Curveball (Barlow Sisters Book 1)

by Jordan Ford

  Max is being evasive for some weird reason, but I don’t want to push her because I’m very aware she’s the meat between Chloe and me right now.

  I’ve tried and failed to talk to Chloe every morning and evening since I betrayed her.

  She’s not interested.

  I should have known better. She can be quietly stubborn when she wants to be and she’s gonna make me suffer. Although, she’s not the vindictive type. Which means I must have hurt her so bad that she’s still not ready to be around me.

  Oh, that’s worse! That’s so much worse.

  My mind starts conjuring another apology note, trying to find new things to say that I haven’t mentioned in the last ten I’ve sent her.

  Max tells me I should just drop it and give Chloe time to come to me on her own. But she doesn’t get it. She’s not the one getting cold-shouldered and glared at.

  If anything, Max and Chloe have drawn closer through this. I haven’t put up a fight because Chloe needs a friend right now, and I don’t deserve any kind of sympathy after the way I behaved.

  My eyes burn as I near the house, wondering how much longer I can keep going like this.

  Pausing outside the front door, I draw in a breath, ready to put my game face on. Mom’s not in the best place right now, and I’ve never really confided in her before. It seems weird to start doing it now, so I’m just trying to be the strong Maddie she knows and loves.

  “Hey, Mom.” I force a bright smile the minute I see her.

  She’s sitting at the dining table, slowly shredding a balled-up tissue.

  “You okay?” I rest my bag against the wall.

  “I’m fine.” She snickers. “I just kind of hate this place sometimes.”

  I know how you feel.

  I rub my hands down my pants and give her a sympathetic smile. “Still no luck on the job front, huh?”

  Closing her eyes, she huffs and throws her hands in the air. “I’m going out of my mind! I’m so used to being busy, and it’s this weird kind of torture being stuck here in this crappy house. Chloe’s miserable. You’ve been unhappy. I just… I want to go home.”

  I bite my lip, wondering if I should fess up about why Chloe’s so miserable. But I chicken out, instead stuttering, “Are—are you mad with Dad for making us move?”

  “No.” She sighs. “He didn’t make me do anything. Thing is, I…” She purses her lips. “I was laid off just after he got the offer to move here.”

  “What?” I whisper.

  “Yeah.” She lets out a harsh snicker. “The company was restructuring and uh, they didn’t need me anymore. They offered me a great severance package, but it only goes so far, you know? Truth is, I don’t think I could have supported your dad to move out here if it hadn’t been for…” She shakes her head and shrugs. “I want to support my husband. This is a great opportunity for him, and it’s important that we stay together as a family. So it’s good, you know, that I lost my job, because I don’t think I could have left otherwise. Sometimes life just forces you into situations that…” She sniffs and wipes her nose with the disintegrating tissue before waving her hand in front of her face. “You know, I shouldn’t really be talking to you about this. It’s not your problem, sweetie.” Pulling her shoulders back, she dabs her eyes and forces a smile. “Why don’t you go find your sisters and we’ll get ready for this dinner. Okay?”

  I frown. “What dinner?”

  “We’re going out as a family. Your father will be home in about forty-five minutes. He wants us ready to go.”

  A family dinner? In public?

  Kill me now.

  I give Mom an awkward smile and slowly collect my bag off the floor. Well, this is going to be awful.

  As if family meals haven’t been hard enough lately. The last few nights, Mom’s simply given up and we’ve ended up eating in front of the TV. It’s weird, and very un-Barlow.

  But Dad’s busy at work, often getting home after we’ve eaten.

  He’s tired and harried just the way Mom is, so it’s been easier to just live together without living together.

  The only good thing about it is that our parents have remained clueless on the me-kissing-Holden thing.

  Shoving my hands in my pockets, I shuffle down the hallway, prepping myself to knock on Chloe’s door. At least I’ll be able to say the message is from Mom. Chloe might actually let me complete a sentence without cutting me off if I start with that.

