Shattered Rose (39 page)

He called me “kiddo.” Not what I wanted to hear, but he also hadn’t moved his arm, so I looked up at him and smiled. We stayed like that for at least ten minutes in silence until Grant’s phone beeped at him.

“Duty calls,” he stated, jumping up and brushing off his pants. “You gonna be ok?”

“I’ll be fine,” I whispered, my eyes refusing to break away from his. “Thanks for sitting with me.”

“Any time,” he said with a wink and then took off in a sprint up the stairs and down the pier.

My arm burned where his hand had been, and I smiled, appreciating the fact that he didn’t try and force me to talk. Everyone was always trying to make me talk about my feelings lately. The counselor my dad sent me to after “the incident” was always asking me questions like, “How did that make you feel?” or “How has it been with your dad gone?” Blah, blah, blah! It made me feel like crap. I hated my dad being gone, but I wasn’t going to tell a perfect stranger that, one who would undoubtedly report all my feelings right back to my parents.

I took off my new shoes, running my hands lovingly over them in the process, and walked down to the water’s edge. Maybe I could sleep out here tonight instead of in that room. I shivered as the cold water streamed over my toes. Maybe not.

I touched the spot on my arm where Grant’s hand had rested. He was a junior and I was in the eight
grade. That was only four years difference between us. He may see me like a kid now, but with a little makeup and some better clothes, who knows? I smiled as I glanced back at the house, Tucker who?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T.L. Gray is a freelance writer who also serves as the pastor’s wife in Ennis, Texas. It was her desire to see young girls know and experience Christ’s unconditional love that led her to write her debut novel, Shattered Rose. She strongly believes the greatest stories are told from the heart of those who have lived them. T.L. Gray is currently working on Shackled Lily, Book 2 in the Winsor
Series which is set for release in July 2013.