BooksBarbecue
Back Two Truths and a Lie
Chapters (100)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. June
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. July
  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. August
  55. 49.
  56. 50.
  57. 51.
  58. 52.
  59. 53.
  60. 54.
  61. 55.
  62. 56.
  63. 57.
  64. 58.
  65. 59.
  66. 60.
  67. 61.
  68. 62.
  69. 63.
  70. 64.
  71. 65.
  72. 66.
  73. 67.
  74. 68.
  75. 69.
  76. 70.
  77. 71.
  78. 72.
  79. 73.
  80. 74.
  81. 75.
  82. 76.
  83. 77.
  84. 78.
  85. 79.
  86. 80.
  87. 81.
  88. 82.
  89. 83.
  90. 84.
  91. 85.
  92. 86.
  93. 87.
  94. 88.
  95. 89.
  96. 90.
  97. Acknowledgments
  98. About the Author
  99. Also by Meg Mitchell Moore
  100. About the Publisher

“But maybe he has.”

“Well, sure. Maybe he has. And even if he hasn’t completely changed—” Rebecca took a sip of her coffee. “Even if he hasn’t. Part of growing up is acknowledging not only our own imperfections, but everybody else’s imperfections too. And maybe even forgiving them.” Did Alexa imagine it, or did her mother’s voice catch? Alexa considered her mother’s words. They made sense. And she didn’t have to decide right this minute.

“Anyway,” Rebecca continued, “I’m sure this is a moot point because there’s no way you’re going to move so far away from me. Why would you leave all this?” She waved a hand to indicate the beach, the happy Lab, the surfers.

Alexa snorted. “A hundred reasons. This water is freezing, you can’t even go in for more than three seconds without a wet suit. In California you can go to the beach year-round. And you won’t be alone. You have the Mom Squad! You have Daniel! You have Morgan!”

Sixth grade for Morgan, with lockers and (ugh, poor Morgan) changing for PE for the first time and the springtime overnight trip to Camp Kieve in May. Kids around Morgan would start vaping or being interested in the opposite sex (or the same sex) and life would get confusing and sometimes intolerable for Morgan, the way it did for everybody who had to go through the onerous process of growing up.

Alexa looked down the beach and saw two familiar figures walking toward her: Caitlin and Destiny. She steeled herself. She had hoped that she and her mom and Morgan could pretend they were on vacation somewhere far away, just this once. Just today. Every time she’d seen anyone who knew about her and Cam since Cam’s funeral she had had to endure their awkward condolences, or, worse, their bumbling attempts not to say Cam’s name at all.

Caitlin was wearing a two-piece with a bandeau top which actually looked really good on her, Alexa had to admit, even though she would never in a million years have picked that style for Caitlin. Destiny was wearing a Summer Sessions sweatshirt with the neck cut out, Flashdance style. Alexa was going to leave the jury out on the sweatshirt for a bit longer.

After they said hello Caitlin and Destiny stood there uncomfortably for a minute, looking down on Alexa and her mom. Finally Caitlin crouched on the sand next to Alexa and spoke to her.