to another example of your parents treating you bad, you hear me out.

“I don’t want you living here, because if everything in this article is true, then you aren’t happy living with us. I think it would be best for you to figure out what does make you happy, Edie. Because we’ve tried, and obviously failed.”

I opened my mouth to argue, then shut it again. Mom was right. I didn’t want to live with her and Ray. It’s like they always say, there’s no going home again. And this particular home I’d lost long before Nick Espinoza wrote about me in the newspaper.

I didn’t know where that left me. Except homeless.

Panic made my heart stutter in my chest. I’d assumed Mom would take me back anytime I needed. She hadn’t wanted me to leave for my dad’s three years ago, and I’d taken it for granted I’d always have a home with her.

Where could I go now? Lily’s home was packed to the gills with her college-bound siblings home for the summer. She didn’t have to tell me things were tight over there financially, as well.

I went down the steps to pick up my bag, slinging it over my shoulder.

“Well, I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you,” I said, my voice hollow to my own ears. “Guess I’ll see you later.”

I turned and crossed the yard, taking a shortcut toward the trailer park exit. When I looked back, the front door was closed and my mother was nowhere to be seen.

Pulling out my cell phone, I called Lily for lack of a better idea. Maybe she could think of a solution I hadn’t.

I didn’t like the options that came to mind.

I could rent an apartment, but it’d quickly deplete the small savings I had for college. I assumed with everything that happened I wouldn’t have any help from my parents, and I’d already suspected as much with my dad dodging the conversation at every turn.

Theoretically, I could couch surf with other friends, except I didn’t really have any. Ditto for other family members. They all lived in other states.

I could stay in a shelter, but my skin crawled just thinking of it.

I hoped Lily would have a solution, because I didn’t. With every second, I regretted the fight with my father, especially that I’d made it so easy for him to kick me out. I’d practically volunteered.

“Hey, it’s me,” I said when she answered her cell.

“What’s wrong?”

Just hearing her concerned voice, the first person to show any care for my feelings, had the tears rushing to my eyes.

“I got in a fight with Dad and Debra, and they sort of kicked me out.”

“After missing your graduation? Those assholes!” Lily was instantly in best friend defense mode.

“The fight was kind of about that, in a roundabout way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll explain later. I was wondering, um … can pick me up? I know I was just there, but maybe I could come over and we could brainstorm? Just for a while. I, uh … my mom won’t let me stay there, either, and I’m not really sure what to do.”

“Oh my God, of course! Where are you?”

“Walking by Gas-N-Go by my mom’s house.”

I heard Lil mumble something in the background, and then she was back.

“We’ll be right there. I’m out hitting garage sales with Mom. We’ll pick you up in 5.”