He Defended Her, He Said I Deserved It novel · Chapter 19 of 32
Chapter 19: Brantley's Kitchen
"She's lying," I said.
"I know, sugar."
"She was filming. You saw it. Nettie counted her."
"I know." Darla put the phone in her cardigan pocket. "And if it ever turns up, her deal dies and she goes down with it. So she's betting it never turns up."
"Where would it be?"
"Wherever a twenty-six-year-old keeps the things she can't stand to lose." Darla took my arm. "Come on. You've done enough lobbies for one day."
Thanksgiving was at Ike's kitchen table.
Darla brought a turkey breast and a pie she'd bought and lied about.
Nettie made place cards.
Mine said LAINIE (TENANT). Ike's said DAD (SWEARS).
Darla's said GRANDMA DARLA, and Darla had to go stand in the hallway for a minute.
Ike carved.
Nobody mentioned Brantley. Nobody mentioned Kerri.
Under the table, Ike's knee rested against mine the whole meal.
I'd asked it to, that morning, in my bed.
I'd said, "You can touch me whenever you want now, you know."
He'd thought about it very seriously.
The rest of this chapter is part of the paid portion of the series. Chapters 1–16 of He Defended Her, He Said I Deserved It are free to read — start from the beginning, then unlock the rest with coins in the app.
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