Chapter 195

• BABYGIRL MEETS DADDY'S WARMTH.
• “Brrrr!” Juliet slammed the door shut faster than she’d opened it. Winter had been ruthless this year, and more particularly, this week. Even the icicles looked mean above the doorway, these crooked monstrosities that crashed to the porch in her haste.
• She pulled the sleeves of her thick Vikings hoodie over her fists, and retreated into the living room. Her stepfather, Lance, had the fireplace going, and she would camp out there instead of attempting to leave the house. Juliet was barely legal. She’d just turned 18 last week, but celebrating was on hold. First, she was in the middle of her semester. Second, her mother had been out of town for over two weeks. She’d left Juliet in the hands of Lance because she was still not quite old enough to manage the household by herself.