Chapter Five
Teal had gotten a text from her mother that she’d landed in England and was with her father. That they were working through their problems, and if she needed anything, she had to be in touch.
That was yesterday night, after she had made dinner for Jaxson.
Today, she was in Jaxson’s kitchen.
He’d already handed her a soda and ordered her to sit.
They had spent the day together. Not intentionally.
Jaxson had been out in his yard, and she’d been out in the pool, soaking up what was left of the sun before fall reared its cold head. She didn’t mind the summer but loved the winter. Actually, she loved all the seasons, and she intended to bask in each and every single one.
“I got a text from your mother,” Jaxson said. “She arrived in England.”
“I heard. She’s already with my father. They’re going to work through their issues.”
“What’s in England?” he asked. “Why did she go there?”
“Dad has a client in England, so that’s why he’s there. Also, it’s where he was born, so that’s where he sometimes goes to collect his thoughts and stuff like that.”
“Oh, have you lived in England?”
“Yep. We spent five years, maybe more when I was around ten.”
“Ah, okay.”
Teal smiled. “Yeah, I think that’s why I struggle to connect and make friends.”
“Did you make friends in England?”
“Not so much. I guess I’m a loner, or someone like that. I usually like my own company.” She shrugged. None of this wasmaking her sound cool.
She looked at Jaxson, and as she did, she couldn’t help but think about what some of the girls said about him. They were attracted to him, and it wasn’t hard to see why, seeing as she was just as attracted to him.
“So, er, do you think you’re going to stick around?” Teal asked.
Jaxson sighed. “I have no idea, to be honest. My old school wants me back, and this place is great, and I’m enjoying it, but it’s not…”
“Home?”
“Yeah, you get that?”
“Yep. It’s lovely, and the neighborhood is nice and all of that, but, er, don’t you think, like, I don’t know, it’s … strange?”
“Strange, how?” he asked.
“Well, I was talking to the guy that owned this place before. Hector something or other, and he was telling my mom at the time that this place has seen a lot of people selling.” Teal shrugged. “I told my mom it was clearly a bad idea, but she bought it anyway.”
Jaxson laughed. “Some places do that, Teal. Some feel like home. Others don’t.”
“Do you think it’s haunted?” Teal glanced around his kitchen.
“Nah, it’s not haunted. There’s no such thing as ghosts.”
She gasped. “You don’t like pesto, and now you’re telling me you don’t believe in ghosts? Next, are you going to tell me you think Halloween is boring?”
Jaxson’s brow rose.