Page 83 of Blind Date
“I can handle that. No problem.”
“Me having friends over and having sleepovers.”
I stared at her for a moment and looked at Sam.
“See,” Zoey pointed, “that right there is the face of regret.”
“Friends and sleepovers are fine,” I reluctantly said.
“For the record, I’m happy. I like it here. I have five floors to get lost on.”
“You mean four floors.” My brow arched.
“Correction. Four floors.” She rolled her eyes. “You make her happy, Wes. But let’s get one thing straight.”
Now, I was worried.
“Okay.”
“You are never, under any circumstances, allowed to walk around the kitchen shirtless.”
“Zoey.” Sam shook her head.
“What? We need boundaries.”
“Fair enough, your highness.”
“One last thing. If you hurt my mom again, I will tell everyone at school that you cried during The Notebook.”
“That was one time.” I held up my finger.
Sam looked at me wide-eyed. “You cried during The Notebook? I don’t remember that,” she smirked.
“You fell asleep, Mom. He cried like a baby.”
“I did not!” I defended myself. “Maybe a tear or two, but that was it.”
“Sure.” Sam slowly nodded.
“I hate both of you.”
“No, you don’t.” Zoey smiled. She got up from the couch, walked over to where I sat, and wrapped her arms around me. “Thanks, Wes. Now we can be one happy family.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
Her words hit me square in the chest. And she was right. We were a family, and I wouldn’t have my life any other way.
There was a knock at the door.
“Oh, I hope that’s my Taco Bell,” Zoey said.
“Taco Bell? Really?” Sam cocked her head.
“I’m hungry, and there isn’t any food in this house.” She jumped up and opened the door. I froze when I heard my grandmother’s voice.
“Oh, it’s you,” I heard my grandmother say.
“The one and only. I do have a name. It’s Zoey.”