  I slow to a stop outside her door. It’s ajar and music is wafting into the hallway.

  “Chloe” by Emblem3.

  My heart sinks as I peer through the gap and watch Max dancing around Chloe’s room using a baseball bat like a microphone and then a guitar. Her hair is flying as she puts on a show for her little sister. Chloe’s sitting on her bed, smiling and laughing. I don’t miss how puffy her eyes are, though.

  I bet Max found her crying and is doing what she can to cheer her up.

  Too bad she picked this song.

  I’m not the girl who turns everyone on.

  But I am the girl Holden wants.

  Dammit.

  This always happens to poor Chloe. She falls for the guys who aren’t interested in her. And then the guys who are, she’s not that into. I know the perfect guy is out there for her somewhere. I just wish she didn’t think it was Holden.

  A deep sadness pools in my chest.

  It’s heavy and painful.

  Rubbing my forehead, I make my way to the bathroom. Mom can deliver her own message about dinner.

  Locking the door behind me, I turn the shower on and strip off my clothes.

  Tears are building as my lips tremble. I hate crying. I hardly ever give in to it, but right now I want to bawl like a baby.

  Stepping under the hot spray, I let the water blast my hair and trickle down my face. It can wash away the tears as they fall, and maybe no one will ever know that I cried.

  Because how do I explain my tears?

  Some of them belong to Chloe, a few are for Mom and her miserable confession, while another big chunk belong to a guy who turned out to be something I didn’t expect…and managed to steal my heart in the process.

  28

  Can Anyone Spell Awkward?

  HOLDEN

  Oh, this is bad.

  This is so, so bad.

  Not only do we never go out for dinner as a family, but to have Dad walk in and tell Mom and me to get changed because we’re eating with the Barlow family is the worst.

  “I just bumped into Reece Barlow and he’s going out anyway. We’ll join him at the restaurant in thirty minutes.”

  And thirty minutes later, here I am, awkwardly standing in front of a horrified Maddie.

  She’s trying, and failing, to hold her composure.

  Chloe’s not doing any better.

  Her pale eyebrows flicker with a frown before her gaze dips to the tablecloth.

  “So great you could join us.” Chief Barlow’s smile is broad as he greets my dad and then acknowledges my mother.

  She’s not drunk yet and manages to give him a demure smile before sliding into her seat at the end of the long table. Dad holds the chair for her like they’re a normal couple before giving me a stern gaze.

  I paste on a smile and extend my hand. “Hello, Chief Barlow.”

  “Hello, Mr. Pitcher.” He grins. “Chloe’s said how much she’s enjoyed practicing with you.”

  My laughter is dry and short-lived. I bet she hasn’t said that in the last week or so.

  In yesterday’s practice, she basically ignored me, sticking close to Max and then practicing her pitches with Kingston. I worked with Luke until Coach told me I had to work with Maddie for a while. The tension in the air went from thick to suffocating. I tried to play it cool, but Maddie just couldn’t concentrate. She was dropping everything, even when I slowed down all my pitches and made them the easiest throws I could.

  In the end she ripped off her gear and made up some excuse about feeling sick. Coach fr
owned at her like she was a big letdown, then dismissed her with a tip of his head.

  All I could do was stand on the mound and watch her walk away.

  Dad points to a chair down the other end of the table and I take a seat next to Chloe and across from the twins.

  Crap, this is freaking painful!

  The last week has been torture as Maddie has done everything she can to avoid me. I’ve tried passing her notes in English, but she just crumples them up before even reading them. I don’t understand why she’s so mad at me. Does she blame me for the kiss? Because I could argue that it was definitely a two-way street. She was into it. I felt that loud and clear.

  I hate this.

  I want to take her back to Cresthill. I want to trap us in this little bubble on top of the water tower so no one can touch us or taint what we shared.

  The waiter comes over and I jump at the chance to hide behind the menu. Mrs. Barlow is working overtime to make small talk with my mother. Poor woman.

