The Sweetest Sin

Excerpt from: The Sweetest Sin

There were many things in life that made Callie angry. People driving stupidly on the freeway. Long lines at the supermarket. And her sister’s principal calling her at work to inform her of the latest trouble the teen had gotten herself in. Two of the three happened within minutes of each other—Missy’s principal’s call had come fifteen minutes before she found herself in the middle of a huge traffic jam. From what she gathered, the teen had been caught fighting with another kid.

Callie rushed to the school where she found Missy sitting in the principal’s office sulking with a boy sitting next to her, same attitude. Missy had ice on her knuckles while the boy had ice on his eye.

“What happened?” Callie asked immediately after walking into the office.

“Eric called me a bitch and I punched him.” Missy gave a one-shoulder shrug.

It didn’t matter if Missy was six or sixteen, the girl was destined for trouble. Callie knew because she’d raised her most of her life, each day harder than the next with no breaks in between. Not that she regretted taking her younger sister into her house. She’d never regret that, but Missy didn’t make Callie’s job as a parent easy.

Missy moved the ice pack and grimaced at her purple knuckles. “Principal Farmer is so pissed right now.”

“Language, Missy.” Callie huffed a breath, taking the seat next to her sister. “Why would your principal be any more concerned with you fighting as apposed to someone else?”

Missy gave her a deadpan look. “Eric is his son.”

After talking with the principal, convincing him it wasn’t necessary to suspend Missy and promising she’d be punished, Callie and Missy were finally on the freeway headed toward their home.

The traffic in L.A. was horrendous. Cars were lined up bumper to bumper, accidents all around. Another one of Callie’s pet peeves was the people in traffic who always slowed down to see what happened. She hated to think about Missy getting her driver’s license soon. She had her permit but had yet to drive anywhere outside her driver’s education training.

“Are you mad at me?” Missy asked, digging through her oversized purse.

“A little, Missy. You know better than to go around hitting people. Especially the principal’s son.” Callie lifted her foot off the brake to roll forward, not even far enough to actually press the gas pedal.

“So does this mean were not going to Vegas for spring break?”

As much as Callie should make the teenager suffer, she couldn’t take away their one and only trip together. In all honesty, she was looking forward to leaving L.A. herself, and going back home to see their elderly aunt Rose. They needed the break. She needed the break.

“No, I’m not cancelling our trip. But that doesn’t mean you’re getting away with the crime. You’ll be doing all the chores when we get home up until the time we leave.”

Missy groaned. “My hand still hurts.”

“Tough.” Callie finally made it to their exit and pulled off the freeway. The sun hung high in the sky, heating the car with its rays. “Missy, if you promise to stay out of trouble and be good, I’ll take you out driving while we’re in Vegas.”

Missy’s face lit up. “You mean it?”

Callie swallowed hard and nodded her head.

“Yes!” Missy nearly jumped out of her seat. “You are the best sister ever.”