Ignite Read Online Free Page A

I blamed her, though he seemed to be well aware of his effect on people.
    He sighed and set me down gently.
    “Lauren, this is Jenny,” he told me, gesturing towards the girl for clarification. “My sister. Jenny, Lauren.”
    When the girls got to the bottom of the steps, Jenny stopped to look me up and down, but didn’t reach out to shake my hand. Instead, she just waved at me with an air of disinterest.
    “This is Callie,” Jenny said, raising her eyebrow. “You know, your dead stepmom’s child.”
    I looked at Dean incredulously. I couldn’t believe she was being so blunt about it. Callie just scowled at us and sniffled.
    “Wow Jenny,” Dean said after a moment of awkward silence. “Thank you for that superfluous introduction. I think it’s time for us to go.”
    As much as Dean made me nervous, I didn’t want to be left alone with Callie. I had no idea what do say to her.
    Jenny rolled her eyes and turned to her friend.
    “Call me if you need me, okay?”
    Callie nodded and sniffed again as she blotted her eyes with a tissue.
    Jenny hugged her and Callie stood there like a rag doll. I felt a pang in my stomach as the feelings of loss started clinging to me once again when I remembered how I felt when I lost my Dad.
    Dean turned to me and smiled weakly, but this was different than his flirtatious smile. It still had an edge, but it was much more serious, and almost sad.
    “Lauren Lindsay,” he said as he held out his hand.
    I took a deep breath. His personality would take some time to get used to.
    Wait, get used to?
    That meant I thought I would see him again after tonight.
    “Dean Powell,” I said as I took it, trying to match his casual demeanor.
    He smiled even bigger and squeezed my hand as his blue Henry Cavill eyes looked into mine.
    Jenny made a noise of disgust and opened the front door as she grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled.
    “Come on, lover boy,” She sounded exasperated.
    She probably had to do this all the time.
    “See you soon,” he said with a smile as he turned to follow her outside.
    My heart betrayed me and flipped.
    As soon as they were gone, I immediately realized how awkward it was that Callie and I were just standing in the entryway all alone.
    I tried to think of something to say, but nothing really seemed appropriate. “Oh, I’m sorry your mom died and now you’re stuck with a total stranger,” didn’t really cut it.
    Jed and Mary appeared at the top of the stairway where Jenny and Callie had been minutes before as if they knew I needed rescuing. Neither of them spoke a word as they descended.
    “Lauren,” he said, nodding to me.
    “Callie,” he placed a gentle hand on her arm. She still hadn’t said anything, and I wasn’t sure how to approach her.
    “Sweetie, I’m so sorry,” Mary said looking at me. “But we have to leave you now. We intended to spend the night, but Jed just got a call.”
    Jed was always getting bizarre and mysterious calls, but I was pretty sure they just wanted to integrate me into the environment as quickly as possible so I could get to know the kids so they could persuade me to stay. There was no other explanation for their sudden departure in this situation. Jed might be an honorable man, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t sly when he had to be.
    Callie all but stomped her foot and ran upstairs.
    Mary turned to follow her, but Jed stopped her, whispering a soft, “Let her go.”
    “We’ll call in the morning,” he said, looking at me. “There’s nothing more we can do tonight. Your car will be here tomorrow in time for you to take the kids to school. We think it’s best they try to continue their normal routines.”
    “School?” I asked, looking at Mary blankly. No one expected me to go back to school right after my Dad died. These kids were tough. Either that, or they didn’t understand just yet, as was probably the case with Emma.
    “Just make sure they’re awake by seven,” she said. “They can get ready by