Crazy For You by Alexander, S.B. (best ebook reader ubuntu .TXT) 📕

Given that he lived next door and the walls were thin, it would be hard not to see or hear what our neighbors were up to. Only a strip of land about twenty-five feet wide separated his house from mine.

Stella mewled at my feet as if to tell me to go back to bed. Instead, I picked her up. I needed something to quench the thirst in my dry throat. “I’m going to get some water.”

I carried her with me, passing my other window, which had a clear view of Mrs. Caldwell’s office. I pulled back my curtain, then cracked open the blinds. Her room was dark. I didn’t know what I was expecting, although Georgia’s comment came to mind: You could sneak into his room at night.

I didn’t know if Mrs. Caldwell had moved her office out to accommodate her son. I only knew the window I was looking at had been his bedroom before he’d left for the academy. One of the first weeks after I’d moved in, I’d forgotten to close my curtains, and I’d never been more horrified than when I caught Colton staring at me. It wouldn’t have been embarrassing except I’d been completely naked.

I shook off the memory as I tiptoed out, careful not to wake Nan, who was sleeping in the other bedroom on the second floor.

I set Stella down when I entered the kitchen. After getting a drink of water, I decided to check on Dad. I’d gotten into the habit of poking my head in when I couldn’t sleep.

A light filtered out of Dad’s room. Maybe he was awake. Or maybe Nan had forgotten to shut off the lights. Stella followed me in. Dad liked when she curled up with him. I did the same on occasion. His hospital bed wasn’t that big, but I always found a small nook to snuggle next to him for a few minutes.

His computer screen was brightening the room, and I zeroed in on a picture of three older women smiling at the camera from a table in a restaurant. They appeared to be having a good time, drinks in hand.

Dad snored lightly as I studied the picture. All three women had varying shades of brown hair and brown eyes, and the one in the middle snagged my attention. She wore a cool, round, silver charm necklace that had some sort of inscription on it.

Dad stirred, yawning. He blinked a couple of times, then gave me a faraway look as Stella nestled in-between his legs.

“Go back to sleep. I was just shutting off your computer.” I rubbed his nose with mine. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

With all the strength he had, which was nil, he tensed and lowered his gaze to the slim spot next to him.

I wished upon a star every chance I had that he could talk, that I could hear his voice again, even if it was to say one word.

I crawled in as best I could and snuggled into him. “I love you, Dad.” Tears burned as hot as a fireplace poker. “I really want to hear your voice again.”

He moved so his cheek was on the top of my head, a gesture that said he wanted the same thing.

I swung my arm over his chest. I had so much I wanted to say, but couldn’t without shedding an ocean of tears.

“Colton is going to fix the wheel on my skateboard. I need a new front axle assembly.” Colton had called it a wheelbase, but I didn’t correct him. I’d been so wrapped up in the close proximity of his body that I couldn’t think. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him hitting me. I just don’t want you to worry.”

I was sure he had several things to say about my skateboard, about being careful, and so on.

“It won’t happen again,” I whispered. I did need to be more alert when riding in the streets or through parking lots.

We lay there as Stella snored.

Dad laughed weakly. Granted, he couldn’t speak, but he did make grunting and laughing sounds.

“I should get back to my room,” I said. I could have fallen asleep next to Dad, but I wasn’t the best sleeping companion. I had a habit of taking over the whole bed, and I was a restless sleeper, which meant I would either end up on the floor or kicking Dad and hurting him. I hugged him as tightly as I could. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He blinked in agreement.

Stella didn’t move. I was about to grab her when Dad shook his head.

I kept the door ajar so Stella could get out. On my way upstairs, I wondered if Colton was still outside. Probably not, but as always, my curiosity got the better of me, and I quietly padded over to the front window in the family room, my pulse soaring to new heights. Holding my breath, I gently moved the curtain out of the way with one finger and angled my head to get a view of his driveway, which was dark save for the landscape lights around a pear tree that stood between our property lines.

Exhaling, I let the curtain fall and quietly went to my room. I had to shut off my brain. I had to get at least a couple hours of sleep before school or I would be a zombie in every class.

I huffed as I flopped onto my mattress, my mind racing with thoughts of Dad, Colton, and homework. The only way to clear my head was to read. I got up and switched on the bedside lamp. As I hunted for that thriller novel I’d been reading, a soft glow lit up the space between Colton’s house and mine.

Don’t look, Skye.

But my legs had a mind of their own, and before I could think, I was standing in front of my window and looking directly into Colton’s bedroom. The blood drained from my cheeks, and several expletives dropped from