Where the Little Birds Are (Little Bird Duet Book 2)

by B. Celeste

“Did he corrupt you?” he asks, waving the thick novel around.

  I force a smile. “Can we go?”

  His shoulders curve downward, but he nods and places the book where he found it before following me downstairs. Mom tries not to look excited when I tell her we’re going out for a while.

  There’s no interrogation.

  No questions asked.

  She just says she hopes I have fun.

  When we’re at the stoplight down the street, he gestures toward the gas station. “Do you want anything to snack on? There might be food at the event if you’re hungry, but I don’t know for sure.”

  I notice Gavin’s truck parked outside and find myself shaking my head. I’ve been avoiding his I told you so lecture ever since I realized he was right. The first day with no word from Corbin, I told myself it was no big deal. He was settling into a new place and probably busy getting to know people.

  Then the second day passed with no text.

  A third.

  When I called him it went to voicemail.

  When I texted it was left unanswered.

  A week passed.

  A week and a half.

  No emails.

  Nothing.

  Each day, Gavin’s stares would become heavier as he watched me break a little more. I knew he didn’t want to see me hurt, but he saw it coming from the start. I was just stupid enough to believe that he’d be wrong.

  “I’m good, but thanks.”

  Leaning my head against the warm window, I watch the scenery pass as we turn onto Main Street and let the gas station fade in the rearview. And when we pass a little yellow house that I know too well, I close my eyes.

  Zach’s burning gaze tells me he notices.

  But he’s always been a great friend.

  He doesn’t say a word.

  My eyes train on the table covered with vases of paper flowers. Zach must notice my attention because he steers us away from his mom’s station and walks over to the one that’s caught my interest.

  When we near the blonde woman, she smiles at Zach. “I haven’t seen you come to one of these in a while. Did your mother finally guilt you into it?”

  Zach’s cheeks tint. “Yeah.”

  I grin. “So, that’s where you get it from?”

  His shoulders lift as he reaches for one of the paper flowers closest to him. There are so many colors and shapes that my eyes can’t focus on just one item.

  “These are beautiful,” I tell her, picking up one of the roses and toying with the paint-spattered petal.

  “Thank you, sweetie.” She grabs a blue binder from in front of her and passes it to me. “I do other things as well. Take a look and see if anything suits your fancy. I give all new customers a discount on their first purchase.”

  Zach looks over my shoulder as I flip through the different crafts she creates. My fingers still when I turn to a picture of an origami bird—blue, just like the one I have. My lips part as I grip the page, crinkling it in my grasp.

  “You made this?”

  Zach gently takes the binder from me before I can damage the page any more than I already have.

  The woman glances at the page. “Oh, yes. A boy around your age asked me to make a custom one for his girlfriend. It was the sweetest thing.”

  I hear Zach cuss under his breath as he closes the binder and passes it back to her. She accepts it with an easy smile, unknowing of the sick feeling in my stomach. I try to brush it off, but it settles until I feel the familiar threat of tears rising.

  “We’ll be back, Mary,” Zach tells the woman, draping an arm around my shoulder and steering us away before I can start crying.

  Sniffing back tears, I whisper, “Sorry. I know you probably think I’m being stupid. It’s just been…” Not having words to describe what it’s been like, I just shrug. “Have you heard from him at all?”

  We walk over to a table of refreshments where he grabs us water. “No. I honestly don’t think it’s personal, Kinley. He hasn’t spoken to anyone from what I know. Especially if you haven’t heard anything.”

  It’s been almost two months. How could he just ghost me? Us? It doesn’t make sense to me after I cheered him on all this time. Thinking back to what I wrote in my notebook, I think, stupid. I’m so stupid.

  Thanking him for the water, we walk over to another table and look around at the jewelry. It’s a lot of beautiful bead work that has me running my fingers over the various bracelets.

  “I’d buy you something if I had any money to spend,” he says sheepishly, scratching his jaw. “I’ve been saving up for textbooks.”

  I smile at him the best I can. “That’s sweet, but I don’t expect you to buy me anything. Plus, it makes sense to spend what you have on college stuff.”

  We walk away from the jewelry and to another booth covered in candles. He picks one up and sniffs it, making a screwed face that I can’t help but laugh at. He shoves it in my face, causing me to wince at the strong scent permeating the air.

  Moving his hand away, he sets it back down and does the same with a few others. “You should see the price list for some of the books I’m required to read. It’s ridiculous.”

  “Are you excited for classes to start?”

  He passes me a purple candle. “I’m looking forward to playing on their football team. Not so much on the classes.”

  Grinning, I read the lilac label on the bottom of the candle. It’s Mom’s favorite scent, so I dig for some money and pass it to the man behind the table. He passes me the change and puts the candle in a little bag for me to take.

  We walk side by side down rows of tables covered in pamphlets and business cards. “My parents are trying to get me to apply. I haven’t decided if I am or not.”

  “What would you study?”

  The guidance counselor asked me the same thing. He went on a ten-minute rant about there always being something to learn. It seems pointless to go into debt for something I’m not set on.

  “I’m not sure. English?”

  “Would you keep writing?”

