There We'll Be (Together #3)

by Alla Kar

  I met his lips with my own. “Forever.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Josie

  Sam stood by the front door of our house as I walked down the long hallway toward my mother’s bedroom. She had left an hour before, and I knew she wasn’t going to be home for a while.

  Besides the sound of Bug cooking from the kitchen, the house was quiet. I walked toward the door at the end of the hallway and clenched my fist. I was not leaving until I found what I was looking for, whether it be the key or a note that told it all. I stayed up for hours the night before, practicing how to pick locks on YouTube. It only took me thirty tries to pick my own lock with the lock-picking set Boone let me borrow before I got it right.

  I was shocked when I unlocked her door on the first try.

  The doorknob felt cold and sent shivers up the back of my neck. The room was spotless, only the bed was slightly wrinkled.

  I moved quickly to my mother’s jewelry box that sat on her chest-of-drawers. Tons of pearls, diamonds, and earrings lined the back wall of the wooden box, and bracelets filled the pullout drawers. But no flower, and no key.

  I swallowed the fear of getting caught and ran toward the back closet. The shoebox sat in its place, which told me mom didn’t know I’d taken a note. I slid the box from the bottom and searched through the stacks of paper but came up with nothing.

  The door creaked opened and Sam popped her head inside.

  “Dammit, Sam. I thought you were Bug.”

  Sam waved me off and shut the door. “No sign of your mom, and Bug went to the store. I thought I’d help you some.”

  I shut the box. “I haven’t found anything.”

  Sam frowned and started rummaging through my mom’s nightstand. “It has to be somewhere.”

  “What if it’s just gone? She had that in high school, and it’s been years. I only saw it when I was really young.”

  Sam glanced over her shoulder. “Well, since your family isn’t going to tell you, the key is our best bet, right?”

  That’s what scared me. If the key is the only option and we can’t find it—what will happen?

  “Yeah,” I stood up, my eyes searching my mother’s closet. Dad’s side was mostly suits and dress shirts, all pressed and perfect. I ran my fingertips along the fabric and tears dripped down my cheeks. What would Mom do with these after he died? Give them away? Give them to Mr. Cross?

  No, I couldn’t imagine Mr. Cross wearing anything like that. He was more like Boone, preferring work boots and jeans. He didn’t look like Boone did in those jeans, though. Mom’s taste was more like mine than I had ever noticed. But none of it mattered because she was out cheating on her dying husband.

  Curling my hands into fists, I walked out of the closet and shut the door. Sam looked underneath the bed, but I knew that it wasn’t there. I glanced at my parents’ bed and at the beautiful wooden frame.

  I’d always loved their bed because it was so beautiful. Flowers were carved into the bedposts, and what looked like a tulip was on the end. “God, where could it be?” Sam asked, rummaging through my mom’s chest-of-drawers.

  My brows furrowed as I traced the carvings with my fingertips. The top of the post was a flower, and when I rounded my palm over the surface, it moved. I stopped, my fingers clutching the end like a baseball. I twisted it until it began to unscrew from the post.

  “What are you doing?” Sam asked.

  I didn’t know. This was stupid. No one would hide a key in the end of a bedpost, would they? Something urged me toward it, so I did it. When it fell off into my hand, I looked down inside and my breath caught in my throat. Hanging from a string attached to a screw was the necklace that held the key.

  “Holy shit. How’d you even know to look in there?” Sam asked, snaking her fingers inside to pull the necklace out.

  The rose handle to the key was just as I remembered it. “I don’t know. Something just told me to do it.” I grabbed the necklace and slipped it around my neck before hiding it under my shirt. “Now let’s get out of here before we get caught.”

  I fixed the bedpost and raced out of the room to my own. There were a million things going on in my head, and I knew most of the questions I had were going to be answered in that diary.

  Sam crawled to the center of my bed and held the locked diary in her hands. “Come on. Let’s read it.”

