Fading Magic (Book 5 of the Ink Series)

Honeysuckle

My head is pounding when I wake up in the morning and I don't know where I am for the first few minutes. All I hear is the ticking of a clock and an occasional rumbling engine speeding by.

I groan and sit up adjusting to the light coming through the windows of Karsen's bedroom. How in the hell did I end up here?

I kick the blanket off of me and walk to the bathroom to freshen up before I think about going downstairs. I still am wearing the dress from the bar and I smell vomit, which is never a good sign.

I tap on the door before barging in and start the shower. I know Karsen has something I can wear so I shower before someone gets a whiff of the alcohol and puke infused perfume I am wearing.

The water is amazing it soothes my headache and relaxes my anxiety riddled mind. To think I am so close to my mom and little brother it kills me. I never thought I would come back home. It wasn't my idea to be here in the first place. I came because I wanted to be there for Karsen and because of the giant mess we left behind in Cherry. It was Georgia or being accused of murder. Cherry would love to have a reason to put us behind bars. And killing their pastor was a good way to put us there.

I grab a towel from the closet and wrap it around me and head back down the hall for Karsen's room. I need to figure out what I want to do, if going home is the right move or if I should forget that idea all together and accept that I can't deal with seeing my mother ever again.

***

It's weird seeing Karsen and Kidd sitting at her childhood dining room table eating breakfast with her parents. It's weird seeing her parents. Everything is weird.

"Hope," Karsen's mom says when I round the corner. "Breakfast is ready, sit down and eat with us."

I sit and pour myself a huge glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. "Thank you."

She smiles and loads my plate with pancakes and several strips of turkey bacon. "I heard last night was rough."

I raise an eyebrow at Karsen. I can't believe she told her mother I was such a mess. But that's how her family is, they share. They share way too much sometimes.

Her father shakes his newspaper and gives me a look. "She was up all night puking in the hallway."

I cover my face with a napkin I could curl up in a ball and never look at him again. "Sorry about that, Mr. Kelly."

"We all have our moments." He disappears behind his newspaper and leaves me alone.

"So, Hope. How was California?" Karsen's mom asks. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

Her mother knows nothing about what went down while we were away. And I don't think any of us want to change that. The less she knows the better.

"It was fine. It was just time to come home," I insist and take a bite of my bacon.

"I saw your mother at the bank the other day. She's looking wonderful," she says. "I'd never guess she was a day over thirty."

Karsen rolls her eyes. "So Mom, Kidd and Slade need a place to rent, any suggestions?"

"Well there are apartments all over this town. I'm sure they can go to any of them and get right in." She stares at Kidd's tattoos.

"But you're in real estate, don't you have some connections to get them in somewhere good?" Karsen smirks. "Pretty please, momma."

"I'll see what I can do," her mom tells her getting up to clear the dishes.

Her dad lowers the paper and looks at me again. "Hope. I hear you and this Slade are pretty serious. I remember before you left you were crushing on Charlie Knight."

I swallow down some juice and sigh. "I was fourteen. That was a long time before I left."

"Yeah and Charlie is gay I think," Karsen points out. "Well back then I thought so."

"Charlie is not gay, he's doing very well for himself," Karsen's mom chimes in. "He coaches little league and works for his parents."

I stop myself from rolling my eyes. "That's great. I'm happy for him."

Kidd drops his elbows on the table and looks at me. "You've never brought up any Charlie. Does Slade know about Charlie?"

I could punch him. He smirks at me waiting for my answer. "Slade wouldn't care about some stupid boy from high school."

"He's doing well for himself," he points out, throwing a tattooed arm around Karsen.

Karsen's dad clears his throat. "So tell me about those tattoos, Kidd."

I smirk, glad to be off the chopping block. I collect my plate and glass and put it in the sink grabbing a sponge.

"That's okay. I can do it," Karsen's mom says taking the sponge before I can assure her I do dishes all the time.

"How's your father?" she asks before I can make an escape.

"He's alright I guess," I say taking a seat at the counter. I play with the fake fruit.

"Good. I was worried about all of you for a while, until Karsen told me everything was fine." She sits my plate in the drying rack and turns around.

"If ever you need anything you know I am always here." She wraps her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. She still smells like honeysuckle and I love it. For once I don't feel so bad about being back in Georgia.

"Thanks, Mrs. K." I smile pulling away.

"Ever since I can remember you and Karsen have been connected at the hip." She smiles looking into the dining room at Karsen. And then she looks at me again. "He's a good guy right?"

I shake my head. "The best. He treats her like a princess."

"Oh boy, like that's what she needs." She laughs. "She already thinks she is the golden child."

I laugh.

"Well I'm glad she found a good guy. And I am glad you are home," she squeezes my arm and wanders off, probably to fold laundry or dust something.