Sing A Twist Read online

  Sing A Twist

  The Talent Within Series, Book 1

  By Brook T. Mays

  Sing A Twist

  Published by Brook T. Mays at Smashwords

  Copyright © 2016

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places or events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  Cover design by Design Smith

  To Stacie,

  Without your encouragement in the beginning,

  I would never have written more than the first chapter!

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my family for your love and support during the process of writing my first novel, especially to my sisters, Sherri and Stacie, and to my mom, Carolyn, for being the firsts to read it.

  To my amazing group of friends, thank you for your support and inspiration in this endeavor and in the day to day of our lives. To Angie, thank you for your input on all things Cajun! Any mistakes are all mine. To Hannah, thank you for your critique and for your technical support. Your brain amazes me! To Jodi Johnston and the STAR team, without you all giving me the courage, motivation, and drive, this story would have remained written but unpublished.

  I couldn’t have done this without you all!

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue

  Glossary

  About the Author

  Titles from Brook T. Mays

  Sneak Peak at Hear My Call

  Connect With Me

  Chapter 1

  She stumbled a bit as she opened the front. Who could be in the house? The silent lecture going on in her head about working too late to get her errands done repeated for what had to be the four hundred forty-fourth time. Some things were too important to put off. Some things were too dangerous to put off. But she had let herself get caught up at the community center where she volunteered by manning the crisis hotline. Again. Letting all that go, she concentrated for a moment. Taking a deep breath and mentally fanning herself, she stepped through the entryway. Only to find one roommate watching the television on the couch, the other finishing up a phone call, and the third rooting around in the fridge.

  “Hey, guys. Is anyone else here?” She glanced up the stairs a little apprehensive. Whoever was up there, she would deal.

  “What, we’re not enough?” came out of the refrigerator.

  She smiled. They were hardly all there together at the same time. She loved her roommates. Different college and work schedules sometimes kept them passing ships in the night. But tonight, here they all were. And someone was feeling . . . lust. Phillip didn’t always show up until the next day after one of his gigs at a local college bar, but he never brought anyone home. Neither Monica nor Jacob was seeing anyone. They were both okay with casual, though. Either one could have brought someone home, but no one else was there. So what brought on . . .

  They were all looking at her. Incredulously, she asked, “Did one of you cook in my kitchen? I left an entire lasagna for you! And there is all that meat you guys bar-b-que’d…”

  “Relax, neurotic queen of the kitchen. Nobody else even wants to cook.” Monica smiled at her as she teased. She had finished her phone call. Elena enjoyed grocery shopping and cooking. She would do most of the shopping, and the roommates would split the bill four ways. “By the way I picked up tampons for you,” Monica added for all the room to hear. Elena often forgot non-food items, though. Way to be discrete, Monica.

  Elena heard her driest voice come out, “Thanks for the announcement.” Some people had no boundaries. And she loved Monica for that. Elena was too shy and had to struggle when she was in a group, making it even harder for her to concentrate. She admired Monica’s outgoing personality. She told you exactly how she felt and what she thought and somehow still managed to be tactful. It was a unique combination. In this case, however, she threw a little couch cushion at Phillip who had sniggered not-quite under his breath. He never even blinked as it fell short by at least a foot.

  “Your aim is off,” he said with his slight Cajun accent. He had broken family tradition by moving away from “the swamp” as he called his family home. With his slightly curly light brown hair, half grin that always seemed to be on his face, and slender build she couldn’t decide if he was sexy or cute. Until she watched him sing. Then she knew. Along with every other female and a good portion of the guys, too. No surprise he often came home the next morning, not at night after the bar closed. “You’ve been clumsy, lately. I heard you fall coming in the door. You alright? Too tired from saving this college town one phone call at a time?” He grinned his should-be-famous grin at her. “Now you make a babbin,” which she supposed referred to the face she was making at him. “I woan tease you anymore. Come here and sit down with me.” He intentionally thickened his accent. It actually sounded more like ‘Come hear an’ sit down wit me’. And the way he pronounced the word won’t, drawing out the vowels… He did it on purpose. Phillip knew how to charm.

  Grumbling to herself about specifically not falling, she wondered how bad she had been lately for him to notice her clumsiness. She would have to be more careful. he shouldn’t have worked too late tonight. She knew what time the strip mall closed. Elena thought babbin might have something to do with pouting, maybe. Had he been accusing her of pouting? Just in case, she quickly changed her expression pasting on a very fake and bright smile. Didn’t matter. Phillip’s grin never changed.

  As she plopped down on the couch, she noticed that Phillip had turned the television off. Jacob and Monica had both joined them in the small living room. Jacob was without any food from the refrigerator. And they were all looking at her. Curious. “Is this an intervention?” She narrowed her eyes at them. “Because I thought I was the only one of us qualified for that.”

