“Maybe we should go outside and make sure everything is okay.”
Tilting my head to the side, I can’t help but raise my eyebrows. “What happened to Annie can take care of herself?”
“She can,” he says, lifting to his feet. “I just want you to feel better about it. Anything for you.”
“Uh-huh,” I say knowingly. There’s only one person I know who loves Annie as much as I do and I’m looking at him. We’ve turned into protective parents.
He grabs my ass as he walks past me and I bite my lip. It may have taken me a lifetime to fall in love, but I’m certain I never understood what it was all about until he came along. He makes me laugh, cry, and feel all the things. I think the reason I never felt this way before I met him was because I hadn’t met him yet.
“Are you coming?” he half whispers, half shouts as he stands in the open door.
I bolt from the window and we tiptoe across his lawn. We carefully scoot to the side of the house, staying as low as possible so she doesn’t see us. There’s a light on inside, but I can’t see anyone.
“Let’s try the other side,” he suggests.
I hold on to his arm as we sneak around Annie’s house in the dark.
“This is really turning me on,” I whisper. Maybe we should do it outside tonight.
“Shh . . .” he whispers. “Do you hear that?”
Focusing on the sound, we stare at the ground. We both turn to each other in fear when we hear Annie scream out in pain.
“Oh my God, Rhode!” I shout in fear as his expression mimics mine.
We rush to her front door. It’s locked.
“Your key!” I shout as my hands fly to my head and I grip my face. “Get away from her!” I scream into the air, hoping whoever is hurting her can hear me.
Rhode pats his chest then his legs before he produces his keychain. He fumbles with them before he’s able to find the key and turn it in the lock.
“We’re coming, Annie!” I shout as he opens the door.
We run through the house to her bedroom and slam the door open.
The first thing I see is a hairy gray ass in the air. Annie is under him and she’s yelling, “Ooh, yeah, put that joystick in my donut! Get it in there good!”
“Holy shit!” I scream, turning away.
“What the ever lovin’ fuck?” Annie shouts as the man climbs off her. “Whatchoo doin’ in here?”
Rhode and I quickly close the door behind us and step into the hall. We stare at each other, faces pale like we saw a ghost. A ghostly ass.
Her door opens and she hoofs out the door, angry as can be, tying her robe. “What in the hell you doin’ here?” she shouts, closing the door behind her.
“I’m so sorry, Annie!” I whisper, wringing my hands in embarrassment.
Rhode takes his baseball cap off my head and pulls it down over his eyes. “We thought you were in trouble.”
“I was in trouble. I was ’bout to cum!”
“Oh, hell,” Rhode says, placing his fingers in his ears.
My mouth hangs open in shock. After a few seconds, Annie thrusts her pelvis into the air and I start to laugh.
“No, no, no!” Rhode says. “I can’t stop seeing it. It’s there. I’m never going to be able to unsee it!”
“It’ll be okay, babe!” I say with a small snicker. “It’s just a part of life!”
Rhode leans on the wall and pulls his cap down to his mouth. “If I could crawl into the wall right now, I’d do it.”
“You gonna be dreamin’ of my boobs for the rest of your life,” she says, patting him on the shoulder.
“Who is he?” I ask excitedly.
“I ain’t talkin’ about this now. He waitin’!”
“Oh, right!” I say, cringing.
“Is that my cupcake I hear?”
Turning to the familiar sound, I whimper when my half naked grandfather steps out of Annie’s bedroom.
“Hey there, Joss boss, bo boss—”
I lift my hand in the air and turn my face away. “Oh, hell no!”
Rhode laughs, pats me on the arm, and says, “It’ll be okay, babe. It’s just a part of life.”
I punch him in the arm and he laughs harder.
“I didn’t know I’d be seeing you tonight!” Wilbur says happily.
I can’t form any words.
“I don’t think she expected to see you tonight either,” Annie says with a laugh. “I don’t think she expected to see any of you.”
I cover my face with my hands.
“So, um, Joss and I are going to go now,” Rhode begins as he tugs on my arm, pulling me toward the door.
I leave my hands over my eyes as he leads me. “Bye, Grandpa.”
“Bye bye, baby cakes. See you at dinner next week.”
“Hold on a second, Willy,” Annie says. “I’ll be right back.”
She follows me to the front step. “You okay with this?”
I swallow hard and peek at her through my fingers. “Are you happy?”
“You know, I think I might be.”
My hands fall to my sides. “Then I’m more than okay. I’m happy with you.”
A loud thump causes us both to turn as Stupid walks into a wall, shakes it out, and tries again, getting it right.
“I’ll tell you, it was in front of my eyes the whole time.”
“What was?” I question.
“Sometimes we all walk into walls, but we shake it off and try again until we get it right. That’s what life is all about.”