  I wanted to, I really wanted to, but my heart pounded in my ears and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. “I’m so scared, Sam.”

  Sam frowned, and walked over to give me a hug. “It’s okay, Josie. Would you rather look at it with Boone?”

  Would I? I stared down at the book hanging from her grip and I nodded. “I think so. We need to figure this out together.”

  Sam smiled, her dark hair falling gently against the sides of her face. “Call me if you need me. I’m going to go to Jace’s house for a bit.”

  “Thank you, Sam. For everything.”

  She winked. “That’s what friends are for.”

  ***

  Boone

  Duke’s ears perked up and a look of concern filled his face. I lifted a brow and stared at the closed front door.

  When he jumped up and ran toward the door, I knew Josie was on the porch. I glanced outside at the setting sun. Something must be wrong. She wasn’t supposed to be here for a couple more hours.

  The door creaked opened and Duke’s loud bark filled the room before he jumped on Josie. “Hey, Duke. Hey boy,” she whispered, dropping to her knees to hug him. When her eyes lifted to mine, I knew she’d found the key.

  “You found it?” I asked.

  She stood and patted Duke’s head before reaching inside her shirt and pulling out a necklace. The key hung gracefully between her breasts. “I did,” she whispered. Fear was fogging her eyes.

  I stepped forward and cupped the nape of her neck. “Have you read anything yet?”

  She shook her head and clutched her hands around my wrists. “I’m scared. I wanted to do this with you.”

  Nodding, I leaned forward and brushed my lips across her forehead. “Then we’ll look together. Let me get some things and we’ll go read it.”

  Josie nodded and took a seat on the barstool next to her. I wanted to wipe the worry line from her face for good.

  Josie clung to my hand on the way to the field. She’d practically sat on top of me, and I could see the fear in her eyes. “What are you scared of?” I asked.

  Josie swallowed and braced her feet against the dash of my truck. “Of us not being able to fix this. Maybe even after my dad passes, we’ll still have enemies. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Baby,” I whispered, trailing my thumb across her hand. “You’re not losing me.”

  She smiled, but I could tell it was eating her alive inside. I parked the truck just shy of the abandoned barn on my land and got out. I’d packed blankets, pillows, and some fruit because I didn’t think she’d eaten.

  Josie climbed into the back of the truck and leaned back against a pillow. Her eyes were cast downward at her lap, her eyelashes making shadows across her cheek. The diary sat against her thighs, the key in her right hand. “You ready?” she whispered.

  I sat beside her, pulling her into the place she fit so perfectly underneath my arm. “Open it. Let’s see.”

  Josie slipped the key into the lock and the clicking sound sent jolts of adrenaline through me.

  Wendy Ferrell was written in small font on the first page. Josie quickly turned to the next page, a diary entry marked March 13, 1992.

  Josie cleared her throat and began to read.

  He kissed me. It was my first kiss, and it was all I’d hoped it would be. The way his lips turned up at the corners afterward and how he kissed me three more times, just light, but it was like he couldn’t pull away. I didn’t want him to. Ever. David Cross was not what I had expected him to be and all I’d hoped for.

  Josie stopped and stared down at the page.

  “What is it?” I whis
pered.

  “That’s the same thing I’ve said about you.”

  I couldn’t help the smile that filled my face. “Go on.” I nudged her shoulder.

  Mom doesn’t know and I’m not going to tell her. She’d have a cow if she knew I was dating someone other than small-town royalty. But I don’t care about that. I care about him.

  Cindy made debutante last week, and that’s taken the attention away from me, since I didn’t make it. Who wants to prance around in a dress and eat finger foods? I hate that she doesn’t love me enough, but on the other hand, I’m glad Cindy is the perfect daughter Mom was hoping for.

  Josie’s voice broke a little at the end but she brushed off the frown I gave her.

  I guess it took two tries to find a daughter that lived up to her expectations. But I have to go now. Mom is coming up the stairs and I can’t risk her finding the key. She’s always looking for the key.

  Always.

