No. No, no, no, no!
I gave Katy a look of horror as I heard my father’s voice coming from behind me. I smiled and turned around. “Daddy! Oh, hey.”
He smiled and tilted his head. “Where’s Will?”
I looked back out the window, and Will was crawling over his seat and getting into the backseat.
“Um…”
“Didn’t you say he was still at the party, Alex?” Katy said.
I looked back at my father. I’d never lied to him before. “Grace was craving potato chips, so—”
“She borrowed Will’s truck. How are you, Mr. Mathews?”
My father glanced down at the bag in my hand. I was shocked my hand wasn’t shaking as I stood there and tried to seem normal.
He looked up at Katy. “I’m doing good, Katy. How are your parents?”
“They’re good. What can I help you with tonight?”
He looked back at me. “I’ve had a terrible headache the last two days. I need more Advil.”
My heart hurt, knowing that my father wasn’t one hundred percent happy about Will and me. I looked down and then back up at him. He smiled and winked at me.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.”
He walked up to me and placed his hand on the side of my face. “Go have fun, Alex. Be safe, baby girl. Don’t be out too late.”
Oh God, the guilt. “Yes, sir. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” I turned and looked at Katy.
She winked at me and motioned for me to go.
I walked out of the drugstore and almost went to the passenger side of Will’s truck. Instead, I opened the driver’s door and climbed up. I threw the bag into the backseat.
Will cried out, “Shit. Ouch! What in the hell is in the bag?”
“I don’t want to talk to you right now, William Gregory Hayes. Not right now.”
I started the truck and began backing out. I looked over and saw my father leaving and heading to his truck. I silently thanked God that Mr. Bell hadn’t come out to talk to him.
“It’s safe to come out now,” I said as I shook my head.
Will crawled over the seat and started laughing. “When I saw your dad’s truck, I just ducked down. Can you imagine if he had walked in while I was in there, buying condoms?”
I slammed on the brakes.
Will shouted, “Shit! Lex, what are you doing?”
“Seriously, Will? Mr. Bell stood there and gave me a rundown on the different types of condoms. If my father had walked in two minutes earlier, I would have been the one getting caught buying condoms, and then my father would have killed both of us!”
Will looked at me and then busted out laughing. I rolled my eyes and floored the gas. The more he laughed, the more I attempted to hold my laughter in.
By the time we drove up to Will’s house, he had been laughing hysterically for a while, especially after I’d told him how Mr. Bell described each condom.
Will jumped out of the truck, opened the back door, and grabbed the bag. We met in the front of his truck, and his smile faded as he searched my face.
He placed his hand on my face and whispered, “I love you, Lex. I don’t want to do anything you’re not ready for.”