Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (109 page)

With
her
outburst
finished,
Aggie
excused
herself
to
the
bathroom.
Leaning
against
the
door,
she
pulled
her
phone
from
her
skirt
pocket
and
punched
Luke’s
number.
“I
just
blew
it
with
your
sisters.”

“Not
possible.”

“But
I
did.
Corinne
hates
me.”

“That’s
crazy,”
he
argued,
“she’s
been
dying
for
a
chance
to
really
get
to
know
you.”

“Well,
she’s
spent
the
entire
time
I’ve
been
here
grilling
me.
Your
mom
has
called
her
on
it
at
least
twice
that
I
can
remember.
I
just
kind
of
lost
it
and
told
her
exactly
what
I
think
of
people’s
questions
about
my
status
as
a
twenty-three
year
old
mother
of
eight.”

Luke’s
laughter
annoyed
Aggie,
but
it
also
gave
her
a
hint
of
hope.
“I
think
you’ve
just
ensured
that
she
loves
you.
Corinne
respects
someone
who
doesn’t
whine
and
doesn’t
take
any
guff
either.
I
bet
most
of
what
seems
antagonistic
is
really
just
her
weird
sense
of
humor.
I
told
you
about
that.”

“Yeah,
but
you
didn’t
say
what
it
was!
I
was
expecting
whoopee
cushions
or
dry
British
jokes
that
even
Brits
don’t
get.”

“Trust
me.
It’ll
be
fine.”
Luke
seemed
to
sense
her
reticence,
because
he
asked,
“Would
you
like
me
to
call
her
and
tell
her
to
back
off?”

“No.
That’ll
put
her
off
even
more.
I
want
to
go
home.”

That
silence—the
one
that
had
become
comforting
to
her—now
drove
her
crazy
again
as
she
waited
for
his
reply.
He
eventually
said,
“Give
it
ten
more
minutes.
If
you
still
want
to
come
home
then,
call
me
and
I’ll
call
mom
and
tell
her
you
need
to
come
home.
I’ll
find
a
legitima
te
reason
.”

“I’m
sorry.”
Tears
choked
her
as
she
fought
to
hide
them.

“Hey,
hey,
Mibs.
It’s
ok.
I
should
have
done
something
with
everyone
there.”

“On
a
brighter
note,
I
think
Cassie
likes
me—or
would
if
we
had
a
chance
to
talk
without
interruption.”

“Good.
Invite
her
out
for
coffee.”
Seconds
later,
he
added,
“Maybe
you
should
invite
them
one
at
a
time.
It
might
be
a
way
to
get
to
know
them
without
it
feeling
like
they’re
all
coming
at
you
at
once.”

“I’ll
try.”

“Go
put
some
cold
water
on
your
face.
I
know
you
and
your
eyes
are
puffy
and
red.
You
won’t
want
them
to
notice.”

The
words
unsettled
her
even
further.
“I
thought
this
was
going
to
be
fun.
It’s
horrible.”

“I
can
come
if
you
like.
Mrs.
Dyke—”

“I’ll
go,
but
you
know
I’ll
be
calling
in
about
ten
minutes.”