  Josie ran her fingertips along the word, and glanced up at me with big green eyes. “Your dad was my mother’s first kiss.”

  I nodded. “And it looks like your mother and grandma haven’t gotten along for a while.”

  She frowned. “Next page?”

  I nodded.

  Josie flipped the page

  April 17, 1992

  She’s hiding something, or someone. I’m not sure who it is but I know it’s someone Momma wouldn’t want her with. I heard the door creak last night and I saw the shadow of her crossing the hallway to the stairs. Cindy doesn’t talk to me about it, but she doesn’t get mad when I ask. There is a small smile that lights up her face, and for that I’m happy.

  Mom doesn’t care about her happiness, but I do. I love her and want her to always be happy, like me. There isn’t one thing in the world that’s gonna take away my happiness.

  Josie dropped the book from her hands and covered her face. “What’s wrong?” I pulled her closer to me, and lifted her chin. “What’s the matter?”

  Josie’s cheeks were tear-streaked and her eyes flooded. “I can’t read it,” she sobbed. “I’ve never seen this side of my mom. I’ve never seen her happy like she is here. I’m the one thing that took away her happiness.”

  “Oh, Josie. You don’t know that. Something else happened, and that’s what took it away. You didn’t ask to be born, and it’s crazy to think you took it away from her.”

  She shook her head and shut the book. “I want to run,” she whispered. “We can read the rest in the morning. I just need to run.”

  She grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulled it over her head, and tossed it to the side. Her sports bra was bright red and it matched the growing aggravation on her cheeks. “Josie, let me come with you.” I reached out to grab her but she’d already jumped over the side of the truck and darted into the woods.

  Sighing, I rested my head against the side of the truck and gazed up at the stars. The book screamed for me to read it, but I wanted to wait. Aggravation took over, and I wanted to rip the book into pieces.

  Josie pissed me off, and the thought of trying to catch her was long gone. She didn’t want to be caught. The sound of the wind and crickets singing in the distance put me to sleep not long afterward.

  ***

  Something woke me but I wasn’t sure what it was. I opened one eye and peeked up at the brightened sky above me. It had to be about six or so. I automatically reached for the spot next to me and came in contact with Josie’s body.

  Her eyes were puffy and swollen, and there were scrapes along her arms and legs from running in the woods. The diary sat in her right hand but I knew she hadn’t read anymore.

  “Boone?”

  What the—

  I glanced over at Mindy and Molly standing at the tailgate of my truck. They were both decked out in running gear, but their eyes were stuck on Josie’s sleeping body. “So this is why you won’t date me?”

  Mindy popped her mouth opened. “Boone. You know that’s not a good idea.”

  “That’s none of your business,” I snapped. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

  “You’re not dating me because of her?” Molly asked again. There was anger in her voice.

  “Molly, I told you I was seeing somebody, and I am.”

  She ground her teeth together. “After all those free slices of pie and talking every day at the diner?”

  What? “I thought you were trying to be nice.”

  Molly’s mouth pressed into a hard thin line. “What’s she have that I don’t? Her family are stuck-up bitches.”

  “Molly,” Mindy warned. “Let’s just go. Obviously, Boone’s busy. I wouldn’t have brought you down here if I knew. I’m sorry.”

  “You brought her down here?” I asked.

  Mindy narrowed her eyes. “Yes, because I was trying to hook you two up.”

  “I told you at the fair I wasn’t interested.”

  Molly laughed loudly and tossed her arms in the air. “Of course he isn’t interested. He has precious Josie Sawyer.”

  “Molly, shut up and leave,” I said, waving her off. “You’re really starting to piss me off.”

  Josie squirmed next to me and slowly opened her eyes before popping up and looking at Molly and Mindy. “What are y’all doing here?” she asked, looking around the field for an explanation.

  Molly let out a bitter laugh and pushed back her sweaty hair. “We were hoping to find Boone. But I see he’s busy.”

