Under the Midnight Stars by Shawna Gautier Read Free Book Online Page A

attire when it came to dates, but this particular one was doomed from the start. She wished she could just back out of it, but she wasn’t about to be labeled as someone who went back on her word.
    Her outfit of a white blouse, jeans, and gray sneakers with white tips was as plain a look as she could muster. She even pulled her hair back into a simple ponytail.
    Her father entered the beige-tiled foyer and headed up the oak staircase to his office. “Going to work tonight, sweetheart?” he asked, not looking back.
    Rather than worry her father about her being alone with a man tonight, she simply replied, “Yes.”
    “Do you need a ride?”
    “A friend’s picking me up.”
    “See you in the morning then.” He stopped at the top of the stairs and smiled.
    “Good night, Dad.” Brielle waved back to him, watching as he unsteadily held onto the railing overlooking the living room while he disappeared down the hallway.
    Her heart grew heavy — he was drunk again. He took to drinking nightly after her mother had died. And he’d become much too overprotective. He wouldn’t even let her drive herself anywhere in the car that she and her mother had shared. He insisted that either he or Jack drive her wherever she needed to go. She knew her father would eventually have to relent and let her become independent. Either that or she’d have no choice but to move away. For now, she secretly didn’t mind not driving her own car — it was the same car her mother had died in. And ever since then, she’d lost interest in driving anyhow.
    Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them back.
    Just then there was a knock at the door.
    Brielle quickly dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her fingertips and cleared her throat. Dreading what she was about to do, she stared at the carved panels of the solid oak door, debating whether or not to open it. After all, she and Colt had shared their first kiss merely hours before. It just didn’t feel right anymore, going on a date with Billy when she held such a deep interest in Colt. But then again, it didn’t feel right to cancel her date with Billy at the very last second either. Especially since he’d been trying for years to get her to say yes.
    With a heavy sigh, she forced a smile and opened the door.
    Billy was grinning from ear to ear, holding a bouquet of yellow daisies. One of the daisies still had a root intact. She wondered if they were the same daisies lining the side of her house.
    “Hi, Billy.” Brielle smiled.
    “Gabby.” With a puzzled look, he gave her a once-over. “Are you working tonight?”
    She suppressed a smirk. “No.” She looked down at her outfit, and then innocently back to him. “Why?”
    “Oh.” He shrugged. “No reason. These are for you.” He extended the flowers.
    “You shouldn’t have.” She took the unbound cluster of flowers and laid them on the table next to her small black handbag. “Ready?”
    “Sure.” He turned and headed down the porch steps.
    Slightly irritated that he didn’t bother to wait for her, she quickly snatched up her handbag and stepped onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind her. But rather than to hurry and catch up to him, she decided to teach him a lesson and make him wait on her. Lollygagging, she sat on the steps to untie her shoe and retie it. Then she stood and dusted off the back of her jeans as she headed toward his brand-new maroon 4X4 pickup truck. Maroon was her least favorite color. Just the sight of it soured her mood. She had barely climbed in and closed the door when he took off down the driveway.
    She glanced over at him. He was wearing faded jeans, worn boots, and maroon T-shirt tucked in to show off his oversized silver belt buckle. He wasn’t any more dressed for the occasion than she was. Why, then, was it up to her to dress up for him?
    “Just get done plowing the fields?” She glanced out her window to hide her smirk, watching as the last of the red-orange sky faded to a dull gray.