The Boyfriend Thief

CHAPTER 28





“Can I help you?”

I jumped at the voice behind me and straightened up from my skulking posture over the hood of Zac’s dirty car. His dad stood in the driveway at the Greeleys’ house behind me, eying me with a suspicious stare.

Then his eyes registered recognition and he nodded at me. “You’re Zac’s friend, aren’t you?”

I nodded. “Yes. Avery James.”

“Right.” Mr. Greeley took a sip from the thermos in his hand. He held a stack of papers and folders in the crook of his other arm. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

His gaze roamed to the car behind me and then the carnation clasped in my fist. The flower was leftover from the math club carnation sale. It was nothing remarkable, as far as flowers went. It was easy to see why this particular flower hadn’t been purchased during our fundraiser. It was small and oddly colored. The majority of the flower was white, but a small circle on one side was discolored with orange streaks on the tips of the blossom.

It was imperfect, and yet, perfect.

“No, I was leaving something for Zac,” I answered. My cheeks were on fire, but I tried to remain casual and confident under Mr. Greeley’s scrutinizing gaze.

His forehead creased in confusion. “Would you like me to tell Zac you’re here? He’s right inside.” He gestured toward the house.

My cheeks flamed even more. Mr. Greeley had to think I was crazy, sneaking around in his driveway to leave flowers on his son’s car.

“No, thank you. I can’t stay. I just wanted to leave this here for Zac to find...” I waved the pathetic flower toward the car.

Mr. Greeley studied me a moment longer, sipping from his thermos again. “Okay. If you’re sure. I’m headed out on some calls, so I have to go. Nice to see you again.”

He walked toward his car, which had “Greeley Lock & Key” written on the door. He set the thermos on top of the car while he fished around in his pocket for his keys.

“Mr. Greeley?”

He stopped and turned toward me again. “Yes?”

For a moment, I considered telling him the truth about what Zac wanted to do with his life. But that wasn’t my secret to tell. I couldn’t control Zac’s life any more than I could anyone else’s. If Zac never told his dad, I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Zac is a great guy,” I said, swallowing back my nervousness as he stared intently at me. “He’s funny and smart, much smarter than anyone gives him credit for. Listen to his ideas every now and then, and take him seriously sometimes. Let him be who he wants to be. Because the person he is, is pretty amazing.”

Mr. Greeley continued to look at me silently, his serious gaze boring into me. His keys hung from one hand, his fist squeezed tight around them. I understood how Zac felt whenever his dad looked at him, as if he were being examined for imperfections.

But then the corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile.

“I think,” Mr. Greeley said, “judging from how often my son mentions your name, he thinks you’re pretty amazing too.”

My breath caught somewhere in my chest and I was unable to respond. Mr. Greeley nodded at me and then got into his car and drove away.

The house behind me was still. I scanned the windows, but Zac was nowhere. I didn’t know if he knew I was there, but I couldn’t bring myself to risk having the door slammed in my face if I tried to talk to him.

So I turned toward his car and lifted one of the windshield wipers. I stuck the carnation in place and then added the little slip of paper I had folded into a neat square.

The note read simply, “Midnight comedy?”