(Complete) New Year's Day is a time for resolutions. Jack Harris, still mourning the tragic death of his wife, vows to start living again. Maddie Evans dumps her boyfriend and vows no more meaningless sex.
Jack moves to The Point to live in his pa...
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On Friday morning, Maddie said to Jack, "Send Rory over to see me tomorrow. Tell her we can talk about books."
"Are you sure?"
"Definitely. I need a new friend."
Maddie wanted to befriend the lonely girl. If Rory found a place she belonged, maybe happiness would replace the dark cloud she carried with her.
When Rory arrived, she looked at her house. "Do you live here all alone?"
"Until my parents come back from Florida for the summer, I do."
"Our old house was big like this, but new. We hardly fit in this house. When Gran and Gramps come, there won't be any room."
Maddie smiled and agreed with her. "Come see my books." She brought her upstairs to her old bedroom. She had a collection of Newbery medal books mostly since the nineties, although she had a few before like Sarah, Plain, and Tall. Rory's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. She started pointing out ones she had read. They spent over an hour talking about their favorites. A pile of books accumulated on the floor. They were ones Rory hadn't read, but Maddie insisted she must. Maddie pulled a few she would read again since it had been years.
Eventually, Rory looked around the room. "Is this your room?"
"No, it was when I was a kid. It's a guest room now. My room is downstairs."
"So you slept here when you were my age and you knew Dad?"
"Yes, I did." Maddie remembered when her mother caught her and Drew.
"Did you like him?"
"Who?"
"Jack."
"Like him? No, but I kissed him once. We were playing spin the bottle on the beach. Do kids even know about spin the bottle?"
Rory nodded. "I've read about it."
"There were more boys than girls, so I kissed most of them. It was nice especially when I kissed Drew and I decided I was in love."
"How old were you?"
"About fifteen..."
"I think Dad would kill me if I kissed any boys."
Maddie laughed. "Do you want to go get a snack? I'm on a diet, so I only have fruit."
"Why are you on a diet?"
"So I can wear my favorite shorts this summer." Maddie answered simply since the real answer was not meant for a young girl.
Once downstairs, Maddie washed some grapes, and she offered Rory a soda. Maddie had kept some because she didn't drink them. Today she was glad she did.
Curious she asked, "Do you ever see your real father?"
"Jack's my father. The other one disappeared before I was born. He adopted me when I was six. Does everyone know about me and Dad?"
