Page 85 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“How kind, Hayden.” Mom takes them and places them on the counter. “It’s been years since a man’s brought me flowers.”
Why is Zach here? And Hayden’s giving my favorite flower to my mom. What’s next? I tell the truth?
“Hope you don’t mind that I brought Zachary along.” Hayden’s looking directly at me.
“It’s…uh…it’s okay,” I stutter. Why the hell would you bring your little brother to dinner with your enbyfriend and their mom? It’s not like my mom needs a date! And oh no, Zach’s about to say something, so I open my mouth first. “Food’s about ready. Y’all can sit.”
I spin around and check on the bread. It’s got a minute more to go, but I’m not turning back around. What was Hayden thinking? I don’t even wanthimhere! I definitely don’t want Zach around to make things even more weird. Could things get better just for once? I really need this bread spell to work and make Hayden decide he’s just not into me and want to “break up.” Then maybe I won’t ever have to admit it was all an awful mistake.
Just don’t look at Zachary. Act like he isn’t here. It’s just you, Hayden, and Mom. That’s it. He’s only in my imagination playing tricks on me. That’s it.
“Your home is adorable, Mrs. Jackson,” Hayden says, and I want to vomit.
Neither one of them could ever think my home is adorable. It’s small, and old, and simple. Yes, it smells good, my touch. Lavender and rosemary dot the house. There’s some on the hall table. A vase of them on the kitchen counter. A few in my bedroom, and a candle with their scent in the living room. So yes, it smells good, but that’s it. Otherwise it sometimes seems almost claustrophobically small after seeing their house.
“Thank you,” Mom says. “So who’s the oldest?”
While Mom distracts them with random questions, I take another look inside the oven. There’s only ten seconds to go, so I don my black mitten that saysDon’t Make Me Poison Your Foodand take them out of the oven. The heat jumps out at me, and the intrusive thoughts in my head say to jump inside, it’d be so warm in there, but I refrain.
Once I’ve gotten them on the counter, I bunch them all into a little woven basket and take them to the table. I try not to look at either of the boys. If there was a way I could get through this without interacting, I’d do it so quick.
“How was work?” Hayden asks the moment I sit down directly across from him.
It’s immediately awkward. It was going to be bad enough having him here with Mom, but now there’s Zachary. It’s like they’re both locked on me, waiting for some exciting answer.
“It was good. The rush was shorter than usual, so that was nice.” I nudge the bread basket an inch to the right, looking at Hayden but trying not to focus on him. “The dude that tripped you worked today. Landon.”
It makes me laugh. Mom’s nonplussed, but it gets a snicker out of both Zachary and Hayden. It wasn’t Landon’s fault, I know, not really. He didn’t physically make him trip, but it hasn’t stopped me from telling Landon he was the cause.
“It’s not his fault!” Hayden shakes his head, but his laughing betrays him. “I’ve already told you. It was my fault for not paying attention. Bet I was distracted by you. That’s probably what it was.”
My eyes grow. Did he just compliment me? Is he saying what I think he is? Nah! But, actually, yeah, I think he might. Gods, he’s really trying. A heated blush rises in my cheeks, and suddenly I’m back at the shop before all of this, watching Hayden walk inside in near drool mode, except it’s Zach that my mind conjures up instead.
No! Snap out of it.
“Nah!” I swipe my hand at him playfully, but I’m still taken aback by it. “Don’t be blaming it on me now.”
“Oh no, not like that,” he tries to rebound. “I meant—”
“What he meant is itwasyour fault.” Zachary leans in, all grins.
With that, Mom starts loading her plate with lasagna from the pan in the center of the table, then passes it to Hayden.
“Shut up,” Hayden claps back at Zachary at the same time as taking the tray and smiling at my mom. “I meant, like, you know.”
I think I’d like to hear him spell it out for me.
“Do I?” I put my elbow on the table and prop my fist under my chin.
Mom falls back in her chair. I don’t know if that means she approves or if she’s annoyed, to be honest. Zachary’s got the pan now. He’s shoveling a big helping onto his plate.
“Of course.” Hayden shrugs.
“Maybe they’re a little, you know…” Zachary looks at Hayden. “A few crystals short of a set.”
My mouth drops open, and I gasp. Did he seriously just say that? It was sort of clever, but still.
“Really?” I gasp.