  “It’s all I want to do,” I answer instantly, finding it easier to divulge that information to Zach. He isn’t worried about my future like my parents, so he’s not going to tell me about the necessity of a backup plan.

  “Then do it.”

  We stop at a booth with custom signs plastered everywhere. “I’m not sure it’s that easy. I get why my parents want me to get an education, but…”

  Zach stares at something closest to him before quickly peeling his eyes away. “Hey, let’s go over—”

  Eyeing his dodgy expression, I look around him at a metal sign hanging on a rack where the vendor stands. My lips tilt downward when I see the cutout birds next to black scripted font that says spread your wings, little bird.

  He clears his throat. “I think I saw someone selling yarn over there. It looked very … soft.”

  Unable to stop my laugh before it bubbles out of me, I peel my eyes from the unfortunate sign and stare at Zach. “Yarn? Do you secretly knit sweaters or something in your spare time? I won’t judge if you do. I’ll just need evidence.”

  He grumbles and guides us away.

  “Hey, Zach?”

  “Yeah?”

  I take a deep breath and wrap my arm around his as we walk over to the yarn on display a few tables down. “Thank you.”

  He looks over, brows drawn inward in confusion. “For what?”

  Grazing the soft green skein of yarn in front of me, I whisper, “Being my friend. I know I haven’t been the greatest one to you, so it means a lot to me that you did this.”

  He pulls on my arm. “You’ll have to make it up to me by buying me food when we leave here.”

  I grin and pick up some yarn. “Are you sure you don’t want this instead? I think green is your color, Mr. Russo.”

  He groans.

  I smile. For real this time.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kinley / Present

  My office door
cracks open as I sit at my desk and read through the words on my screen. Thumb nail between my teeth, I turn to look at Corbin as he peeks his head in. Penny immediately jumps from where she’s perched beside me and walks over to him.

  Traitor.

  He notices the word document pulled up and smiles, kneeling to fuss over the cat. “Are you working on your new book?”

  Drawing my thumb away, I turn in my chair to face him. He’s been here for almost a week, and in that time he’s watched me sit in my office and stare at my computer struggling to find the right words to write. I’ve managed to write five chapters that I’m proud of, but the rest comes with emotional attachments that I find myself drowning in. When I give up, Corbin kisses me, touches me, and sends my body in a frenzy of need that leaves us in a tangle of limbs and pants, chasing highs with our bodies.

  “Something like that. Jamie likes to remind me I have deadlines to make. No pressure or anything there.”

  His chuckle is light. “I know that well. Eddie does the same thing with me when my schedule is booked up. When does it have to be done by?”

  My stomach drops. “Soon.”

  Instead of pressing, he stands with Penny in his arms. I can hear her loud purrs from here as she nuzzles his chin with her nose. “You’ll get it done. I believe in you.”

  Such simple words go straight to my heart, making it squeeze tightly in my chest. I clear my throat and save my document before closing my laptop. “What comes next?”

  His eyes light up. “I can think of a few things, Little Bird. All involving a lot less clothing.”

  I stand up and wrap the throw blanket around me tighter. “We need to be serious. What happens now? What do we say to people?”

  We told each other we’d give it time. In that time, three more articles have surfaced with pictures of me and him. Headlines waged a larger war between fans of Corbin and Lena and me, and most of them aren’t in my favor. Since he arrived, we’ve lost ourselves in the mayhem our hearts have walked us right into and formed no real plan as to how to survive it all. Eventually, we’ll have to make those decisions instead of hiding in my house ordering delivery and cooking with what little food I keep stocked.

  He sets Penny down much to her dismay, standing back up and reaching out for me. “I think we have to ask ourselves what we’re willing to say.”

  Willing? My face screws as he tugs me to the bedroom. I dig my heels in and shake my head, knowing the likelihood of my treacherous body climbing onto his and stripping us bare is too likely if we close ourselves in there. Every morning my body is so worked up it needs release, and more times than not I find myself climbing onto his lap and guiding his hard cock inside of me and riding him until we’re both sweaty and insatiable from the hormones and emotions swirling between us. Neither one of us complains because we need it—the feelings, the touches, the way we hold each other after.

  So, I walk toward the stairs instead. He doesn’t argue, just follows with our hands still tangled together.

  Guiding us to the living room, I sit down in the furthest corner of the couch near all my decorative pillows and hold one to my stomach. It’s grown a lot this month, and I can only imagine how much larger I’ll get by the time I near the second trimester’s end in less than two months. It’s become second nature to cover myself and I don’t know why. It’s become nearly impossible to hide the undeniable bump under even my baggiest shirts. But I can tell by Corbin’s disapproving stare that he’s not okay with me hiding anything.

  He settles in beside me, keeping our fingers interwoven on his leg. “I need Lena to sign the papers. That’s what’s next. Once that happens we can say and do what we want.”

  “What if she doesn’t?”

  Pressing his lips together, he loosens a sigh. It doesn’t make me feel better. If they both truly wanted this separation, those papers would be signed by now. She’s angry, rightfully so. I doubt she’ll concede anytime soon.

