Page 18 of All of You

“Didn’t see that coming,” I say to Delia.

“I’m sure there’s a lot you don’t see coming,” she quips back and gives me a sultry little grin.

Touche. Game on my friend, game on.My dad blows out a laugh while my mom presses the back of her hand to her mouth to stifle hers.

Great.

Humiliated in front of my parents.

Har har.

“Check ya later, D!” Anderson says an inch from her face in his outside voice. He holds up his hand for a high five. Delia stares at it a beat then gently pokes her index finger into the center of his palm.

“Peace out, A.” She smiles at him.

My heart melts a little. All my friends treat Anderson like the bastard little brother (which he often is) but damn does my chest feel warm at the sight of her being a good sport for his sake.

Mom shuffles us all out the door and into the car and I’m stuck thinking about hot, weird perfect Delia the entire drive home.

Nine

Delia

Ihaven’t seen Langdon since dinner on Sunday but my brain has been obsessing over him hourly. It’s infuriating. He clearly thinks he’s hot shit, but for once, I didn’t embarrass myself too badly, I think.

He looked downright defeated for a moment there before he left. He’s probably the town football star or maybe baseball player, and has girls drooling all over him. I mean, he’s hot, so I get it, but still, the hotness fades away if you’re a total douche bag to boot. I’m being super judgy and defensive and I know it. He sets me on edge for some reason. Like when he stares at me like he’s deciding which part of my body he’d like to bite first. Always sizing me up with those hazel eyes.

Heath showed me around the property a little the other day. Just the two of us. He was awkward and stiff. Not at all the way he was around Langdon at dinner in the kitchen. I think Mom wasright. He doesn’t know how he feels, about me or Mom.

Mom on the other hand has taken me to the river to swim. A spot with a beaten trail through the tall grass all the way to the muddy bank. Some kids near my age were there, but Mom and I just waded in and swam around without talking to them, and I was glad because I just wanted some time for the two of us.

She went to Anna’s house yesterday, and although I was dying to ask her if she saw Langdon, if he said anything about me, I kept my trap shut and pretended I didn’t sort of wish I’d gone with her when she offered.

Mom climbed the bridge behind a couple of the guys at the river and jumped in after them. They whooped and hollered at her when her head popped out of the water and she winked at them as she swam back to me.

I wonder if any of them are in my class? That’d be embarrassing. The new girl with the hot daredevil mom who’s naturally more popular than she is. Ugh. Gotta go. Need to use the bathroom at Heath’s to get ready for work. I’m about to go to work. At Root Bound! The cutest little rare plant shop that ever existed. Wish me luck.

Heath’s truck lurches to a loud mechanical stop in front of RootBound. “Do you have everything you need? Lunch or anything?” he asks.

I smile warmly at him for thinking of those things at all. “I’m good. I’ll probably just grab lunch somewhere on my break. Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” He reaches into the center console and pulls out a crumpled five-dollar bill. “For lunch.”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to do that. I have money.”

“I want to. Now go on,” he shakes the bill at me, “take it.”

I suppress my smile and take the five dollars from him. “Well, thanks, Heath.” I stuff the bill into my pocket, yank the handle, and shove the heavy door open.

“You can call me Gramps if you want.”

I stop my legs from swinging out and twist to face him.

“I mean, you don’t have to of course, but you can,” he says.

“Really?” I bite my bottom lip.

Heath nods. “Really. Only if you want.”