Breaking Away (Assassins, #5)(45)

An hour later, as they stood by the socks, Reese was ready to say the hell with lunch when Claire glanced over at Reese and said, “When Phillip gets back, can we come in so I can show him my solo?”

Reese nodded as Harper asked, “When does Phillip come home? With Jakob’s arm being messed up and keeping him from playing. I have no clue what the schedule is.”

“Friday,” Reese said at the same time Claire did.

Claire’s brows came together, and Reese promptly picked up a pair of blue socks and decided they were the most fascinating socks ever.

“Oh, Harper, these are too cute!” she said quickly, but Claire was still watching her.

“How did you know when Phillip is getting home?”

Thinking quickly, she said, “You told me.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Reese cocked her head towards Harper. “Then she did.”

“Why would I ask if I already knew, Reese?’ Harper asked with a ‘come on’ kind of look. She then eyed Reese suspiciously. “Your face is bright red, what are you hiding?”

Shit!

Gathering her wits, she laughed as she waved them off. “Not a damn thing, I don’t know how I knew. I could have sworn one of you told me. Why does it matter anyways? Come on, I’m hungry.”

When neither of them moved, both eyeing her, she laughed again. “What?”

“Nothing, just thinking,” Harper said with a small smile.

“About?”

“The fact that you and Phillip would be cute together, really good together.”

Reese could feel Claire’s eyes on her and knew that this conversation needed to end. NOW.

“What the hell ever; he is so not my type.”

“Yes he is, he has a penis, that’s the first step,” Harper said with a laugh.

This was true but still. “Bitch!”

Expectant mothers and parents alike shot Reese dirty looks, but she didn’t care. Harper continued to laugh while she shook her head. “I’m just kidding…kind of, but really, y’all would be cute together. I wonder why I never thought of it before. Hmm…”

“Because it will never happen. I don’t want to be with anyone, you know that.”

“Why?”

Harper and Reese both turned to look at Claire. Her eyes were wide, looking right into Reese’s soul.

“Um. Well. I was hurt pretty bad by a POS, so I tend to stay away from guys.”

Claire face scrunched up. “But I’ve heard that you’re always with guys.”

As much as she was glad the conversation of her and Phillip was over, this wasn’t one she wanted to go into. Plus, who the hell said she was always with guys? She kept her nightly shenanigans out of the light. What the hell?

“Well, you see, while you should wait until you’re married—”

“I’m sixteen, almost seventeen, I get that you can have sex without love and stuff like that.”

“You shouldn’t know that,” Harper said with a shake of her head as she started towards something else that was blue.

“Well I do, and I get it.”

“Then we’re good,” Reese said, picking up another outfit and throwing it in their pile. It was cute. It had little dogs on it.

“Not really,” Claire said softly.

Reese looked back. “Why’s that?”

Claire moved her hand into her hair before kicking at the ground. She then looked up at her, and Reese felt like she had kicked the girl. She looked so worried, so hurt and unsure of herself.

“I don’t want you to hate me.”

Reese’s head cocked to the side. “I would never do that.”

“You will if you get with Phillip. He’ll break your heart.”

She wasn’t sure why she was about to entertain this conversation, but she needed to know. “Why would I hate you if he broke my heart? Not saying he will, because we aren’t together,” she said, directing her comment to her sister, who was eyeing her. She then looked at Claire before continuing, “People break up all the time, Claire.”

“I know, but Phillip always hurts people. He hurt me, he hurt my mom and grandma, and even the girl he apparently loved.”

Wow, talk about some deep, pressing issues these two had.

Reaching out, she took a hold of Claire’s hand. “The point is moot, kiddo. I’m not dating Phillip.”

They shared a long look. Claire looked skeptical, but thankfully said. “Okay.”

“Okay, now I really do think you and Phillip need to discuss your feelings. You two have issues,” she joked.

Claire smiled. “It’s getting better. As much as I want to hate him for leaving me, he’s making up for it.”

“He loves you,” Reese declared, “very much.”

Claire moved her fingers through her hair. “I know.”

“Good.”

“Come on, you two. Let’s go pay and get some lunch,” Harper called out towards them.

“Thank God!” Reese joked as she wrapped her arms around Claire’s shoulders and started for Harper. She tried to ignore her pounding heart, but it was hard. She hated lying to Claire, but no one could know about her and Phillip right now. Really, there wasn’t anything to know. They were just fooling around. No reason to get everyone all twisted in a knot over it.