  “You actually would be qualified if you hadn’t left me to study abroad. You would be finished with your Master’s by now.” Ever the loyal friend, Monica’s assessment of her academic career was a little over-inflated. Even if she had been able to finish that semester last Spring, she would not have been able to complete her Master’s yet. And, actually she wanted to eventually get her PhD. But some things just can’t be helped. For Elena, that time away had been necessary. But still, she didn’t want to go ‘study abroad’ again so soon. “I learned a lot,” Elena mumbled, avoiding eye contact and hoping no one would notice the guilt she felt. She could be more careful. As careful as was necessary. It wasn’t the easiest path she could have taken. But it was her choice. That was important to her.

  Monica had been living in the house with her the longest. Another roommate, Jennifer, had been living with them at the time Elena had to le
ave for a few months. Jennifer had graduated while Elena had been gone. She still felt so selfish not being there in person for Jennifer’s graduation. Instead, she had just sent a gift.

  Elena’s family owned the house they lived in, and she rented out the extra rooms at a good rate. The downstairs had a kitchen that opened on to the living room, and one bedroom that was Elena’s. The rest of the downstairs was taken up by the attached garage that also connected to the kitchen. Monica had the bedroom upstairs with the bathroom, and the guys had the other two that shared a bathroom. Jennifer had not moved out long when Jacob had moved in with them the summer past. He had transferred from a smaller community college in his hometown of Angleton and had lived there for almost a year now. He hoped to be the first in his family to get a college degree and Texas State University offered a lot of flexibility for transfer students. He was studying business management. Phillip had joined them just before the fall semester had started. Studying music, of course. He had stayed home after high school graduation working in the family business, a pawn shop, for a couple of years. Elena knew it was a hard fought battle to leave home that had strained his relationship with his family, but Phillip said little about it. It was also a hardship to leave his beloved bayou. Elena often thought that was a big part of the reason Phillip had settled here in this small Texas town. Though the San Marcos river running nearby their university wasn’t the swamps of Louisiana, it was water; and Elena thought he just couldn’t live too far from it, different though it may be from his own home.

  This was the first time that all four bedrooms were being used at one time. All of the roommates were a bit older than your typical college student. They had all started a little late, and had to work part-time. It gave them a common ground with Elena feeling a little odd-man out because of her more stable financial situation. This was also the first time that any of the roommates had been male. Elena knew they were trustworthy, though her family had still insisted on a more thorough vetting process than even the roommates were aware. The four of them had been living together for about nine months now. It was the best roommate situation that Elena had experienced yet. She was happy here. Although, a little suspicious of all the scrutiny right at this particular moment.

  “So, this is an intervention? Why are you all looking at me?” Everyone was seated. Phillip had kept his seat on the big couch in front of the television. Monica had joined him, and Jacob had taken the small recliner next to them. Sitting across on the couch against the wall, Elena caught the end of a long glance between Jacob and Monica. She worked hard to keep the shock and the blush off her face. How could she have missed this? Especially with her birth date looming over her! She lived with them! Still, it had been a busy time. Now that she thought about it, she realized she had not often been home with both of them.

  “What thought do you have in your pretty little head right now? I think you should share. It looks down right dirty. And I don’t mean unclean. Naughty. They say it’s always the quiet ones.” Phillip’s teasing interrupted her thoughts. He had been watching her. Guess she hadn’t quite kept the blush off her face. Careless of her. She blushed some more, but this time it was from her own feelings. How embarrassing! Her concentration was back in place despite Phillip’s ongoing promises of doing chores he had no intention of doing in exchange for her giving up her “fetishes.” Apparently, he had decided that she was having one hell of a fantasy right here on the couch. It had been quite a look between Monica and Jacob, one filled with expectation not yet experienced. She desperately hoped her face hadn’t shown that much.

  As Jacob joined Phillip in teasing her and earnestly trying to get her to give up what was going through her mind, Monica saved her. “No, this isn’t an intervention. Since you didn’t seem to hear me the first time I said it. Leave her alone, boys. And the girl on girl thing is a guy fantasy. That one is just wishful thinking, Phillip, all on your part. Besides, you know I’ll get the secret out of her and share later.” Monica had saved her, huh? She was taking that grateful thought back. “We know it’s your birthday. And somehow your parents knew you would be too late to go pick up your package.” Monica didn’t quite keep her voice as excited as she was trying. She had let Elena know in the past that she thought it strange that her parents never visited. Monica had never even met them. They never called either. They sent letters. Monica found it all very impersonal and backwards in today’s society of cell phones and face time. She disapproved that her parents mailed Elena a gift to the same Fed Ex store in the strip mall every year. The underlying feeling was one of worry for Elena, though, so Elena didn’t take offense. Plus, Monica wasn’t one to harp on a topic. She said her piece and moved on. “We know part of the roommate agreement is no gifts, only cake and candles. We also know you don’t especially like cake. So we have ice cream.” Elena watched as Jacob and Monica went to the kitchen and pulled out four bowls with chocolate ice cream in them from the freezer. It was Ben & Jerries Phish food. Elena’s favorite. It seems Monica picked up more than just tampons on her grocery run, and Jacob hadn’t been just scrounging in the fridge when she got home.

