Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“It wasn’t a lie when I said it,” Drew insists. “Our plans just kind of . . . changed. And this isn’t a party, Mom. Nobody else is coming. It’s just the four of us—and we’re doing nothing but watching a movie.”
I press my lips together, trying not to laugh at the kid’s obvious discomfort. Clearly, we’ve barged in on a double date. One that looks pretty innocent, if you ask me, considering how far apart the kids were sitting when we first walked in on them.
Selena doesn’t seem to share my amusement. With her nostrils flaring, she addresses the two girls again. “Do your parents know where you are, ladies?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the girl with the painted toenails says. “My curfew is eleven on weekends. They track my phone, so they know where I am.”
“And I’m spending the night at her house,” the other girl squeaks out, looking like she wants to barf. “My parents don’t track my phone, though, I don’t think. Please, don’t tell them about this.”
Selena glances at me and whatever levity she sees in my eyes causes her to narrow hers and flash me a warning look that practically screams, Don’t you dare laugh.
“My mom is coming at quarter to eleven to pick everyone up,” Eddie interjects. “She knows we’re here. She’s going to drop the girls off and then bring Drew and me back to my house.”
“Eddie, tell me the truth,” Selena says. “Your mother thinks I’ve been here with you this whole time, correct?”
Eddie drops his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Again, Selena looks at me and it’s all I can do not to grin at her. Was there any doubt that’s what the kids told Eddie’s mom—and, surely, Painted Toenail Girl’s parents, as well—that Selena would be here to chaperone the kids throughout the entire movie? Selena has mentioned Drew attends a private Catholic school. If all of these kids are schoolmates of Drew’s, as I suspect, then it’s likely they’re all being raised in fairly strict homes, at least by my standards. Which means every kid in this room is currently shitting a brick.
“We’re still sleeping at Eddie’s tonight,” Drew assures his mother. “Eddie and I only came here to watch a horror movie, since our screen is way bigger, and I’d offered to be the one to pay the rental fee, which I’ll do out of my allowance.” He motions toward the screen, where a maniacal clown is currently frozen on pause. “And while we were walking over here, Eddie and I got the idea to ask Sophia and Carina if they wanted to come over and watch the movie with us, since they said at lunch the other day they were dying to see this one, and we figured, ‘Why let them spend the money to rent it, when we’re already renting it ourselves?’.”
Somehow, Selena’s managed to wear a poker face throughout the entirety of her son’s panicked ramblings. Without a hint of amusement, she replies evenly, “How thoughtful of you, Drew.”
“Exactly! You’ve taught me to be thoughtful, whenever I can, so that’s all I was trying to do, Mom.”
I have to bite my tongue not to let out a loud chortle. Sure it was, buddy. You and Eddie were only saving these two pretty girls a movie rental fee.
Selena’s eyes meet mine, ever so briefly, before she returns to Drew and says, “All right. You can go ahead and watch the movie. Next time, however, if your plans change and you’re not where you said you’d be, text me your location. Also, ask my permission before inviting friends over. You know the rules.”
I can tell Drew wants to roll his eyes something fierce, but, somehow, the boy manages to nod obediently and say, “I will.” One side of his mouth hitches up, ever so slightly. “Speaking of changed plans, are you going to introduce me to your unexpected guest, Mother?”
That chortle I suppressed earlier? Yeah, it hurtles out of me, against my will. Luckily, I quickly manage to contain myself when Selena glares at me, telling me to get myself under control. But there’s zero doubt Drew heard it and therefore knows I find this entire situation highly amusing.
Selena clears her throat and gestures primly to me. “Drew, this is my friend, Grayson McKnight. Grayson, this is my son, Drew, and his best friend since pre-school, Eddie, and their two lovely friends whom I’ve never met before tonight.”
Drew supplies the girls’ names, before asking his mother, “So, Grayson here is your friend?”
“That’s right,” Selena replies, her face a deep shade of crimson.
I walk toward Drew, my hand extended. “Hello, Drew.”
The kid meets me halfway and shakes my hand firmly. And for the life of me, when my eyes lock with his, I can’t resist shooting the kid a smirk that lets him know I find the “friend” label laughable, too.