Breathless (Meadowlarks) Read Online Free Page B

that one.
    Mom and I made lobster for dinner, with rolls and potatoes and steamed broccoli, my mouth was watering when we all sat down at the table. I haven't had a meal like this in far too long.
    Isaac told my parents all about school in Wyoming, and when they asked if there were any pretty girls around, he blushed and glares at me.
    “What?” I ask ed, with a mouthful of melting and buttery lobster.
    “Mom thinks I like this one girl who lives down the road. But I don't!” He whine d and stuck out his lip. “She's just my friend.”
    “Ohhh.” I smile d. “You mean Reece? Yeah, she's a cutie.”
    He blushe d again and stabbed his lobster with his fork. “Mom!”
    “All right, all right!” I put my hands up defensively and smile d at Scarlett. “Isaac's funny, isn't he?”
    She giggle d and stuffed mashed potato in her mouth.
    Yep, that kid eats with as much class as her father did. The thought of Alex made me sad and for a moment I missed him deeply, I wished he were here with us.
    My phone beep ed and I pulled it out of my pocket. It's a text from Leah. I didn't even tell her I was coming. I looked at my mother. She smiled and shrugged.
    Leah: When were u planning on telling us u were here?!?!?!
    I smile d and respond. Surprise!
    Leah: Club. Tonight?
    I look ed over to my mom again, who was still smiling at me. My dad was eating, unaware I was even texting. Mom cleared her throat and whispered. “Go.”
    This woman knows me too well.
    Me: Pick me up at 11.
    I finish ed my dinner, and spent some time with Scarlett in front of my dad's baby grand piano. She pounded on the pearly white keys, loudly playing an adorable number for everyone.
    Isaac clap ped his hands and cheered for her, which got her even more excited and she wiggled her little body all over my knees with anticipation of more praise.
    Scarlett fell asleep on my dad's chest, while he was sprawled on the tufted leather chaise. Her nose nuzzled into his shirt, and his arms were protectively holding her in place.
    “I could lay here all night, Ann.” He smile d warmly at my mom, who had tears in her eyes while watching the two of them. “She's just like you were Ry. A little angel.”
    “Oh, dad. You're going to spoil her, I just know it.”
    “How couldn't we?” My mom laughed softly. “Isaac, baby? You want some ice cream?”
    Speaking of spoiling!
    “Mom! It's almost ten o'clock. He needs to go to bed.”
    “Oh Riley, a little won't hurt him.”
    I huff ed, knowing I was fighting a losing battle. Grandparents always win over the parents.
    Isaac stuck his tongue out at me playfully and I darted mine out right back at him. He giggled and followed my mom into the kitchen, ready for his ice cream.
    Scarlett slept soundly in her fairy forest, and my dad had challenging Isaac to a game of basketball on the PlayStation. They were both sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning their bodies and turning their hands with each movement in the game. Like their actions control the players and not the buttons they were pushing on the controllers.
    I head ed up to my old room and opened my closet doors. It's like stepping into a time capsule, only this one hadn’t been buried for decades. More like, two years. But it seemed like forever ago that I wore anything in here.
    I inattentively trailed my fingertips along each hanger, remembering an occasion when I wore each item on the rack. I stopped at the coral colored dress, pulled it off the hanger and held it up. The last time I wore this, I remembered standing with my back turned and Alex was behind me.
    We left The Club together after he visited with Addison and Blaine. We f inally admitted our feelings to one another, and we also conceived our daughter that night.
    I touch ed the lace back of the dress, feeling the embossed flowers, and smiling at the memory of Alex peeling this off of me.
    He kissed and sucked my shoulders and back while he pulled it down my body and it pooled at my feet on the floor.