  Monica handed her a candle and then lit it for her. Phillip picked up the guitar that he was never too far from and played “Happy Birthday” as they all sang. She blew out the candle, laughing, as Phillip embellished at the end of the simple song. Hugging them each in turn, she thanked them. They ate the small bowls of ice cream. “Thank you, Monica, for going to pick up the package. I knew the delivery store closed at 6:00 today. I shouldn’t have missed it. I’m sorry you had to go to the trouble.”

  “Actually, it was Phillip who went to pick it up,” Monica corrected. Elena looked at him in surprise, and he seemed a little part embarrassed and a little part flustered as he shrugged it off. It was an endearing expression on his face.

  “Well, I was home when a messenger delivered a note from your parents. They really wanted you to have your present on your birthday. They asked me to pick it up for you. Guess they know you well. Knew you would be too late before it even happened.” They were all used to Elena’s parents delivering notes despite how odd a form of communication it was.

  “Do you have the note?” Elena tried to keep her voice neutral. She was pretty sure she pulled it off. “Sure,” Phillip said, digging it out of his pocket. It was crumpled and short. It was written to Phillip and signed by her mother. After reading it, Elena casually thanked him. Inside, she wondered what that detail meant. Why was it addressed to Phillip?

  “I have been sitting here guarding this for you. Monica wanted to shake it, and Jacob wanted to open it then rewrap. But I kept it for you. This is from your parents.” Phillip pulled a small wrapped box from underneath the couch where he had been sitting. The box was wrapped in paper the color of copper mixed with gold and the ribbon and bow was a muted silver color. She took it from Philip’s hand and started opening it as they all watched. Taking the necklace out she held it up for them to see. It was thick gold in the back nearest the clasp but divided into several strands of gold with small opals woven through it that would hang just below her neck. It was quite formal. Elena was a bit dismayed wondering how she was going to pull off wearing the piece every day. It didn’t exactly match the wardrobe of a college student. She was incredibly relieved, though. Danger averted, despite her poor time management.

  “It is beautiful. Your parents are nothing if not consistent.” Monica let her voice show a little more of the true emotion she was feeling.

  “Elena, it matches the bracelet you always wear. Beautiful, just like you.” Jacob came over to give her another hug and a kiss on her cheek. He wished her happy birthday again.

  “It matches the ring they got her the year before that, too.” Monica gave her a hug, too, making Elena shiver. Monica was definitely displeased with her parents. She grabbed the bowls and started toward the kitchen. Elena noted that Jacob followed her. He wasn’t usually big on doing dishes. This time she felt her whole body flush before she had a ch
ance to focus and block. That was potent. Feeling like a peeping tom never set well with her, especially with good friends. A worried thought in the back of her mind wouldn’t go away. She hoped she wasn’t responsible for this. It was always risky this close to her birth date. Everyone deserved to make their own choices. She would not let her concentration drop again.

  “Let me help you put it on.” Phillip took the necklace and Elena started to move her hair out of the way. She wasn’t sure what happened first: The necklace catching in her hair right at the base where it was most painful, or the necklace getting caught in Phillip’s watch. He started to try to pull away reaching for his watch. “Ow! Don’t move. I don’t want you to break it or pull my hair out. Come in to my bathroom. The light is better there. I can unhook it from your watch.” As they headed to the bathroom, the other two roommates didn’t even seem to notice the tangle or Phillip and Elena awkwardly walking connected as they were by her necklace.

  Elena flipped on the lights. “Give me your hand. I’m good at knots.” She worked at it unsuccessfully for a while, her hands feeling clumsy. Resigned, she finally let her concentration slip just a fraction. She was able to quickly free the necklace from Phillip’s watch. She was dismayed at the amount of heat she felt. She had always felt Phillip was attractive, half the co-ed population did, but more than ever now she was afraid that she had been accidentally affecting Monica and Jacob. She should have more control than this. She needed to get the necklace on quick. She was careful to avoid eye contact with Phillip. Now that his hands were freed, he quickly untangled the necklace from her hair. This time, he put it on her without a hitch. Immediately, she was able to relax. If she wanted to know now, even given his close proximity, she would have to actively try to feel Phillip’s emotions.

  She turned around smiling at him. “Thank you for your help, and again for picking this up for me. My parents are sticklers for getting me my gifts on time.” Always true words, if never the truth.