  Josie rubbed her eyes and sat up straight. “Yeah, he is, so y’all can go back to your run now.”

  Mindy scoffed. “Don’t tell us what to do, Sawyer.”

  Sawyer? I gave Mindy my best go-to-hell look. “Don’t start,” I snapped.

  Josie laughed. “This is your cousin, isn’t it? I’m sure she’s in on the rules too, huh? Well, I don’t give a shit about the rules. How about that?”

  Molly hands tightened into fist. “Rules? What rules? Look, I’ve waited over a year for you to ask me out, Boone. And as soon as she comes back into town, you’re in love with her?”

  Josie’s face turned to anger. If she were a cartoon, puffs of smoke would have been billowing from her ears. “I’ve loved him for two years, you bitch. Now stop stalking him and get out of here before I have the cops escort you off of our property.”

  Our property. The thought made me smile, which earned me a glare from Molly. “Y’all’s property? You’re kidding right?”

  “Does it look like I’m kidding?” Josie asked. “Don’t make me get out of this truck and whoop your ass.”

  Mindy rolled her eyes. “I dare you.”

  Oh shit.

  Molly curled a finger toward her. “Do it, Princess. Your daddy can’t buy your way out of this one.”

  Josie stood up but I grabbed her hand. “Josie, you’re serious right now? I don’t care about her. She’s delusional.”

  “Shut up,” Molly yelled.

  Josie snatched her arm from my hold and jumped off the tailgate and on top of Molly. “You stupid bitch!” she yelled, curling her hands around her neck. “Get the hell out of here.”

  Oh hell. I jumped down and pushed Mindy back before she tried to join in. I dragged Josie off of Molly, who scurried up like a scared Chihuahua. “Get out of here.”

  She sneered. “Wait until everyone finds out about this. You’re a freaking crazy bitch!”

  Josie smiled. “Add it to the list of problems I have, sweetie. You come back and I’ll claw your eyes out.”

  “You’re going to let her talk to us that way?” Mindy asked.

  I shrugged but kept my place between the girls.

  Molly’s eyes widened but she turned and ran like a panther was after her with Mindy following close behind. That’s going to go over well with the family.

  I released my grip from Josie’s shoulders and turned her around. “What in the hell was that about? Since when does someone piss you off that bad?”

  She eyed me up and down. “Since she’s trying to get my man.”

&nb
sp; The smile on my face couldn’t help but widen. “Wow, I think we need to rethink who’s the protector in this relationship. You just whooped her ass.”

  Josie flipped her hair. “I try.”

  I smiled. “Now everyone’s going to know. You know that, right?”

  Josie shrugged, climbed back into the truck, and curled into a ball against the pillow. “I just don’t care anymore. I’m going back to sleep.”

  I glanced over and she already had her eyes closed. “Okay, good talk.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Josie

  Cuts covered my arms and legs from my run the night before. I couldn’t believe I’d stopped reading. The answers to all of my questions waited for me in a twenty-year-old diary that sat on my lap, and I couldn’t make myself read it.

  Boone snickered and I glanced over at him from the passenger side. “What?”

  He shook his head but kept smiling. “You’re just a wildcard, Josie. I never know what you’re going to do. Run off scared or beat someone up. I mean—?” He shrugged his shoulders. “What’s the deal?”

  I didn’t know. There was something controlling me and it wasn’t me. I didn’t beat people up, or run away scared. “I have no idea.” I shrugged. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  Boone palmed my thigh. “Tonight we’re going to read the rest of the diary, Josie. I can’t take another day of waiting.”

  I knew that. I knew the night before that he wanted to read it, and so did I. But there was a bigger part of me running for the hills. What if it’s something we can’t fix?

  “I see those wheels turnin’ over there. What you thinking about?”

  “What do you think?” I whispered, searching the trees outside my window for an answer.

  “Don’t stress yourself about it. We’ll read the diary tonight after I get off work, okay? I’ll be right there with you, no matter what the diary says.”