My Fairy Godmonster Read Free

Whoa.
Scott is maybe two years older and four inches taller than me.
Broad shoulders, small waist and hips. Muscles bulge under his
t-shirt. My heart thumps faster. His dark eyes look defiant. Jac
would call him “hot.”
    “A real cowgirl.” Scott says. His voice is
sexy.
    I don’t like his tone. Nobody should look
that good when they insult you. I explode inside and look Scott up
and down. “A real city slicker.”
    John whistles. “See what you mean, David.
She’s a firecracker.”
    I straighten my back, furious inside. Nobody
should talk about you behind your back. Tears sting my eyes.
    “Where’s Dad?” asks my brother, the
traitor.
    “Office.” My voice cracks.
    Scott snickers.
    I back up, ready to explode. WHACK. My foot
hits steel. The pitchfork slams me in the back of the head.
Concerned voices filter into my brain. I really see stars.
    “It’s nothing. I do this all the time,” I
blab.
    Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. I run out of the stable,
bright red and completely humiliated.
     

Chapter 4: Yield - Parent Control
     
    Surviving the next two days is a bummer.
Breaking dishes has become my new habit. Every time Scott comes
around, I’m a klutz. He’s like a mosquito that won’t leave you
alone. Instead of buzzing, he whistles. I think he does it on
purpose to annoy me, because he doesn’t look very happy.
    Thank goodness David is helping with the
after-dinner cleanup tonight or we’d have to buy new dishes.
    I ask him, “Are you practicing for husband
duties?”
    “For what?” he asks.
    “Doing the dishes when you are married.”
    A red blush creeps up his neck. Hah. Glad I’m
not the only one in the family who blushes.
    “Tell me about Claire,” I say.
    “I wasn’t sure she’d marry me.”
    “Why?” I ask.
    David hesitates. ”Er, you never know if a
girl will accept a proposal.” He turns his face away from me.
    I can tell he’s hiding something. “What’s
wrong with her?”
    “Nothing!” he exclaims. “She’s the sweetest,
most beautiful, adorable, intelligent girl I have ever known. She’s
…”
    “Okay, I get it.” David looks like Dopey in
Snow White. “Where did you meet?”
    He laughs. “I was riding my bicycle when a
car clipped the back wheel. I crash-landed on Claire’s car
hood.”
    “You never told us that. You could have been
killed.”
    “It was the best day of my life.”
    That goofy look again. I wonder what kind of
girl Claire is, to be able to turn my brother into mush. I check an
imaginary list. “Nothing wrong with Claire. Must be her family.
Give.”
    David frowns. “People from back east are
different. They’re not always friendly and open with strangers. I
wasn’t sure they’d accept me when I proposed to Claire.”
    “Why not? Except for the teasing and
abandonment of your family, you’re a catch. Handsome, honest,
trustworthy. Any girl would be lucky to marry you.”
    “Thanks, Sis, I think.” He laughs and hugs
me.
    My heart doesn’t seem so squished. I miss his
hugs.
    “There’s something I haven’t told Dad about
her parents,” David says sighing. “You know how he is, everybody is
equal in his eyes.”
    “Yeah, I know.” The Smith family motto. “Out
with it. What’s wrong with them?”
    “Nothing. They’re rich. Mr. Dudley earned it
all, but his wife wants you to believe they were born into it.”
    I suck in my breath, glancing at our simple
country kitchen. “They won’t want to stay here.”
    David explains, “I’ve tried to prepare them.
Claire’s mom wasn’t too sure about staying. Her dad is not a bad
sort and he insisted they get to know our family.”
    “They should stay at a motel in town.
Anything else?” I wonder.
    David stares out the window. “Claire’s little
sister is a handful.”
    Before I can ask him more about her, David
hurries out of the kitchen. My stomach does hip-hops. A problem
child and rich people in my house. Great.
    I start to put a glass in the cupboard.
    Scott whispers behind my back.