Carter (The Harlow Brothers Book 1) by Brie Paisley Read Free Book Online Page A

do exactly what I did.
    “Don’t get mad when I laugh at you for falling again.”
    “Shut up, Carter. You watch. I’m going to do it, and then you’re going to give me those Skittles you keep hidden from me!”
    “Alright, if you can climb that rope without falling, I’ll give you the entire bag of them.”
    “You promise?” Even at the age of ten, I could tell how much a promise meant to her. She asked me to promise the simplest of things, even when she knew I would do anything she asked.
    “I promise, Shel. Now, get your skinny butt up here.” She nodded, and I continued to watch her. She pushed her hair out of her face, then gripped the rope tightly. She stood still for a few moments, and I almost asked her if she was going to climb up. When she jumped and started to climb, I couldn’t help but smile. I could already tell she was set on getting my bag of goodies.
    I could hear her breath coming out faster as she got closer to the opening in the floor of the treehouse. I moved away from the rail when I didn’t see her anymore, and hovered over the squared opening to watch her more. I started to cheer her on, and bent down to help her off the rope as she reached the opening. I took her small hand and helped her up. I dropped her hand, and noticed she was beaming. “I told ya I could do it.”
    Laughing, I said, “I knew you would do it, Shel. Come on and I’ll get you my Skittles.” I took her hand again, and she followed me inside the treehouse. We came here a lot on the weekends, and when we didn’t have school. Most days, we stayed up here and played Uno or Monopoly. Sometimes Caden, Cason, and Clark came up here too, but most days it was just Shelby and I. Mom said Caden, Cason, and Clark were too little to climb up to the treehouse, but I think she just said that because she didn’t want them to get hurt.
    Mr. William told us we could come over anytime we wanted to play in the treehouse. I liked coming here with Shelby, and I think she liked getting away from her Mom. I didn’t like Mrs. Tabitha, but I didn’t tell Shelby that. I also didn’t tell Shelby she smelled funny, and her clothes were dirty. When I first met Shelby, she was sitting on the swings at school by herself. I knew how the other kids treated her. They were mean to her because she wasn’t like them. But as I turned and looked at her bright blue eyes, still smiling from climbing the rope, I couldn’t imagine not having her as my best friend. I dropped her hand, and we sat down on the floor as I grabbed my bag of Skittles. I didn’t really like them, but I knew Shelby loved them. We sat across from each other, and I handed her the prize she won fair and square.
    “Thank you, Carter,” she said as she took the bag out of my hands. I watched her as she started to shovel the sweet candies in her mouth, as if she hadn’t eaten anything today. It made me sad knowing she was so skinny, and how she always seemed to be starving every time she ate. She stopped, and looked at me with sad eyes. I hated when she looked at me like that.
    “What’s wrong, Shel?”
    She placed the bag beside her, and she looked away for a moment. I waited, hoping she would tell me for once what’s really going on with her parents. I’ve overheard my Mom and Dad talking about them before, and none of it sounded good. “Carter, do you think you’re Mommy and Daddy love each other?”
    “What kind of question is that?” I really didn’t know how to answer her.
    “I mean, do your parents fight all the time? I’ve seen how your parents hug you and tell you they love you.” I barely heard her say, “My Mommy tells me she hates me sometimes.”
    I moved beside her and took her hand again. She glanced at me, and I could see tears building in her eyes. “Don’t cry, Shelby.” I watched a tear slide down her cheek, and it made my stomach hurt seeing her so sad. I might not understand the meaning of love, but I did know that Shelby was my best friend. I