Page 95 of Crazy for You
Tears glistened in her eyes. “It’s not like that.”
“Then what?” I dropped the brassiness in my voice.
She fidgeted with her hands, clearly not knowing what to do with them. “I can see you’re not ready to listen. When you are, you can give me a call. Mr. Dyson has my number.” She gave me one last long look, then left.
My mind spun, and I just stood there, not knowing how to get past the fact that I’d just met my birth mom or that my bio dad was dead. The latter was messing with my head. Everyone around me died.
Ripples of water ruffled the shore’s edge. Maybe dipping my toes in the cool Atlantic would give me some clarity or temper my tender emotions. I kicked off my Vans when Colton’s husky voice floated on the breeze.
“Skyler, wait.” He jogged over. “What happened?”
I wiggled my toes beneath the soft sand. “Nothing really, except I learned my bio dad is dead.” I couldn’t understand why that bothered me.
“I’m sorry.” He cocooned me in his arms.
“It seems people keep dying around me.”
He rubbed my back. “This might make you laugh. Grady thought for a hot second you and he were brother and sister.”
“I guess we both had the same thought.”
He laughed. “Really?”
I started for the ocean’s edge. “They were high school friends. I got the feeling they had a thing back then.”
Colton followed. “Grady said it would’ve made sense if you were related because you two are so much alike.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I guess we do argue like sister and brother.”
A wave broke, slithering toward us.
I dipped my toes in the water. “Ashley seems nice enough. But I guess she won’t be any help with my guardian situation if we need her.”
The water slid over Colton’s Nikes. “Well, if you end up moving, I might have to kidnap you,” he teased, looking out at the vast Atlantic.
I forced a smile. “I would let you.” I knew I would run if I had to, but Nan and my aunt would work things out. I had to believe that.
“Aside from your bio dad, did she tell you why she gave you up?” Colton asked.
“No. She said I wasn’t ready to listen. She’s right. She seems like she has a lot of money and a good life. For some reason, that rubbed me the wrong way. I wish my dad were alive. I mean, my adoptive dad. I miss him so much. He would know what to do and say.”
He turned to face me. “You will, too, baby. I’m proud of you.”
“I love you, Colton.”
“Baby doll, I can’t begin to tell you how important you are to me. I love you hard. You are the calm in my storm. So let me be yours.”
I stood on my tiptoes and brushed my lips over his.
My problems began to vanish when he deepened the kiss. Before long, my mind was clear, and my heart was full of nothing but pure, sweet love.
39
The Southern mansion was something plucked out ofBetter Homes and Gardensmagazine. Wide, rounded pillars stretched to reach the high ceiling, expensive art adorned the walls, thick fabric curtains gave the rooms a lived-in feeling, and the furniture reminded me of a different era.
Mr. Robert Wilson, attorney at law, had eccentric taste and an office on the first floor of his home.
I bounced my knee as I listened to thetap, tap, tapof the keys echoing in the large foyer-turned-waiting-room. A pretty brunette was hard at work at her glass-top desk.