  I sneak a glance at my menu and listen as Mom orders a large glass of wine. It’s pretty damn hard to hide my panic. Dad better frickin’ help me out tonight. I don’t want Mom showing her true colors in front of the new chief of police. Honestly, what the hell was Dad thinking when he said yes to this invitation?

  Maddie’s gaze collides with mine, flickering with understanding before dropping back to the menu.

  I miss her.

  I know we only had one date. I know she’s not my girlfriend. But I’m pining for her like a love-sick puppy.

  Holding my breath, I skim the menu and then order a root beer for my drink and the chicken cannelloni. Reluctantly handing over my menu, I tap my fingers on the table while the girls order a marinara pizza and a bowl of fries to share between the three of them. No wonder they’re all so slender. One pizza for three people?

  Max does all the ordering while Chloe and Maddie sit there checking out every inch of the restaurant so their eyes don’t have to collide with each other’s or mine.

  I watch Max like a hawk while she’s talking, looking for anything that might give some weight to Luke’s theory, but I can’t spot a thing.

  She’s not a criminal.

  Roman must be working on his own.

  Or it really is Vincent, and that locker display was no setup.

  I wiggle in my seat when Dad scowls at me. Leaning my arms on the table, I try my best. “So, you guys pumped for our first game? Only one week to go.”

  I’m greeted with awkward silence until Max rolls her eyes. “Yeah, really looking forward to it.” She ignores me and leans forward, glaring between her sisters. “Look, I know there’s some crap going on between you three right now, but seriously, for the sake of my sanity, would you get over it?”

  I glance down the table, making sure the adults can’t hear us. They’re all immersed in grown-up speak so I turn back to the girls, eager for their response.

  Chloe crosses her arms, her chin sticking out in a don’t-make-me-do-this kind of way.

  Maddie’s expression crumples with agony. “Please, Chloe. How many times do I have to apologize and promise that I’ll never do it again?”

  Her words are like a punch to the gut, but I try not to let it show.

  “I disagree!” Dad’s voice catches my attention. I spin in my seat, wondering what the hell they’re talking about. “The boy should have been expelled. The evidence was in his locker, for crying out loud.”

  Mr. Barlow gives my dad a tight smile. “You’re right, but only one mitt and that small packet of drugs, which he swears black and blue are not his.”

  “Of course he does!”

  Reece runs his tongue over his bottom teeth before continuing. “So much of the story doesn’t make sense. That’s why I suggested to Principal Sheehan that he simply suspend him until we get to the bottom of this.”

  Dad hates that answer, but hides it with a quick clench of his jaw. “You’re still quite new here, Reece, and it takes time to get to know a town. But trust me when I tell you that the Mancinis are expert liars.”

  “Yes.” Chief Barlow nods. “I’ve had a few dealings with them already and I’m watching the family very closely, I can assure you. If it makes you feel any better, we managed to get a warrant to search their place. I even went along for this one, and we didn’t find any evidence of baseball gear or drugs in the house.”

  “Did you search the surrounding houses? They’re a very close-knit pack, and they cover for each other all the time.”

  Chief Barlow pulls in a slow breath, like he’s summoning his patience or something. “Milo, we’re doing everything within our rights to find the thief. I don’t want drugs or criminal activity in this town. I’m doing my best to stamp it out.”

  “Good. I really need you to do your best, Reece. Because shelling out for new sports equipment and having it stolen the night it was purchased is pretty humiliating. I was supposed to do a presentation at the school assembly. Instead I turn up to find Armitage High dealing with yet another robbery. Parents are questioning the safety of the only high school in this town. They want me to give them a good reason to stay here. I have promised to turn this place into the diamond of California, and I can’t do that when we have criminals running loose on our streets. Criminals infiltrating our high school.”

  Chief Barlow’s smile is tight and unrelenting. “I won’t charge someone for a crime he didn’t commit. Now I want that gear back just as badly as anybody. I want justice too. But until I’m certain that Vincent stole it, I don’t think he should be expelled.”

