“Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell. He just gave me a ride home. He didn’t ask for my hand in marriage.”
Although he did hold my hand.
Squeezed it when I was losing my shit.
And it didn’t feel… awful.
“You mean to tell me that absolutely nothing worth telling happened during this ride home?”
My brain says, Well, except for the fact that we got pulled over and I burst into the most inconvenient anxiety attack of all time, but my mouth blurts, “Yes. Just let it go, okay?”
“Fine. I should get going anyway. I’m babysitting Charlie tonight.” Dia leaps off the bed. “It’s my turn to explain to him that we can’t get rid of Dad to have a dog.”
I snort out a laugh.
Charlie, Dia’s younger brother, has to be the most endearing little monster you’ll ever meet. Gaten, one of Dia’s dads, is allergic to dogs, so, naturally, Charlie’s solution was to suggest Daddy sleeps outside from now on.
Dia halts at the door, glancing at me one last time. “Oh, and, just so you know… I may hate Finn, but I’d totally support it if Xavier gave you another ride and you wanted to…” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Learn to drive s
tick.”
The innuendo isn’t lost on me.
“Get out of here.” I lob a pillow at her with a laugh, and she shoots me a dramatic wink before scurrying down the stairs.
* * *
I don’t hear a peep from Zac until ten that night.
Zac: How was your day?
I glance down at my oversized pajamas and the bag of sweet-and-salty popcorn nudged between my legs. I’m lying in bed, stuffing my face and rewatching my favorite shows to cope with the fact that Mom and Ashley went out to dinner and a movie without me.
Again.
They do it every Sunday night.
I shouldn’t be hurt. Chances are, I’d decline the invitation anyway. But it’d be nice if they asked. Chasing these depressing thoughts away, I pause my show to text back.
Love: I’ve had better. You?
His response comes quickly.
Zac: What’s wrong?
What’s wrong is my own family would rather bathe in strangers’ toenails than spend time with me.
Love: Nothing. Just a lot on my plate. And you didn’t answer the question. How was your day?
Zac: Passable.
Love: Passable?
Zac: Yeah.
Love: What’s wrong?