Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 11

Thank you for all your patience! I'm officially fully moved into my very first house! It's been a crazy last couple of weeks and now I'm absolutely certain that I better die in this house because I refuse to EVER move again.

I'm going to get back on a regular release schedule between tomorrow and Tuesday. For now, enjoy this sorta boring chapter and drop a comment about what you'd love to see happen...

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Vera sat by the pool, staring at the water but not really seeing it. It was cold. It was so cold and the nights were even colder. Inside, her parents were now talking about how things would work if it turned out to be too cold for an outdoor wedding. Echo's future in laws- Luke's aunt mainly- insisted that she had covered everything and there was no need to worry. But her parents were careful planners and so they had already planned an alternate venue in case things needed to be reorganized.

Two days. There was just two days to the big wedding, and last Sunday she had actually invited Tom to the wedding.

She sighed, wrapping the blanket she'd brought out with her more tightly over her shoulders. It didn't seem like he was coming. She hadn't heard from his at all since the day at the donation center. He'd stayed and helped her serve lunch, he'd chatted with one of the families, he'd given up his coat...

She'd known it in that moment, when she saw him hand his coat to that young man... whatever she was feeling for Tom had grown exponentially. She was falling and it was terrifying but also, exciting. She caught herself staring at him almost constantly, found herself losing her breath as she watched him. They'd had such a lovely time that day and when he walked her to her car, she was almost sure he would kiss her.

Instead, he'd planted a friendly kiss on her cheek and sent her on her way with a smile. He hadn't texted, hadn't called, hadn't come to see her since then.

That morning she'd decided that she would just message him first. Maybe he was sick or just really busy, and this wasn't the 60s. She was allowed to text a guy she was interested in.

He hadn't replied yet. All day, no reply. Twelve hours and no reply.

"I'm so dumb." Vera whispered to herself.

"I mean so dumb? We're all a little bit dumb but not sooo dumb." Romy said, taking a seat in one of the pool chairs next to Vera's. Vera turned to her for a second with a faint smile before looking at the pool again.

"Don't tell me you're thinking of going for a swim?" Romy asked, "You'll regret it."

"Have you ever gone swimming in the winter?" Vera asked. "I remember a boy in college doing it at a party once. He called it a polar bear jump. It was ridiculous."

"Yeah, I've seen it but I don't want to die of hypothermia." Romy said, thinking things like that were just stupid. Why would someone do anything so... painful?

"I always wanted to try it but I was too scared." Vera said with a chuckle. Romy stared at her, appalled.

"Why would you want to do something like that?" Romy asked, shaking her head.

"It's just one of those crazy things people think of. I'd never do it." Vera said, "But sometimes I would like to do something crazy or reckless."

"Not me." Romy said, raising her chin. "Life is unpredictable enough as it is, I'm not adding to it by making unwise decisions."

"You have amazing self control." Vera said, making Romy turn to her. "I admire it."

Romy watched her for a few seconds, noting how Vera checked her phone with a sigh before tucking it back away beneath her blanket.