Page 36 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“Well, I’m going to get going,” he says to me and then looks to my mom. “Thanks for dinner, ma’am.”
“No problem,” Mom says.
I slide between them. I swear it looks like she thinks I’m datinghiminstead of his brother, which…actually whatever. I grab his arm and pull him into the hallway and then to the front door.
“Thanks for the help,” I tell him, trying to urge him to go before Mom can say something stupid. He stops and faces me, his hand on the knob. Okay, like why is his nose so cute and perfect? He smiles and I glance away.
“Of course.” He nods and twists the knob. The click makes me jump just before the wind slips inside and chills my arms, and he crosses onto the porch. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see ya,” I say and let the door shut behind him.
I huff. Okay. Fine. That wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. It could have been so much worse, but like…Mom! Wrong boy!
“He’s cute,” Mom says from behind me.
I swing around and spring my eyes open at her.
“Mom!” I say.
“What? He’s your boyfriend, right?” She shrugs.
“Him? Zachary? No!” I blurt. Then I lie, which is feeling too normal at this point. Well, I tell the truth on top of a lie, I guess. “Hayden’s my boyfriend! That’s hisbrother!”
“Oh.” She shakes her head. “That’s right. The one who’s…in a coma?”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “A coma.”
“You seem pretty uh…struck by Zachary though,” Mom comments.
“What? Mom!”
“Sorry,” she says. “They look alike?”
“Uh…I mean…” I grumble.
“Okay.” Mom wobbles her head and shrugs. “Be careful, then. Don’t go falling in love with the brother while your boyfriend is sleeping.”
What the hell, Mom?
12
It’s been overcast and cold all day. Rain splotches my windshield, and brooding gray clouds hang over the treetops. They’re threatening to bring a deluge down on the mountain. All I ask is that it doesn’t flood. My little hatchback can’t deal with that. Not to mention rain at night sucks.
Korean lyrics I don’t understand are playing through my speakers as I pull into their driveway. I gasp again when Hayden’s house comes into view. Not sure how long that’s going to take to get used to. It’s just so cool.
Out front, sitting in a low chair, is Eliza. Her white top and flared tan bottoms contrast with the rest of the porch. She always stands out. Catina, her daughter, sits next to her in a graphic tee and shorts. It’s much too cold to be sitting outside period, much less in shorts.
I roll to a stop and grab the covered plate from the passenger seat before slipping out into the light drizzle. The tiny droplets are chilly against my neck and wrists. Little ice pricks, so I rush for the shelter of the covered porch.
“Hey, Eliza,” I say, stepping up the stairs.“Catina.”
“Hi!” Catina smiles.
“Kenzie.”Eliza nods. “Sit with me a moment.”
“Uh, shouldn’t I take this in first?” I ask. I really want to get inside and out of this shitty weather.
“Catina can take it in for you.” Eliza looks at her daughter, who doesn’t seem too excited about it but doesn’t question.
