Where the Little Birds Are (Little Bird Duet Book 2) Read online

  Her eyes light up. “Will the entire cast be here? Perhaps the handsome boy with those sexy eyes that you’ve caused a stir with?”

  My face heats. I wouldn’t call Corbin Callum a boy but given the fact she’s probably in her early fifties, I can see why she calls him that. “I don’t know, to be honest.”

  She nods. “Well I’ll support you regardless if that hunk comes here. But sign me up for a front row seat if he steps foot anywhere near this place.”

  For the first time in too long, I laugh. “I can do you one better. I’ll send him to your store. He has a sweet tooth too.”

  Her blue eyes light up. “Does he now?”

  I gesture toward the magazine rack. “I haven’t thanked you for what you did. I’m sure your boss wasn’t happy when those copies disappeared out of the blue.”

  When her shoulders lift, the playfulness in her eyes increase. “Delivery must have gotten lost.” We share an amused look. “I never liked how people were portrayed in those silly things. It’s nobody else’s business what goes on outside their own lives.”

  My fingers twitch around the handle of the bag I’m holding. “You’re one of the few who believe that.” Sighing I nod toward the door. “I should get going. Thanks again.”

  “Enjoy the sugar, Kinley.”

  Before I push the door open, she says, “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I’m here if you need me. Things can be tough in the early stages, so know you’re not alone.”

  My palm freezes against the door handle as I slowly turn to her. Her smile is warm, genuine. It barely eases the fear from the knowing look staring back at me.

  “How…?”

  She waves me off. “Have two of my own. Call it a sixth sense. None of my business, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m here if you need advice. Or if you have a craving the store carries. Pickles were my choice after the sickness stopped.”

  I whisper, “Pickles?”

  “And peanut butter.”

  My nose scrunches. “Together?”

  She laughs. “Darling, you’ve got a long way to go by the looks of it. You’ll start wanting things you never thought you’d like. Just wait.”

  I blow out a breath. Great.

  The familiar sight of peppered dark hair greets me as I walk toward my front door. Her hair is styled in a short ‘do that rests just above her shoulders, highlighted with silver that the sun emphasizes when she turns around. My feet slow as I tighten my grip on the bag of candy.

  “Hello, Kinley.”

  I swallow my nerves. “Hi, Mom.”

  My eyes go to the black car parked in my driveway behind my own. When I meet Mom’s distant gaze, I know she knows. It’s the way her lips twitch like she wants to say something but can’t. She rarely holds back.

  She silently moves out of the way for me to unlock the door, then follows me inside. Since she knows where to put her coat, I let her settle in while I drop my keys and food onto the kitchen counter. Too afraid to take off my own jacket, I stuff my hands in the pockets and walk over to where she stands in between the foyer and living room.

  Penny rubs against her shins, but she doesn’t pay her any attention. Her eyes are on me until my soul feels the burn of her unspoken words. Her gaze doesn’t even have to linger to the midsection I hide under layers of clothing.

  “How are you?”

  She walks into the living room. “Don’t start with me, Kinley Ann.” Cringing over the middle name, I follow her in. She takes a seat on the couch and I sit in the chair next to it.

  Drawing my legs onto the edge of the cushion to hide my torso, I bite down on my thumbnail. “Where’s Dad?”

  “At home.”

  Her short replies mean I’m in big trouble, so I prepare myself. “I know you’re upset, but I really need you not to be right now.”

  Her hard expression doesn’t change, leaving me sinking back. “And what about what I need? Or your father? We’ve been worried sick about you. Your brother—”

  “Don’t.”

  She throws her hands up, staring with hard eyes unforgivingly at me. “Don’t what?”

  “Whatever Gavin told you isn’t…” I lick my dry lips, feeling them crack under the tip of my tongue. “I can explain, okay? It’s not going to be easy to hear, but there’s a reason.”

  Mom doesn’t answer, but doubt is displayed across her face. “Then explain it to me because I don’t understand where we went wrong. How many times have we told you to let go? We didn’t tell you that because we wanted to control you. It was to protect you.”

  Protect you from this, is what she doesn’t add. It’s clearly stated between the lines. Her gaze finally dips down to my midsection.

  “Tell me.”

  My lips part, but only air comes out.

  At the worst time possible, I think about Parker. What does he think of me? Mom and Dad didn’t offer their opinions about him like they didn’t with Corbin, but their hesitance wasn’t as obvious. They’d ask me about Parker and seemed happy to hear he was doing well. They liked him.

  I bet he doesn’t like me very much.

  Standing up, she paces a few times before turning to me again. “We have tried to be supportive of your choices, but we can’t keep standing around and watching you self-destruct over somebody who isn’t worth it.”

  I loosen the grip I have on my thumbnail, blinking at her as I absorb the words. “You gave me a chance to bond with somebody who understood what it was like to dream beyond the town line. I needed Corbin back then.”

