“I bet,” mom smirks.
After ten minutes, my car is packed and mom is chatting away to Trish in the kitchen. Nate and Jesse wait behind at my car and I can’t help the pang of sadness that settles within my heart. “Going to miss having you around here,” Jesse says as he wraps his arms tightly around me and squishes me nearly to death.
“Jesus,” I groan. “I’m not moving to another country. I’m just going to be down the street and it’s not like I won’t be here all the time anyway.”
“I know,” he says. “I’m just that irresistible.”
“Knock it off,” Nate says as he peels his brother off me. Jesse laughs to himself and heads back inside to Maxen, Puck, and Tyson, probably so they can work out who’s going to be screwing which cheerleader tonight so they don’t end up at the same door. Though that doesn’t apply to Maxen, he’s been a good boyfriend to Brooke, and is so far, surprising the crap out of me.
“I’ll be sneaking through your window tonight,” Nate tells me.
I grin up at him as he winds his arms around my waist. “You remember it’s on the second story, right?” I laugh.
“You think that’s going to stop me?”
“I hope not,” I say as I tilt my chin up towards him. He meets my lips with his own and absolutely devours them, making me wish mom could have caught a later flight. The second the thought enters my mind, I instantly feel guilty. I haven’t seen mom and dad in nearly three months.
Nate pulls back and studies me for a moment. “Everything ok?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I tell him. “I think I should probably spend the night with my parents.”
“Sooooo?” he questions. “You don’t want me to come over?”
“No, no. I do,” I quickly say. “But maybe late? Give me a chance to let mom and dad fuss all over me first.”
A grin rips across his face as he dips his head back to mine. He kisses me gently once before threading his fingers through mine. “You got it, babe. Just remember to unlock your window, I don’t want to spend the night stuck on the roof.”
“Ok,” I laugh.
Nate releases my hand and leans around me to open my car door. “Do you remember how to drive this thing?” he questions with a knowing sparkle in his deep eyes.
I can’t help but grin. I haven’t exactly had a need to drive lately as Nate insists on driving me around. I mean, it makes sense. We go to the same school, leave from the same house, and finish for the day at the same time. Of course, he’d drive me around. Now, though, I have to actually drive the car that I haven’t had enough practice with, you know, as the bastard is a stick. “I’ll manage,” I tell him, feigning confidence when in reality, my pulse is picking up and my mind is whirling with reminders of how to actually shift.
“Uh huh,” he grins.
Nate helps me down into my car as mom comes strolling out the front door with Trish on her heels. “Good news, honey,” mom grins as she hurries down the stairs. “I went ahead and booked my wine night.”
“Oh, geez,” I laugh. “I think I’m busy.”
“Nope. No way. You and me. Here. Friday night.”
I look up at Nate with a grin. “Friday night, huh?” I say as the pieces of my little puzzle fall into place. We’ll get the moms a few drinks, they’ll get carried away chatting, and I’ll be able to sneak out with the boys. Perfect.
I say goodbye to my grinning boyfriend and he closes the door behind me as mom climbs into her BMW. I mentally go through all the ins and outs of the car while I bring the engine to life and let out a breath as I work it all out.
I slowly take off and it’s as rough as shit. I cringe to myself and refuse to look at Nate in my rear view mirror knowing the smug bastard would be grinning to himself, probably with his arms crossed over his wide chest.
I’m going to hear about this when he comes over tonight.
Ten minutes later, I pull into my driveway with mom right behind me. I look around for dad’s car as he usually parks in the driveway, especially after he’s been away so he can easily get his bags from the car, only it’s not here. It must be in the garage already.
Mom parks beside me and I grab a bag only to have her hurry around and demand that I put it down. “Don’t even think about it,” she tells me. “Trish gave me the real story. I know you’ve been putting away those painkillers like jelly beans. So, you’re not lifting anything until you get the all clear from the doctor.”