Page 6

Whatever I Say, Just Play Along

It’s been years since I pulled into the driveway of Mr. and Mrs. Summers’ house.

This is the same house where she grew up, the same house where I picked her up before school, the same house where she helped me write my essays, and I helped her pass algebra.

We were never together then, and we’re not together now—but one thing remains true. I wish we were.

She draws in a deep breath as I cut the engine.

“You okay?” I ask.

She leans her head back on the headrest, then slides it to the side to look at me. “No.”

I reach over and squeeze her thigh. “You don’t have to be. It’s why I’m here.”

Her eyes soften at my words, and she presses her lips together and nods her head. “Let’s do this. And just…whatever she asks, whatever I say, just play along, okay?”

“Of course,” I say .

She opens the door, and we both get out and meet at the front of the car. She slides her hand into mine for fortitude as we approach the door together, and she rings the bell.

When I go to my parents’ house, I just walk in. It’s the difference between our families, and it makes me think for just a split second that I should stop by to see my mother while I’m in town.

But this trip isn’t about me. It’s about Sophie.

The door opens, and Mrs. Summers looks surprised to see the two of us standing on her front porch holding hands. Her brows dip together as her eyes flick to our joined hands before she looks up at the two of us.

“What are you doing here, honey?” she asks her daughter. “Shouldn’t you be at school?”

She hasn’t even invited us in yet.

Sophie clears her throat. “Could we, uh…come in and talk to you?”

“Of course. Come on in.” She opens the door a little wider, and we walk through.

Sophie doesn’t let go of my hand. “Is Dad home?”

“No, he went into work. What’s going on?” she asks once we’re standing across from her at the kitchen counter.

Sophie clears her throat. She glances wildly at me, and I can see it in her eyes. She can’t tell her mom that she resigned because her ex-boyfriend revealed her secret pen name to her students.

Maybe her mom will find out anyway. But right now, she needs me to save her.

And so I do.

“Sophie and I have decided to move in together,” I blurt.

Her mom gasps. “Sophie!” she scolds. “But what about Tyler?”

Soph clenches her jaw for a beat. “That’s been over for a while.”

“And now you two?” she asks, circling her finger between us.

I glance at Sophie, and she’s looking at me, and when our eyes connect…

Oh boy. She’s got that look in her eyes that I know so well but that I already know I need to brace myself for.

“Yes,” Sophie says, and she pushes up to her tiptoes and presses a kiss to my lips.

Jesus Christ. Mary and Joseph. All the biblical names.

What in the holy hell is happening?

My mind goes absolutely blank for a moment as Sophie’s lips form to mine.

It’s brief. Too brief. Only a couple of seconds at most.

But holy fuck, is it filled with absolute fireworks. Intense, explosive fire.

Two seconds. Lip to lip.

Imagine sex. Jesus. I can’t. I have imagined it, lots of times, and this one kiss for her mother’s benefit doesn’t do a damn bit of justice to my imagination.

She pulls back and settles down onto flat feet again, and I’m supposed to come out of it like it’s no big deal. Like it wasn’t my first kiss with the woman I have loved for years.

Oh, wait. Right. It’s not supposed to be a big deal if we’re at the point of moving in together. I clear my throat as I try to come up with something to say, but she speaks before I can. I’m supposed to be saving her, but I’m too caught up with that kiss to think straight at this moment in time.

“I quit my job, and we’re moving to San Diego because Miller and I are together now.” She turns to me. “Right, baby?” She slides her arm around my waist.

We’re together now?

Oh, right. Play along, Banks .

I finally pull myself together enough to say, “Right.” I sling a casual arm around her shoulders and lean down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

Her mom purses her lips. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. You two always seemed to have a little thing between you.”

We did? Wait a minute. What?

Sophie leans her head on my shoulder. “Definitely.”

“But Sophie, this isn’t like you.” Her mom is definitely judging us. “You’re in the middle of a school year. Just a couple more months until it’s over…and you’re just quitting and leaving? What about your students?”

She clears her throat, and then she blurts, “Miller and I are getting married.” She slaps a hand over her mouth after the words escape.

Her mom gasps.

Hell, I think I gasp, too.

Are we really doing this?

Whatever I say, just play along.

Her mom’s eyes dart to her ring finger, but she keeps talking, making the lie bigger and bigger with each word.

“We just want to get started on our future right away, and with him playing in San Diego now, it makes the most sense for me to move there.” She shrugs at the end, and she waves a hand in the air. “He asked me last night on his thirtieth birthday, and we’re going to pick out a ring soon.”

“Oh, honey,” her mom says, and she walks around the counter to hug Sophie. “I’m just—I don’t know what to say. I just want you to be happy.”

Her mom hugs me next, and my eyes meet Sophie’s over her mom’s shoulder.

“I am, Mom,” Sophie assures her as she widens her eyes at me as if to tell me thanks for playing along .

Did I have a choice? Her mom turns back to Sophie, who’s still babbling…

and I’m a li ttle worried if she keeps babbling, she’s going to blow this whole story.

“I just wish Dad was here because I wanted to tell the two of you together. We need to get home. Miller’s got some things to do, and he flew in last night and we’re driving my car back. ”

“Congratulations to you both. And happy birthday, Miller,” she says. “Oh, honey. We get to plan a wedding!”

“Don’t get too excited,” Sophie warns her. “We’ll probably keep it low-key. Besides, he’s got a new season coming up, and he’ll be busy with that.”

“Oh, of course,” she says. “Didn’t you two make a pact back when you were teenagers that you’d get married if you were both still single when you turned thirty?”

Sophie’s eyes widen like she’s been caught, and I turn and raise my brows at her that she shared that news with her mother.

Sophie clears her throat nervously. “Oh, did we? Anyway, we just wanted to stop by to tell you the news.” Sophie hugs her mom. “But we really do need to get moving. I’ll call you later, okay?”

Her mom looks a little shaken, and I feel like I got hit by a bus, but we say our goodbyes and head out to the car.

I pull out of the driveway without a word since her mom is waving to us and Sophie has her window down—likely on purpose so she doesn’t have to answer any questions right away, and then we’re out of her mom’s sight as we turn the corner.

She rolls the window up, and I pull over to the curb.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“What am I doing?” I ask, putting a hand on my chest. “What are you doing?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Clearly.”

“Are you mad?” she asks, her nose wrinkling up again .

I sigh. “No, Soph. You know I could never be mad at you. You just…kind of blindsided me.”

“I know. And I’m sorry. I’ll figure out a way to get us out of this mess.”

I just don’t know how to tell her that I don’t really want her to get us out of this mess. I think I’m going to like being engaged to Sophie Summers.