  She rolls the same dark color eyes I get from her. “You didn’t need him then, and you don’t need him now. Same for Parker. You’ve always been stronger than that and Corbin poisoned your mindset. He’s not a good—”

  “I’m not a good person,” I cut her off, dropping my feet onto the floor. “You can call him names and put all the blame on him, but you don’t see both sides. You want to take mine because it’s in your nature to. But I fucked up, Mom. And I don’t want to be in this position, but I have no other choice.”

  “You could have chosen differently.”

  I stand, shaking my head and walking into the kitchen. Reaching for the bag of candy, I tear open one of the chocolate bars. “Are we really going to play that game? There’s a lot of things that could have been different. Corbin could have moved anywhere, but he came to Lincoln. The principal could have asked someone in his own grade to show him around, but he chose me. Gavin could have walked away when Corbin came back, but he opened his big mouth. And you know what else? I could have married Parker, but we weren’t right for each other. Are we going to stand here and go back and forth about what could have happened like that makes a difference?”

  Breaking apart a chocolate square, I shove it into my mouth and wait for her to say something. When she leans against the counter and shakes her head, I know she isn’t going to. She’s learned by now that I won’t hear her out when I’ve made up my mind.

  Just like her.

  I lean my hip against the counter. “I don’t want to talk about this if we’re just going to fight. That won’t lead us anywhere.”

  Quietly, she finally asks, “What do you want then, Kinley? Because I’ve stopped understanding what that is a long time ago.”

  “Right now?” I shrug. “I want my mom.”

  Her hands rest on the edge of the island, her body leaning forward. “I’m right here. You just need to talk to me. Why don’t you ever talk to me about these things before you act?”

  Clicking my tongue, I meet her sullen expression. “We never had that kind of relationship. You and Dad never understood how much writing meant to me, but Corbin did. And even though you guys let me go to New York City and meet Jamie and let her represent me, there was always a disconnect. Writing and Corbin have always been two things that meant so much to me that I wish I could have talked about, but it never felt right to do.”

  The hurt weighing down her lips has my shoulders dropping. “I don’t k
now what I did to make you think you couldn’t talk to me. I’ve always done my best to let you have control over your life, especially with Corbin.”

  “I know—”

  “Do you, Kinley?” She backs up and looks around the house, gesturing around with her hands. “We’re so proud of everything you’ve accomplished. You’re young and successful and somebody any parent would be proud to call their child. I’m sorry if we didn’t show that.”

  I brush hair out of my face and sigh knowing this is going nowhere. “I’m not saying you don’t care or that you’re not proud.”

  “Then what are you saying?”

  “I don’t want to tell you everything!” I blurt, clenching my fists by my sides. “I like keeping things to myself. It’s easier that way. Some parents have the type of relationships with their kids that are open. Anything is on the table with them. Admit it, Mom. That has never been us.”

  “Your brother and—”

  “Don’t bring him into this,” I cut her off, pulling out a stool from under the breakfast counter and sitting down. “The reason it’s different between you guys is because you have common interests."

  She doesn’t have an answer.

  “I’m not mad.” I break off another piece of chocolate and stare at it. “Maybe I used to be but I’m not anymore. It gives me a chance to do my own thing and be proud of my accomplishments.”

  Before I can say anything else, my phone begins ringing in my back pocket. Putting my candy down, I pull out my cell and glance at the unknown number. Promptly, I ignore it.

  Mom’s brows arch as she gestures toward the device. “Not going to answer that?”

  Considering I’m sure it’s Gavin using a new number to reach out to me, that’s a firm negative. “No. I don’t want to talk to Gavin. He knows what he did is messed up.”

  She levels with me. “You’ve both made choices that weren’t right. Are you going to blame him forever? He’s your brother.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “It—” The same number pops up again.

  Mom pushes the phone to me. “Just answer it, Kinley. Is it really worth ruining your relationship with him over?”

  “Please stop making light of this.”

  She just points to the phone.

  Reluctantly, I answer to stall from the conversation between us that’s sinking faster than the Titanic. “Gavin, I’m not in the—”

  “Please don’t hang up,” a different gravelly tone pleads.

  My eyes widen as I push up. “How did you get this number?”

  “I need to know you’re okay.”

  Mom eyes me curiously.

  “Corbin, I—”

  Mom shakes her head and walks out of the kitchen with her hands up in surrender. The sound of the closet door opening and jacket rustling against the others has me following her into the foyer. “I will not condone this behavior, Kinley. You are a grown a woman and should know better than this.”

  “Mom, stop. Please?”

  Corbin clears his throat. “Is now—”

  “I can’t do this right now, Corbin. You couldn’t have chosen a worse possible time to check in on me. The answer is no. I’m not okay. If that’s all, then bye.” My voice breaks as I hang up on him. The burning feeling of rising tears stings my eyes. “Mom, would you stop? You just got here.”

  She zips her jacket and grabs her shoes, sliding into them before even looking in my direction again. “I was hoping to talk some sense into you and figure out what you’re going to do. But if you’re going to let him into your life like he isn’t wearing somebody else’s ring, I won’t stand by and see you get hurt again.”

  I try reasoning with her as she pulls her car keys out of her pocket. “I don’t even know how he got my number. I wasn’t lying when I said I needed space from everybody. Him especially. And don’t you think something I should figure out is how he fits into this?”

