Page 40 of The Publicity Stunt

“What if I’m out socializing?”

April kicks up her feet on my lap. “No one’s gonna be friends with you if this is what you call a gift, Parker.”

“Hey, it’s a brilliant fucking gift, okay? I can’t always be around to punch the creeps away.”

“You’ve punched one guy.”

I grab her ankles and pull myself closer. “And how many have you punched? Zero.”

Smiling, she hugs the pepper spray to her chest and leans forward. “Okay, you’re right. It is a little brilliant. Thank you.”

“So, what’s with the map? You planning on setting sail somewhere?”

“Oh, I’ve been working on a little something the whole day. You see this?” She points to a spot in the center.

Two stick figures holding hands.

“Is that supposed to be us?”

She grins, brightness radiating through her eyes. “Nice, right?”

“A masterpiece.” Sarcasm oozes from my words.

“I’ve been marking a few places for our trip to California.”

I frown. “We’re going to college, April. Not a fucking road trip.”

Rolling her eyes, she brushes me off, and I hear her cute whiny voice go off in my head.Deeetaaails…

“You’re saying this now,” she says, “but when I’m on my way to bungee jump in Red Rock Canyon, you’ll be the first to come with.”

My lips twitch into an almost-smile. “I assure you I’m gonna do no such thing.”

She huffs, straightening out her long bare legs. “Fine, I’ll just make new friends then.”

“New friends?”

“Mm-hm.” She nods and gives me a long once-over. “I’ve been overdue for an upgrade anyway.”

“Oh, really?” I reach across her chest to snatch the Sharpie from her hand, and accidentally brush against her boobs. Neither of us announces the brief touch, but I feel her body go rigid for a second. “And these new friends—you gonna make them wearing that fucking monstrosity on your head?” I point to her unicorn hat, joking, but April doesn’t laugh. Instead her smile fades away, waning like a faulty lightbulb.

Our relationship has always been one pulling the other’s leg. Harmless fun. But right now, her entire demeanor is screaming no more fun, no more games. And it makes me feel so fucking terrible. She stares into my hard gaze and the light inside her eyes dims further. “April?”

She looks away, swallowing a lump in her throat.

“I’m sorry. I was just teasing.”

“My parents bought me this hat when I was four,” she blurts out. It takes me a few seconds to realize she’s talking about her birth parents.

“Oh … um, I’m sorry, April.” Fuck, I wasn’t expecting her to say that.

“Don’t be. You didn’t know.”

I didn’t. If I did, I would’ve never made fun of her.

“You don’t talk about them a lot.” Come to think of it, she doesn’t talk about them at all.

April’s lips press together in a tight line. “Because I have a good life. Nothing to complain about,” she says with a shrug.