Free Secrets and Lies 5 (The Ferro Family) by H.M. Ward Page A

life again. Kerry is going to fix it. Wahoo! I’m talking about myself in the third person. I’m either insanely confident or about to do something really dumb. Maybe I'll do both.
    I open his top dresser drawer and, stuffed on the side against the wood, is the letter. I pull the envelope from its hiding spot and draw the paper out, scanning it for the information I hoped would be printed there.
    A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. I smack the letter against my palm and say to myself, “Bingo. Kerry’s got this.”

CHAPTER 2
    A fter using my phone to take a photo of the address and phone number, I grab my extravagant mall purchase and make a plan. I can’t meet with anyone important wearing sweats, but my other clothing option is even less appropriate than gym clothes. I have half a mind to wear the lingerie anyway—I really don’t want to return the thing—but I need clothes. Real ones.
    Cash in hand, I'm heading through the mall toward an actual clothing store when I see Carter standing in the doorway of Best Buy. I saunter over with a grin on my face and say, “Hey. What are you doing?”
    Carter startles and then looks over at me. “Trying to pick one of these fitness trackers. How about you?” He’s got a Fitbit in his hand, turning it over to look at the back and examine the band.
    “Shopping," I motion to my outfit. "A girl needs more than sweats.”
    Carter nods absentmindedly and tips the thing forward, causing the watch face to light up. “Clock.”
    “Hey, that’s cool. I need to get one of those. I miss having a watch. I know I have a phone, but it’s not the same thing. I thought about getting a $5 Scooby Doo watch until I could afford one I want, but didn’t want to waste money, you know?”
    He nods slowly, his eyes still glued to the Fitbit’s big glass face. “Yeah, I totally understand.”
    “Well, I need to run. I have a few more stores to hit. I’ll see you later.”
    Carter places his hand on my wrist as I turn away, stopping me. “Meet me in the food court in an hour.”
    Cryptic much? Smiling, I shake my head. “Why? What’s in an hour?”
    “Nothing. Just meet me there. I’ll buy you lunch—you can’t say no! We just made up, and this is an extension of my friendship.” Carter pushes his dark hair out of his eyes and bumps me with his shoulder. “Come on, Kerry. You need to eat. So do I. Stop in the food court.”
    “All right. Thank you.” This feels like a handout, and I’m not a fan. At the same time, I’m starving. I’m kind of thirsty, too. “See you then.”
----
    A fter rummaging through clearance racks at three different stores and an embarrassing incident involving my ass and a pair of skinny jeans, my new wardrobe is complete. The bags hanging from my arm contain garments appropriate for both class or a club, but the big-ticket most expensive outfit is the black suit jacket and matching tulip skirt. I even found stockings to wear with it. I hate stockings. They itch, roll in all the wrong places, and pick up runs way too fast. But for my plan they're a necessary evil.
    With my shopping complete, I head to the food court. Carter is sitting at a table in the center of a throng of people. Behind me, a whistle blasts a warning pitch. A little train carrying squealing children passes by the outer edge of the seating area, its few adult passengers seeming like they’d rather be anywhere else. The perky music fades as the train disappears around the corner.
    “Hey.” I plop my bags down on the table and grin at him. “Long time no see. Did you pick a Fitbit?”
    He nods. “I did.”
    “Awesome. Which one did you get?”
    Carter pulls up the bag and takes out the box, pushing it across the table toward me. It’s the one with the honking big watch face that lights up when you tip it. Carter stands and starts telling me all the things it can do while we get in line to buy our food. I pick Nathan’s because it’s cheap. Two hot dogs, drinks, and fries