  “It depends on how you want him to.”

  Her distain isn’t lost on me. If anything, it only feeds into the distance I’ve put between her and I. “Like you said, I’m a grown woman. I can make my own choices whether you agree with them or not. Just like I did with Corbin, college, and Parker.”

  She walks to the door. “I wish I would have stopped this from happening. I thought it was a good thing to see you focused on something other than your writing back then. You needed to act your age and have fun. If I had known this is where you’d end up, I would have pulled the plug on it a long time ago.”

  I stand still, not bothering to stop her as she opens the door. “You act like my life is over. There are worse things that could have happened, Mom.”

  How many times have I told myself that in the past three months? It’s the only reason I’ve pushed through. People go through horrible situations that don’t even compare to mine.

  Mom purses her lips. “You’re pregnant with a married man’s baby. A man who didn’t choose you, Kinley. I’m sorry if that’s hard to hear, but you need to hear it. It doesn’t matter what your brother said to him. He should have looked past it and worked through it with you if it meant that much to him. I’m glad it’s not worse, but that doesn’t mean it’s not nothing.”

  With that, she closes the door behind her. All I can do is stand there with my palm against my stomach and close my eyes.

  I count to three.

  And walk away.

  Chapter Eight

  Corbin / Present

  Bouncing the heel of my foot against the ground, I stare between my cell phone screen and the clock hanging on the living room wall. The front door opens as I pick up the phone to redial her, stopping me by glancing up. The impatient expression on my face doesn’t mirror the casual nature of hers.

  I stand. “Where the hell have you been?”

  Lena waltzes in with her oversized designer bag draped over her arm and the matching sunglasses still covering her eyes. She takes them off and gives me a sultry smile, clipping them on the collar of her tight black tee shirt.

  “I’m only a few minutes late,” is her reply, walking over to me in jeans that are painted on. She’s been wearing tighter clothes since I told her I wanted to go through with the divorce. Tighter, more revealing, and undoubtedly eye catching when she asks to meet me out. It never fails that someone with a camera is there to capture each fucking moment.

  “Forty minutes isn’t a few.”

  She shrugs and sits down beside me. “I was on the phone with my mother. What did you want me to do? Hang up on her?”

  “Tell her you’re busy,” I grind out. Putting my face in my hands, I stifle a groan over the same conversation. “How many times are we going to put this off? The papers were drawn up a long time ago. We both want this.”

  “What if we don’t?” She reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “We used to be good for each other. Don’t you remember?”

  I sit back and blink slowly. Once upon a time we were inseparable. Everyone joked that the honeymoon phase would wear off and neither of us believed them. It’s why we jumped into marriage so quickly—six months quick. We’d been consumed by what we felt and acted on it like it’d last because, for once, it didn’t feel like there was only one person for me.

  But that isn’t how I feel anymore. That feeling was a mask to hide the inevitable beneath it that would eventually lead us here. Yet another cycle that all leads back to Kinley.

  “You don’t mean that,” I answer. “And while we’re on the topic of things you don’t mean, you had no right telling the media what you did about us. We can’t keep pretending, Lena. Think about this.”

  Her lips twitch downward as she draws back. “I know we agreed to this, but I think we could work it out. What if we tried counseling? We’ve never discussed that and I’m sure it’d be suggested if we proceed with the papers.”

  “Lena.” I push away from the table and run a hand through my hair. “Where is this coming from? When we spoke about this you agreed it was for the best. I
know you’re nervous about your parents, but—”

  She frowns, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. There’s a disconnect that I can’t figure out. “I love you. Is that so hard to believe?”

  Yes.

  I slide the papers toward her. “I love you too, but we both know it’s not the kind that warrants this marriage to continue. Counseling won’t help us. It’ll just be a waste of time and money. What happened to the woman who held my hand and told me she was sorry for not feeling the same as we did when we first met? New feelings don’t just grow out of nowhere.”

  Her nostrils flare as she stares at the paperwork. It’s not the first time she’s seen them, but her anger displayed so openly toward the documents is certainly new.

  “Why do you want this?” she asks, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raising.

  “Because you deserve better.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Lena, come on.”

  She crosses her arms, pushing her breasts up and making me look away. “You used to look at me like you couldn’t believe I was real. I felt cherished. Loved. Maybe not in the way I should have been, but it was enough. Then you got this movie deal, and everything changed.”

  I try stopping her before her thoughts stray too far. “Things have been strained for us for a lot longer than when I accepted this role. You know that, Len. How long have we been beating around the bush? I’m tired of it. You were tired of it too.”

  She laughs coolly. “So Kinley Thomas has nothing to do with why you want a divorce? It’s all coincidental that you’re asking for it now that you two have rekindled?”

  Eyes widening at her brass statement, I study her for a moment before collecting my thoughts. “How do you know about…?”

  Her eyes roll. “Don’t act like you haven’t done your homework on me. We both have a past with people that we knew little about. I just dug into yours because I realized your past wasn’t just in the past. Honestly, I would have preferred you slept with Olivia. At least I knew it would have been a fling instead of something complicated like this.”