Strictly Curious

Copyright © 2023 by Joelle Lynne All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No part of this book may be reproduced in any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Cover Art: Coffin Print Designs Alpha Reader: Courtney W. Dixon Beta Readers: Debra Christensen, Janet Hunt, Morgan Lysand, Mary Ellen, and Courtney W. Dixon Editing: Jen Sharon - Fiction Editing & Proofreading Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Four Epilogue The events of Strictly Curious take place in a fictional California town called Newport. Newport first appeared in Nerdy Talk and may make a few more appearances in future books. While very brief, there is mention of postpartum depression and the subsequent loss of Tyler’s mom because of it. The mention is very small but is a serious enough problem for enough people that I feel strongly enough that I need to say something. If you or someone you know is struggling, know that you are never alone. If you are in the US and in need of someone to talk to, dial 988 today. Tyler - Age Ten “Tyler, get back here,” Dad called as I stormed up the stairs to my bedroom. Tears streamed down my face. It wasn’t fair. I didn’t want this. When Dad came in the door with a woman and another little boy in tow, something heavy settled in my chest. What was this feeling? “Tyler, this is Tabitha Barnes and her son, Garrett,” he said as he introduced them. I’d tried to hide behind the coat rack near the staircase. Dad wasn’t home much, and he worked a lot. He’d been gone for a week-long conference, so why was he bringing home another woman and her son? “Gary, it’s okay if he’s shy. He’ll warm up to us soon enough,” The woman, Tabitha, said in a hushed tone. The boy at her side watched me curiously as I shifted to hide behind a long heavy trench coat. Dad moved to pull me out from behind the coats and I yelped in surprise. “Come on, Tyler. Don’t you want to meet your new brother?” Brother? My eyes snapped to the brown gaze that stared at me as my falling tears stung. I wanted my real mommy, not that I’d ever met her. Dad said she got really sad after I was born and never snapped out of it. We’ve visited her grave a few times. I still didn’t understand why she wasn’t here. The boy with the mess of brown curls waved shyly at me and I looked up at my dad. I shook my head no quickly; the tears fell. “Really? Don’t be rude. Say hello,” Dad ordered. I shook my head harder, pulling in his grasp. His grip on me slipped, and I broke free. That’s when I took off and ran for my room. The door slamming behind me gave me some relief. I sank to the floor and cried as I heard the muffled voices downstairs. Fat tears rolled down my cheeks, and I didn’t wipe them away. Dad hated it when I cried, but he wasn’t here to see them. What happened to the conference? Was it all a lie? For what felt like forever, I sat and cried, tucked into myself. I was tired and weak. There was a soft knock on my door and I didn’t know who it was. Trying to ignore it didn’t work because whoever it was, knocked again. “Tyler?” The unfamiliar voice was soft, but I was interested enough to shuffle away from the door so I could crack it open just enough to peek through. Soft brown eyes behind brown curls stared at me through the opening. “What do you want?” I sniffed. The boy pushed at my door, but I refused to open it further. “Tyler, I just want to talk,” he said. He pushed at the door one more time, hard enough to make me fall backward. He scrambled into my room and sat next to me on the floor, while the door closed on its own. I stared up at my new stepbrother. The brother I didn’t want. Hesitantly he raised a hand and ran his fingers through my blond hair. I continued to stare at him stupidly. Why wouldn’t he take the hint that I didn’t want him here? “If you think this is any easier for me…” he pulled his hand away when his mother called from downstairs. “Garrett? Garrett? Where did you run off to?” He went to stand, and I sat up and grabbed his hand as he was about to leave. He stared at me for a long moment before he shook loose from my grip. What was he about to tell me? “We can talk later?” he asked, looking back and forth between me and the door. I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand and nodded. He gave me a smile and ran out of my room. I stared after him and realized that maybe a brother wouldn’t be so bad. “Now boys, don’t stay up too late. There’s school in the morning. Tyler, I expect you’ll be good about introducing Garrett to your friends?” Tabitha asked as she tucked her son into the sleeping bag on my floor. Everything had been such a rush, there wasn’t