BooksBarbecue
Back Confess to Me
Chapters (87)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Sharon Doering
  3. Title Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Prologue
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. Author’s Note
  86. Acknowledgements
  87. About the Author

“Hey, gorgeous,” Desiree said to Emily. “Can you back-float?”

Emily stared at Desiree’s eyes, mesmerized, and shook her head.

“Let me teach you. That way you can float with the mermaids at Mermaid Lagoon.” Desiree slipped into the pool without hesitating. The water hit her below her breasts. Her nipples were hard. “I’m Dezzy. What’s your name?”

“Were you born with your eyes like that or did you color your eyes?”

Desiree smiled wide and her snaggleteeth slipped out. “You are such a doll. I painted it on. Doesn’t your momma wear makeup?”

“No.”

I did, but not like Desiree. Her smokey eye was obscene. On anyone else, it would look grotesque. On her, it was captivating. Me, I didn’t like to draw attention. Same reason I never got a boob job. Once you have boobs, you are noticed. I would have liked to have boobs, but I liked being invisible more.

“It’s pretty. I’m Emily.”

“Emily, sweet pea, I’m gonna hold you like your momma held you when you were a baby, OK, hon? Fall backward into my arms.” Desiree was fun, but bossy. Like a kid. Like a kid who’d like to drive a red, off-year Camaro.

Emmy did as she was told and Desiree held her, instructing, “Push your belly button up and tip your chin back.” Desiree pushed Emily’s chin up, and pulled her forehead back. Roughly, like she was positioning a mannequin. If she got any rougher, you’d step in, right?

“Good,” she said. “Now make your hands and feet relaxed. Pretend they are Jell-o. Perfect. You’re doing it. Let’s sing our ABCs.” Desiree sang while stealthily letting go of Emily. When Emily started sinking, Desiree caught her under the armpits and lifted her up in the air. “You made it all the way to G. Wow, are you sure you’re not part mermaid?”

Emily liked that.

Desiree put her back on the platform and hopped out of the pool.

“She’s amazing,” she said to me. “I have a spot open in my next class if you want to wiggle her in. She could try today for free.”

“I’ll ask her. I’m sure she’ll want to.”

“So, where you guys renting?”

“Off Route 34. Near Marjory’s restaurant. Our house is on Winding Way.”

“Winding Way?” She slapped her thigh, thrilled. “You’re neighbors with the lions?”

“Who?”

“There’s a bunch of cages in your neighbor’s backyard. They have mountain lions. I mean, cougars. They’re the same thing, right?”

The skin on my thighs pricked and itched, suddenly irritated by the chlorine-charged air.

Pet cougars? She had to be messing with me.