I nod. “You’re absolutely right, Annie.”
Life is a series of lessons. There’s always something you can learn. People come and go from our lives with purpose. It’s not random. And sometimes, when you least expect it, those passers-by turn into friends. If you’re really lucky, those friends become family. I’m one of the lucky ones.
Lemons only suck if you let them. If you look hard enough, they might even be gold in disguise.
The End
Acknowledgements
This book took me by surprise. One day, I was feeling kind of angry at the world and the next thing I knew, I’d made up a character named Annie. I love Annie with all my heart. She allowed me to vent through my story and clean out some wounds. Thanks Annie.
I couldn’t have completed this book without the help and support of my friends, my family, and my friends who are my family. So to everyone here and everyone I might have missed, thank you!
To my boys, Tyler and Ryan. You’ll always be first because you are my heart and soul. This year has been tough for us and I couldn’t have made it through without you. I love you.
To my bestie, Kim Hurschik. Thanks for forcing me to go to the gym when I don’t want to. Thanks for letting me tell you all my deepest, darkest secrets and fears and for never judging me. Thank you for threatening to beat up people who make me cry, even though I’d never let you actually do it. Thank you for 3:00 daily phone calls, sharing my hopes and dreams, listening to my ideas, telling me I can do it when I don’t think I can, and for always encouraging me to be the best me that I can be. I love you, sister.
To Dorrie Cortesi. There will never be enough coffee dates, walks, texts, or phone calls for us, but we will always be friends no matter what life throws our way. Thank you for checking up on me and making me feel like I have a family on days I feel alone. Your support means more to me then you will ever know. Love you girl.
To Misty Marcum. Thank you for texts, FB messages, and phone calls to let me vent and make me smile. Thank you for helping me run my reader group and for always telling me when I should be doing more than I am. I think you’re amazing and I want to be you when I grow up, even though I’m older than you. I flove you.
To Jennifer Mock. Thank you for your never ending belief in me. Your strength and bravery makes me want to be a better person. You always say you look up to me, but the truth is, it’s me looking up to you. I don’t know what I’d do without you and I love you to the moon and back.<
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To Hazel James. Woman… you rock. Thank you for being the calm to my crazy and for pretending I’m still cool when I act like an idiot. Thank you for your amazing feedback and for encouraging me to keep pushing through life’s storms. I admire the shit out of you and I feel blessed to have you in my life. Love you tons.
To Brenna Leigh. It’s funny how you can meet someone and feel as if you’ve known them your whole life. Thank you for always supporting me even when I don’t deserve it. Thank you for reading all my words and being patient when I forget to send you books. More importantly, thank you for being an amazing proof-reader, and an even better friend. I expect holiday invitations now that I’ve invited myself into your family. Just kidding… or am I? I <3 U so freaking much.
To Andee Michelle. We may not get to talk as often as we like, but every time we do, it’s like no time has passed. That’s when you know you have a real friend. You are a rock for me and always have been. You’ve seen me through some really rough days and I love you like a sister. Thank you for reading for me and always being there. When you’re ready, I’ll eat your words for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
To The Twisted Chick-Lits. What a lucky girl I am to have you in my life. Thank you all for reading my stories, replying to my silly games, and always making me feel like I have a gang of people standing behind me with my back. I love each and every one of you and I’m grateful to call you my friends.
To Murphy Rae at Indie Solutions by Murphy Rae. Thank you for reading my mind and giving me the perfect cover. We’ve been working together for four years now, and each time, you seem to get me a little more. I’m glad I can still surprise you. Thank you for being patient with me and my life. You’re a great friend and I feel lucky to know you.
To Alyssa Garcia at Uplifting Designs. Thank you for taking me in and always responding to my confused messages! I can’t wait to see what you come up with. <3.
To all my readers. Thank you for your support, your friendship, and your love. I wouldn’t be who I am without you and I will never forget that. Thank you for believing in me and reading my words. You’re the reason I keep doing what I do.
About the Author
Dawn L. Chiletz resides in Illinois with her two boys and three dogs. Her love of reading began at a young age and continued into adulthood. Armed with a dream from the night before, she sat down at her laptop in the summer of 2014 and started the words to her first book, The Contest. She’s been writing ever since. When she’s not binge reading or writing you can most likely find her on social media avoiding laundry.
To find out more information, including her upcoming signings, please visit her website at
www.dawnlchiletz.com
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www.Facebook.com/dawnlchiletz
Join her Facebook reader group:
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Other Titles by Dawn L. Chiletz
The Contest series:
The Contest
Waiting to Lose
Reality TV Novels:
The Fabulist
The Praetorian
Standalone Novels:
Enough
Can’t You See
Confessions of a Carpool Captive
Angry Annie Page 17