  “I can’t hide in my house for the rest of this pregnancy, Corbin.” My free hand keeps the pillow pressed against me. “I won’t be able to hide it. People will see me and ask questions.”

  His head slowly nods. “We haven’t talked about all the details, have we? Like if it’s…” To my surprise, his eyes are glassy when I look at him. “Do you know what you’re—we’re—having?”

  Swallowing, I shake my head. “It’s too early. They wouldn’t be able to see anything until sixteen to twenty weeks in, so the earliest I’d find out is my next appointment if the baby is positioned right.”

  He doesn’t say anything.

  “We do that too much.”

  His head cocks. “What?”

  “Rush into the wrong priorities. Struggle to communicate when it matters,” I answer quietly, playing with the fringe on the pillow.

  “That’s not—”

  “What happens if she doesn’t sign?”

  He squeezes my hand. “Then other people will get involved. She can’t force me to stay married, Kinley. Eventually she’ll get tired of her charade. But…” His thumb brushes the back of my hand leisurely. “You and I are going to need to talk to our managers about the repercussions of a worst-case scenario situation.”

  The beat of my heart speeds. “Like?”

  Instead of looking at me, his gaze stays on our hands. “I used to say we’d be the talk of the town. I didn’t mean like this.”

  “Corbin,” I press.

  “We both know that things will be rough one way or another for us. My manager already told me that I need to give it time before going public with you, but—”

  “What?” I screech, eyes narrowing. “You told your manager about me? Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

  “He guessed,” he insists.

  “He guessed.” My deadpan expression causes him to shrug like it’s not a big deal. Maybe he thinks his money will silence him, but I know what happened to his first manager. Mark King is locked up for a reason. He isn’t a good man. People will do anything for money.

  My internal freak out must be lost on him because he replies, “I guess I’m not as good of an actor as I thought I was when it comes to my feelings.”

  Scoffing, I pull my hand away. “Well alert the damn media. Let that be the lead story instead of my face for a change.”

  “Kinley, come on.”

  “I haven’t said a word about you,” I say, hugging the pillow close to me.

  Hurt resonates in his features.

  My jaw ticks. “All I’m saying is that we need to be careful about who knows what. Jamie has no idea about our current situation because I haven’t known what to say. There’s a lot I need to tell her, but the time isn’t right.”

  “When is the time going to be right?”

  “I…” I look down. “I’m not sure.”

  He takes the pillow away and pins me with firm eyes. “There’s never going to be a good time to tell the world that I married somebody I don’t love much less that I cheated on her with somebody that I always have.”

  My lips part.

  “We’ve done this all wrong,” he agrees, blowing out a breath and swiping a palm down the side of his face. “But we’re not going back because we’ve already done that. This is our time now. Finally.”

  “It’s also our battle.”

  “But we’ll survive it.”

  I know where this is going before he even speaks the words because of the mischievous glint in his silver eyes. “Some people don’t survive because they’re too busy looking over their shoulder. We have each other.”

  Rolling my eyes, I shove his shoulder at the familiar lines. “You’re such a dork for remembering that.”

  He winks. “It’s my job, baby.” His fingers squeeze mine, lining our palms up and cupping our hands. “It’s also something I believe. If you wrote it, deep down I think you do too.”

  “I didn’t know I’d see you again then.”

  “But you wanted to.”

  He doesn’t need m
e to confirm it.

  I just hold his hand.

  I flutter my eyes open when I hear a voice muttering from outside the living room. Peeling myself off the couch, I stretch my arms and walk over to the archway. My head peers around the wall, seeing Corbin’s tense back.

  The house is bathed in darkness from nightfall, but the cell phone in Corbin’s hand radiates light against his face. “…not a good time. Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s none of your business.”

  I can hear someone talking on the other end, causing Corbin’s shoulders to lock up. His hand goes to his hair, a telltale sign he’s getting worked up by whatever conversation he’s having.

  “I don’t want to talk about her,” he growls, walking over to the window. Moving the curtain aside, he stares into the night. There’s nothing to see but an empty backyard and trees.

  Whatever the person tells him has his fist forming a ball against where it rests against the wall. Frowning, I study his tense stature and wonder who’s on the other line. Lena? Somebody else?

  Corbin cuts off the mystery caller. “What the hell do you expect me to do then? Obviously your first suggestion was wasted on deaf ears. I’m not going to apologize for coming here.”

  He pulls the phone back and cusses. “I have to go, Eddie. Just … keep this between us, okay? I don’t need people figuring out where I am and I’m not leaving until I’m ready regardless of what you say.”

  Before Eddie can answer, Corbin presses a button and hefts out a sigh. Placing the phone back to his ear, he says, “Hello, Lena.”

  My eyes widen as I use the wall for support. His forehead is pressed against the wall in pure defeat. Did I do that to him? A heavy feeling settles over me as he listens to what his wife says.

  His hand slides down the wall, clenching and unclenching. “Can you please just see reason here. I—” Grumbling something under his breath, he pushes off the wall.

  I turn just before he sees me, listening to his footsteps creak against the hardwood. They don’t come near me though. I’m not sure if I’m grateful or not. He either doesn’t want to wake me or to hear their conversation.

  “You already know how I feel.”