Love & Light Read Online Free Page B

and everything. Why can’t I just talk to you?”
    “Korinne, you can always talk to me. You know that.” He smiles that same kind smile that reminds me a little of my grandfather. “I’m just a small town family practitioner, though. Perhaps you can benefit from seeing someone better trained to help people through grief and loss issues.”
    I’m quick to shake my head. “Not right now. I really do think I’m doing better, and I may have found a new way to cope with things and let some steam off.” I tell him about the boxing lesson Landon gave me last night. “He says it helped him a lot. I’m hoping it will help me too.”
    “I hope so. I’m encouraged by this new friendship, Kori. I think it could be a good thing.”
    “Yeah, me too.” I smile. “And all because you told me to get outside a little bit.”
    I talk with Dr. Morris for a few more minutes and he gives me a refill on my prescription. There’s still time before Landon’s practice starts, so instead of going back to campus right away, I decide to stop by home to say hi to my brother.
    Noah’s fifteen, pretty shy, and having a tough time dealing with our mom’s death. Like, who isn’t? I try to be there for him as much as possible, and he was one reason I wanted to still live at home this year and commute to campus, but my dad got on his kick about me having a regular college life.
    Whatever.
    “Noah? You home?” I call out when I walk in the house.
    “In here,” my brother yells from the living room. Sure enough, he’s playing some stupid video game.
    “How’s it going?” I greet him.
    He shrugs and doesn’t look away from the TV. “It’s going. What are you doing here?”
    “I had to see Dr. Morris, then I thought I’d swing by and say hello.”
    “I’m glad you did,” Noah says, turning around to face me. “You’ll stay for dinner, right?”
    I hesitate. If I do, it means missing baseball practice. This is my little brother, though, and besides, it’s not like I promised Landon I’d be there. He probably thinks I’m a basket case or a freak now, anyway. He’ll probably be relieved I’m not there.
    I reach out and muss Noah’s hair, even though I know he doesn’t like when I do. “Yeah, squirt. I’ll stay for dinner.”
    ~Landon~
    I hate the way I left things with Kori last night. I wanted to walk her back to her dorm, just to make sure she was okay. I didn’t want to pressure her, though, especially if she felt like she needed to be alone. I can totally see why my dad says what he does about crying women, because it sucked seeing Kori that broken up and not knowing how to help her.
    We didn’t have Psych class today, so I spent the whole day kind of restless in anticipation of baseball practice, hoping she’ll show up. I don’t have her phone number or any other classes with her, so it’s my only chance to see her.
    I hurry to change into my practice gear, and naturally Jaden notices.
    “I know you’re one of those guys that doesn’t mind practice that much, but you’re pretty wired today. Is something else going on?” he asks. “Something about that girl?”
    I’m not sure how much to tell him. He may be my best friend since eighth grade, but he’s not above some good-natured ribbing. Especially when it involves the opposite sex. “I’m hoping she comes to practice,” I say. “I don’t like the way we left things last night.”
    Jaden lets out a whistle. “Oh boy. Trouble already? You just met her, Grayson.”
    “It’s nothing like that.” I bend down to tie my cleats. “Kori’s going through some tough stuff, and she was a little upset last night.” Hopefully that’s not revealing too much.
    Jaden’s eyes narrow. “And you don’t have anything to do with that?”
    “Not directly, no.” Maybe a little, because I was the one that suggested the boxing thing, but hey, she didn’t have to agree. Besides, in some way, I think it probably helped her. “Just because a girl’s upset