“Hey! What about our night?” Mark jumps in, gesturing between himself and her. “I thought we were going to get banana splits at Dairy Queen?”
Cassie frowns deeply. “I didn’t know that.”
“I can’t believe you forgot. Don’t bail on me, kid.”
Something tells me Cassie wouldn’t forget something like a trip for ice cream. Something also tells me it’s meant as a distraction and a bribe, a treat that Cassie won’t pass up.
“Can AJ come?”
Mark shrugs, glancing at me. “Sure, if that’s what—”
“She’s coming to Zach’s with me,” Emmett cuts in.
“Hold on. I didn’t approve that,” Mom says.
“Mom.” I stare at her, trying to convey with my eyes how badly I want to go. If I miss out on a night with Emmett, I will never forgive her.
“Maybe you should spend some time with Cassie tonight,” she says softly.
“It’s just a small group of kids from school, Mrs. Jones,” Emmett offers in a cordial tone.
“Call me Debra, please.” Her lips purse as she studies my pleading eyes. “Is this a gathering that would be suitable for my fifteen-year-old daughter?”
“Almost sixteen,” I clarify through gritted teeth, my cheeks burning.
“No drinking,” Emmett promises.
She gives him a flat look. “I’m not naïve.”
He holds his hands in the air. “I have a game tomorrow so I’m driving and coming home by midnight.”
I can see the struggle within Mom’s eyes.
“If there’s one thing my son takes seriously, it’s being well rested for his games,” Heather adds, and I silently thank her for the motherly seal of approval.
Mom takes a deep breath. “Fine. As long as she’s with you and you’re home by eleven.”
“Mom!”
“Eleven is fine.” Emmett smirks. “I can use the extra sleep.”
I let out a long, shaky breath, struggling to keep my excitement at bay.
That’s when I notice Cassie is staring at her plate with a crestfallen face. Heather’s hand is smoothing over her back in a comforting manner, her pained eyes flickering to Mark.
What must it be like for Cassie, to be told she can’t go to a party, but meanwhile I’m going with her brother? I’m technically only three months older than she is. How many times has she been told no to going out like other teenagers do?
Guilt for choosing the party with Emmett over a movie with her overwhelms me.
I think fast. “Hey, Cassie, do you want to go to the movies tomorrow afternoon to see that one you mentioned?”
Her eyes widen and then light up, the party at Zach’s temporarily forgotten. “Teen Queen? I really want to see that.”
I know. She’s only mentioned it every day this week. “Do you want to go with me?” I have no idea what it’s about, but I saw the name on the marquee as Mom and I passed the theater today and I thought of Cassie.
She looks to Heather, a strange—almost terrified—expression on her face. “Can I go?” she whispers.
Heather’s shoulders sag with relief. “Of course. That sounds like a great idea.” She flashes an appreciative smile at me. “I can drop you two off.”
“Alone? You mean, just AJ and me?”
“Yes.”
Cassie, already beaming, lets out an excited squeal that earns Uncle Merv’s grimace. “Oh Lord,” he grumbles.
I can’t help but laugh as I meet Emmett’s gaze.
To find his soft smile as he regards me.
The engine of Emmett’s SUV is already running when I rush across the lawn, five minutes late, adjusting the collar of the navy-blue boatneck shirt I threw on.
“Hurry up, before Cassie and my dad get home.” His wary eyes are on the street as I slide into the passenger seat.
“I thought she was okay with this?” I fasten my seat belt, discreetly inhaling the clean scent of his cologne. Emmett has changed too, into a pair of dark-wash jeans and a charcoal-gray T-shirt that clings to his torso without being too tight.
“She is, but if she sees us leaving, she’ll forget how excited she is about tomorrow and focus on what she’s missing tonight. And then she’ll cry that she’s being left out and I’ll feel like an asshole.” His voice sounds heavy as he puts the car in drive. “That was nice of you, by the way, offering to take her to the movies.”
I shrug. “I don’t have any plans tomorrow.”
His mouth curves with a secretive smile.
“What?”
“Nothing, just … you’ve never watched a movie with Cassie before.”
“Why? What happens?” I ask warily.
“Nothing bad.” He laughs. “You’ll see.”
I’m distracted from pushing for more information by my mom’s silhouette in my bedroom window, watching us drive away. My guess is she’ll be hunting for my journal as soon as we’ve rounded the corner. I don’t think she’ll find it. I tucked it under a loose floorboard I found under the desk while I was dragging furniture around to paint the walls. It’s a pain to fetch, but it was the best hiding spot I could find.
“Kind of surprised your mom didn’t change her mind about letting you out.” Emmett makes a right turn at the end of our street.
“Oh, she did. That’s why I was late. I had to pry the shackles from my ankles. Thank God for that hacksaw Uncle Merv keeps by the door.”
Emmett chuckles.
“Seriously though, he keeps a hacksaw behind the front door.” Mom questioned him about it the other day. He said it’s to trim all the damn branches.
“She seems a little overprotective.”
“Yeah. It’s the move,” I lie. “And she has a lot more time on her hands to worry right now. I’m sure it’ll change when she goes back to work. So how far away is Zach’s house?” The street has led us out of town, where there are no street lights save for side road markers. I haven’t ventured out this way yet.
“About ten minutes out.”
“Who’s going to be there?”
“Mostly guys from hockey.”
“So does this Zach guy play with you?”
“Not anymore. We used to, but he wouldn’t make my team now. He plays on the school team. You’ve seen him with me. He’s the blond guy I hang out with.”
I frown in thought. “I don’t think so?” Though, I don’t pay much attention to anyone else when Emmett’s there.
“He’s seen you, that’s for sure.”
A nervous twinge stirs in my stomach. “What does that mean?”
Emmett smiles, showing off that deep dimple. “Let’s just say he’s happy I’m bringing my cute new neighbor tonight.”
I look out my window at the dark fields as my face burns with Emmett’s words. Is he simply relaying what his friend has said about me? Or echoing his own thoughts?
An awkward silence ensues.
Emmett dials the music up a notch. “It’ll be fun. Holly and a few of her friends will be there, so you can get to know them, too.”
Disappointment flares at the reminder that yes, Emmett has a girlfriend and yes, of course she’s going to be there. “How long have you guys been together?” I ask casually, though I already know the answer. I’m more curious about how he’ll answer it—does he like talking about his girlfriend? Or is he like other guys I’ve known who shrug off the topic?
“Almost a year. If you can find out the exact date for me, I’ll owe you big time, because I forget. I know it was September. She was like you.”
“Like me?”
“Yeah. The new girl in school.”
“Oh. Right.” New and blonde and beautiful, with that honeyed voice and sweet smile. Not exactly me. “She’s nice,” I offer, because what else do I say?
He smiles softly. “Holly’s great. Cassie introduced us. I can’t remember how they met but the next thing I knew, we were at the fall fair together.” He snaps his fingers. “That’s when we hooked up. It was the last weekend of September, but I can’t remember if it was the Friday or the Saturday.”