Read Ready for Love for Free Online Page B

up his lips.
    “Why? You scared I’ll kick your ass?” Jason leaned forward a little and it looked like he was going to try and make a move.
    Yeah, come on. Do it. Touch me, son. Do it and let’s see who will lose!
    Terrill found himself puffing up and rearing for a fight. His nostrils flared and he was tempted to take the first punch himself.
    He shook his head.
    He couldn’t go there. He couldn’t do that when they were supposed to be mourning and remembering Big Mama.
    “No. I don’t want to add any more stress to Penny than she needs at this time.”
    “Well, aren’t you the perfect little boyfriend?” Jason taunted.
    “Just lay off, Jason,” Terrill hissed.
    “Mind your business, Terrill!” Jason sneered.
    “You boys aren’t going to start fighting in here, are you?” Carla came sneaking up on them.
    “No. We aren’t.” For the first time ever Terrill was almost glad to see Penny’s former crackhead mother.
    Almost.
    The woman gave new meaning to the words “loud” and “inappropriate.” Add that to the fact that he’d never cared for the way she treated Penny, and Carla would probably never make his favorite people list. But he was sort of glad she’d popped up before he had to coldcock Jason in the mouth.
    Even though Penny was in her thirties, Carla was only in her late forties. Carla was more of an older sister to Penny than a mother. She certainly had never acted like a parent, especially not when she was hooked on drugs. All those years of addiction had caught up with her—she was still a decent-looking woman, but her once-soft looks had a hard and rough edge to them. Her honey complexion was a dull yellow in spots. Her naturally wavy hair was a tad brittle and had lost its shine. She had a lot of gray hairs mixed in with the black. Her eyes still held the same youthful, wholesome appeal however. They literally danced and shimmered with mischief.
    Carla opened her mouth in a wide grin and Terrill saw that one of her front teeth was badly chipped. Less brazen women might be too shy to smile with that kind of grill, but not Carla.
    “I always wondered what Brat had that made the two of you follow her around like little puppies. Whatever it was I guess she’s still got it. Ha!”
    “We were just friends, Carla. If anything, Penny was stuck to us like glue. We just realized she wasn’t going to go anywhere until we let her join the crew.” Terrill wistfully remembered the old days when they were kids without a care in the world and thought they would be the Three Musketeers forever.
    Terrill noticed Jason raising his eyebrows as if to make clear that they were no longer friends.
    But a part of Terrill wanted to hold out hope that one day they would all be friends again.
    He smiled as he remembered the first time they had all played together in the small attic apartment on Warren Street where Terrill lived with his mother. Big Mama had had to rush off for some emergency with Carla. She had no choice but to leave Penny at their house. Jason had come over to play with Terrill and Terrill remembered his buddy being thoroughly disgusted that a girl was interrupting their playtime. Terrill was used to having Penny around. In fact, he had already secretly considered her his other best friend. As long as no other boys knew he was friends with a girl, he was fine. So he had pretended to be just as horrified as Jason when Penny showed up.
    But Penny wouldn’t let them brush her off. She was a tough kid back then, every bit Carla’s child, mouth and all. Terrill laughed as he remembered the way she had snatched Jason’s Rubik’s Cube and snapped, “Let me show you how to do it.” She had finished the complicated box that had had both he and Jason stumped for months in no time flat.
    Terrill wasn’t surprised she beat them at the Rubik’s Cube. She used to beat him at games all the time and even showed him some winning strategies and techniques. She was really cool… for a girl.
    And if he