  “He’s lying, I’m telling you. He’s a Mancini. They don’t know how to do anything else.” Dad smooths down his tie with a little huff. “Vincent’s older brother swore that he never murdered that reporter, even though he was found at the crime scene and all the evidence pointed at him. He tried to deny it, but as soon as it went to trial, he shut up about his innocence. He knew he wasn’t going to get away with it, so justice was served. Although the town still has to live with the punishment of a cold-blooded murder in its history. I’m trying to build this place into a tranquil small-town haven. How are we supposed to get people visiting, buying, creating homes here when we have a murdering family living on our back doorstep? They’re like stray dogs that just won’t leave.”

  Chief Barlow stops his head bobbing and gives my dad an uneasy smile. “I know the family has a history, and I know they’ve done your town no favors. But we don’t have grounds to kick them out of their homes. America is a free country, and we must take each case on its own merit. I don’t think it’s fair to expel a student who can obviously benefit from a high school education. When I met with his family the day he was accused, it was clear to me that if he doesn’t attend Armitage High, they’re not going to send him to Cullington or Brazenwood, and they sure as heck won’t bother with homeschooling.” My eyebrows dip together at the hint of compassion in Chief Barlow’s voice. “If he deserves to be kicked out, then so be it. But I’m not making that call until I know without a doubt that he’s guilty. And right now, I’m still not sure.” He points down the table, a proud smile on his face. “My Chloe definitely isn’t. She’s been really upset by this whole thing.”

  All eyes track to her while Maddie and I squirm.

  That’s so not why she’s upset.

  Chloe blushes beneath our gazes and flashes a weak smile at my dad. “I just can’t stand injustice. That mitt, those drugs, were probably planted in his locker by the real thief.”

  “And who do you think that might be?” Dad’s voice is strained, and I suddenly realize why he said yes to Reece Barlow’s invitation tonight. He was hoping to talk the guy around, ensure that Vincent Mancini gets the punishment he deserves. Last time Vincent got caught shoplifting, the judge pinned him with community service, but this time Dad wants to send the guy to juvie.

  In his eyes, one Mancini is as good as another. He’ll send them off to prison one at a time if he has to.

  “I’m not sur
e who it is, Mayor Carter. Maybe it’s another student at Armitage High, maybe it’s the janitor. Heck, maybe it’s Coach Keenan. The point is, people aren’t always who you think they are. Lying’s easy, which makes it really hard to know who to trust.”

  Max frowns at her sister and then shares a look with Maddie, who is turning bright red.

  Chloe’s gaze flicks to me before spearing her older sister with a glare that screams traitor.

  Maddie nearly buckles beneath the force of it, a bright sheen covering her eyes as she lurches out of her chair.

  “Excuse me. I just need to use the bathroom.” Maddie races away from the table while Chloe’s nostrils flare. Aw, crap, she looks like she’s gonna cry.

  I glance at Max who bulges her eyes at me, then starts scratching her forehead to hide her expression from her parents.

  Mrs. Barlow gives me a confused frown. All I can do is put on my best smile and rise from my chair. “If you’ll excuse me, I just realized I left my phone in the car.”

  Chief Barlow snickers and points to Chloe. “Looks like you’re not the only one who keeps doing that, kid.”

  Chloe forces a smile and looks down at her lap while I ask Dad for the keys, needing to keep up the pretense while everyone’s watching me.

  But as soon as I’m out of sight, I double back to the bathrooms, only to notice Maddie sneaking out the door.

  29

  Sisters Before Misters

  MADDIE

  “Maddie.” Holden’s voice chases me outside.

  I cringe and contemplate walking home, but how the hell would I explain that to my parents?

  “Maddie, wait.”

  With a huff, I stop and lean against the brick wall of the restaurant. It’s kind of chilly out tonight, but I’m not about to let it show. Clenching my teeth, I try to stop them chattering as I face away from Holden.