The Bucket List by Skyla Carter Read Free Book Online Page B

watching them.
    "Wow," Kennedy said. "Did you really hit that?"
    "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell," Dave answered.
    "So, what's going on. Are you two together now?" Brian asked.
    "Did it look like they are together? She didn't even know he was here," Nate chuckled.
    "Well, thanks Nate," Dave said sarcastically.

 

Chapter Four
    Lunch with Irving hadn't gone the way she'd planned. Oh, it had been pleasant enough but he had started talking to her, really talking to her. In all the time he had been trying to get to know her, they had never talked like that. She'd got a glimpse of what lay beneath the Crusher’s mask. And she had really liked it. Halfway through the meal he had tried to explain his actions towards her mother so many years ago, how they'd both been too young and foolish to have ever made it work. Rebecca had said the same thing but she had never really believed her. Hearing from the man himself brought it all home.
    So now the man had her wishing she had more time to get to know him. This whole thing had been a bad idea. She had expected to just sit there and not really feel anything, then when it was time to walk away she'd just give him a little kiss and disappear. She couldn't afford to feel anything, it would only make saying goodbye that much harder.
    He walked her to her door after the meal, still talking to her.
    "I really had a good time," he said when they stood in front of her door.
    She turned to look into his eyes and smiled at him.
    "Me, too," she answered truthfully.
    "Do you want to do it again?"
    The way he asked it, she could tell he was dreading her answer. Normally she didn't make such a commitment, she just brushed him off. So far she'd call the shots in the relationship, if you could call it that.
    "I'd love that. Breakfast again tomorrow before you leave for the next city?"
    Irving smiled and nodded his head. As he was turning to walk away, she stopped him with a hand on her arm and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. Irving was just as shocked as she was but his was more a pleasant shock. In all their time together, she had never made any contact with him at all, not even a handshake.
    "Bye," she said quickly as she used her key card to enter the room she shared with her friends, then quickly closing the door to lean on it.
    He was a good man. And she could tell he really was the sort of person she could run to whenever she was in trouble. But she would never get the chance. It all suddenly just started to hit her again, how life was so fucking unfair.
    "Rae, what's wrong?"
    Corey was sitting on the couch with John, but she realised he had been watching her. She needed to get her shit together, before Corey found out the truth.
    "Nothing. It was just a bit intense, that's all," she lied as she breezed into the room and kissed him.
    "How come?" he asked.
    "We were talking about mom," she said softly.
    It turned out that was all she needed to say. Corey pulled her down onto his lap and just held her tightly, knowing how she always drew strength on that. He didn't speak at all. Her arms around his torso, she buried her face in his chest and felt the tears slowly come. How was she ever going to let go?
    That night was Riptide Rumble, the biggest one yet. The moment Rae stepped out of the rental with John and Corey, she felt the electricity in the air. The Bash Arena was empty now but she knew in a few hours it would be filled to capacity. She couldn't wait to sink herself into the action. She was planning to sit with the crowds for some of it, she even had her own signs.
    Corey chuckled when she pulled them out.
    "I suck?" he asked, referring to one of the sings that was done in big, bold red letters.
    "Totally," she said.
    "Shouldn't it be, 'You suck'?" John asked.
    "No," she smiled wickedly as they walked into the arena.
    There was a buzz in the locker rooms which wasn't normally there. It was going to be a historical night in more than one way with new beginnings and heartbreaking