Faded Perfection (Beautifully Flawed Book 2) Read Free

“I don’t really want to go in there either, but I think we need to.”
    I knew he was right, but I couldn’t do it. “Not today.”
    “Okay,” he replied as he leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes, wishing we could stay wrapped in each other’s arms instead of leaving the safety of the parked car. Adam pulled away, his thumb brushing my cheek as his eyes raced back and forth over mine. As we got out of the car the cold air knocked into my lungs, and a shiver ran through me as I looked up at the church. Adam walked around the car, and his breathing was a pale white plume in the air as he popped his peacoat collar and held his hand out for me.
    “Ready?” he asked, glancing over at me as I placed my hand in his, shaking my head. He gave me one of those sad smiles I was now becoming accustomed to. It was a smile that didn’t reach his eyes; more of a flinch than anything. I missed the cocky one. “Me neither,” he said. “This isn’t the way I thought I’d say goodbye to him.”
    “Did you ever think we’d say goodbye?” I asked as our feet crunched against the frost on the gravel. People nodded in our direction as we passed them, but we didn’t stop to talk to anyone until we reached the door where the priest took Adam’s hand in both of his.
    “Your parents are in the back,” he said, dipping his head. “I’m sure your father already let you know we’ll be meeting back in that corner shortly. You’ll be carrying the casket with him, your uncle and Bobby’s godfather. Once the service is done, you’ll come back up and carry the casket out to the hearse.”
    I felt Adam’s free hand trembling in mine as he nodded at the priest. No words left his lips. What could he say?
    “Do you want to see your parents?” the priest asked, and the trembling abruptly stopped.
    “Sure,” he replied, and his voice cracked at the end as he glanced over at me. His Adam’s apple rose and fell before we turned and walked towards the room his parents were in. It was tucked in the back of the church, hidden away from prying eyes, but we could still hear Vickie’s sobs far before we reached the door.
    I put my hand on Adam’s forearm, cocking my head as I looked at him. “I’m proud of you. I know it’s hard for you to face them.”
    Adam breathed out through his nose, and I leaned up to kiss his cheek. I could feel the corner of his lips move up in a small smile against my mouth, and I felt my heart beat quicken. Maybe we could be okay after all of this. We both stared at the wood door for a moment before Adam stepped forward and lifted his hand to knock. He stopped short when his mother’s sobs formed audible words.
    “I just don’t understand,” Vicky said through hiccups. “Why was it, Bobby? I don’t understand why—my baby…now all we have is Adam.”
    Adam’s face didn’t change as his hand hovered mid-knock over the door. His eyes were hard and cold; the only display of emotion was the tightening of his throat. The words were nothing compared to the tone of her voice—the tone that said she wished it was
Adam
and not Bobby they were putting in the ground. Uncomfortable tingles rushed up my spine to my neck and face before rushing down my arms and numbing my body. This was another family feud, but it wasn’t one I’d be able to fix. The words were unforgivable. I squeezed my eyes shut.
    As if we weren’t all broken enough.
    Adam’s fist squeezed tighter before he dropped it and slipped his hand back into mine. He turned,  walking just ahead of me, so I couldn’t see the look on his face as he led me through the hall that went to the pews. I stopped in my tracks as we reached the entrance, and he turned to face me. His head hung as he looked at the floor. I took his face in my hands, and his eyes squeezed shut, wrinkles spreading from the corner of them and through his forehead.
    “Adam?” I said, pressing my forehead to his. I wanted to say she didn’t mean it, but I