Departures Read Online Free

she was just one of the girls. And not a very interesting one because Christy wasn’t athletically inclined. Jennifer Morrisey was the sports queen, and all the guys chose Jennifer to be on their team. Christy was never the first pick for any sporting event.
    So why in the world would Matthew Kingsley have called hergrandmother and asked about Christy? Before she could come up with possible reasons, she heard a car pull into the driveway. Leaning forward, Christy saw a white pickup truck stop behind their rental car. She knew her wealthy uncle Bob and aunt Marti wouldn’t be arriving in a pickup truck. Besides, they were staying at a motel in town.
    Stretching her neck to see through the screen door’s mesh, Christy caught sight of the visitor making his way toward her with long strides. What she saw made her hold her breath.

4

    atthew Kingsley,” Christy whispered. The timid side of her personality urged her to jump up and run into the house to hide. Another part of her felt flattered that Matthew had come to see her.
    She hadn’t looked in a mirror since early this morning, so she had no idea how she looked, but she knew it couldn’t be her best. On impulse she stood up before Matthew reached the screen door and quickly ran her fingers through her hair, flipping it back over her shoulder. Her heart pounded as she swallowed and reached for the handle before Matthew had a chance to knock. With a cautious pull, she opened the door to greet Matthew with an embarrassed smile.
    “Hi,” she said.
    “Hi, yourself,” Matthew said, obviously startled. His light brown hair was short and much thicker than it had been in grade school. He probably shaved every day now. For the first time in their lives, he was now taller than she was. In every way, little Matthew Kingsley had grown up.
    Matthew seemed to be taking a casual visual survey of Christy. They both looked each other in the eye, and Christy laughed nervously.
    “Hi,” she said again.
    “Hi, yourself,” Matthew said again. His eyebrows were thicker than they had been when he was a kid. But his warm brown eyes were as tender as they had been the day he gave Andrew Preston the black eye.
    “I heard you were coming,” he said.
    “Yes,” Christy said awkwardly. “I’m here.”
    “You’re here,” Matthew said, nodding. He was still standing on the top step, and Christy was holding open the screen door.
    “Do you want to come in?” Christy asked. “I’m probably letting in all the mosquitoes.”
    “They haven’t been bad yet this year,” Matthew said. “It hasn’t been real hot.”
    “Oh,” Christy said, nodding. She thought it comical that they were discussing the weather. She repeated her question. “Would you like to come in?”
    “Oh, sure. Okay.” Matthew stepped into the porch and stood there, just inside the door.
    Christy smiled and tried to remind herself that she was nearly eighteen years old. She had experienced a few dating relationships. She should know how to act around a guy without being so self-conscious. But this wasn’t any guy. This was Matthew Kingsley.
    “How’s California?” Matthew asked after a pause.
    “Good. I like it there.”
    “It’s probably a lot better than here,” Matthew said.
    “No, it’s nice, but it’s nice here too. I mean, every place has good points and bad points. Sometimes I wish I still lived here so I could seemy grandparents more and just be around all this familiar stuff. It’s comforting, you know?”
    Matthew gave her a look of disbelief. “Comforting?”
    Christy felt her cheeks turn red. “I’m just saying I like it here too, and I’m glad we could come visit.”
    “Do you want to go do something with me?” Matthew asked.
    Christy waited for a little more information, expressing with her eyes that she wanted Matthew to expand his question before she answered.
    “I thought we could drive around and get something to eat,” Matthew said.
    “I’ll have to ask my