Page 17 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“Stop!” Mrs. Marcus grumbles as she walks away. “It sounds so bad when you say that.”
And what? Now I want to know. Divorcees? Kiki sees the confusion on my face, I guess, because she leans over and pats my back.
“Randall, Jr. here is a family and personal injury lawyer,” Kiki, or Granny, or whatever I was supposed to call her, explains. I think I know why Mary-Anne wanted him to stop now. “He uses humor to cope with all the shady lawyer junk.”
Shady lawyer junk? Okay, what have I gotten myself into? They seemed so normal at the hospital, but are they? I mean,this house is huge, it’s elegant. Hayden’s dad is a lawyer and, unless I’m taking it all wrong, shady?
“Uh…” I hesitate.
“You’re making me sound like some sleazy lawyer, Mom, come on.” Mr. Marcus shakes his head, but he’s smiling.
“Okay, he’s notthatshady.” Kiki smiles at him and then me before putting her hand up, fist closed, with her pointer finger and thumb out, barely touching. “Just a little.”
Hayden’s dad rolls his eyes and sighs. “At least my work doesn’t give me back problems.”
Gramps shrugs. I’m guessing there’s something I’m not catching. Does Gramps still work? How old is he?
A few minutes go by and the conversation goes from the house to Holly’s last softball season at the middle school. The coach at Mitchell High School is already asking about her. I guess that’s a good sign for her. My world of sports only goes as far as spectating an occasional football or basketball game and then rallying at Cook Out until one in the morning with Kaitlynn and a horde of others from school.
“Mackenzie, tell us a little about you.” Kiki angles her head and fastens her regal gaze on me. Her words are like a refined coo. There’s something calming in them.
“Well, there isn’t much to tell.” I start off on a negative note, the way you’re one hundred percent not supposed to with your boyfriend’s family. I resist the urge to cough back an imaginary knot in my throat. “I work at the Woodsy Café.”
“In downtown? Over by The Good Hex?” Kiki questions in one of the most polite tones I’ve ever heard.
I nod. “Yep. I go to school at Mount Laurel. I root for Mitchell though.”
“There you go. That’s a good one,” Mr. Marcus roars, fist pumping toward me.
Joke is I don’t follow any sports unless Hayden’s playing. I couldn’t care less otherwise.
“Got to cheer on my—” I’m about get it out, but a voice interrupts me.
“We eating or not?” A boy I’ve only seen from a distance behind a pane of glass glides around the corner and stops between us and the kitchen. That must be Zachary. Hold the hell up. The brother’s hot too? Fuck my life. He’s shorter than Hayden, not like way shorter, but I’d say he’s under six foot with the same amazing eyes. Those gorgeous smoky grays, but they’re darker and there’s a sheen to them I don’t remember in Hayden’s. Almost a metallic gray. They’re gorgeous.
“Thank God.” Gramps fumbles out of his chair and starts past Zachary. “I was about to revert to cannibalism had your ass not shown up sooner.”
My eyes widen. Did he just sayass? In front of us? A grin sneaks across my face. I like Gramps.
“I gotcha, Gramps,” Zachary says just as his gaze meets mine and the smile lifting up his cheeks disappears.
Oh! What did I do?
“Language, Dad!” Mr. Marcus says whilehisdad throws a hand back. “We don’t need Kenzie thinking we’re barbarians.”
“It’s okay,” I say. This is great.
“Eh!” Gramps waves him off and lumbers on, grabbing Zachary up in a big hug.
Kiki grins at me while Mr. Marcus sighs.Focus on Kiki.
“IfI’mnot allowed to saybadwords, then you can’t either, Gramps,” Holly whines and races him to the kitchen.
“How’s Hayden?” Mary-Anne leans around the corner as we all get up.
“Alive? I think,” Zachary says.
“Zachary Elliot!” Mary-Anne chides.
