“What changed?”
Montana looked at her sister. “I thought he cared about me, too. I thought I was important to him. It turns out I was just a convenience. A way to get laid.”
“Are you sure?”
“That big fundraiser for the hospital? He’s the guest of honor or something like that. He didn’t ask me.”
Nevada didn’t look as shocked as Montana would have liked.
“And you’re sure that’s about you?” her sister asked.
“Who else could it be about?”
“Him. From everything you’ve said, Simon isn’t interested in being the center of attention. So why would he bring you to an event like that, where everyone will notice? Maybe this is more about protecting you than avoiding you.”
“You can’t know that,” Montana snapped, annoyed Nevada wasn’t taking her side.
“You can’t be sure you’re right, either. Not until you ask.” Her sister drew in a breath. “You tend to blame yourself when things go wrong.”
“This time I’m blaming Simon.”
“I don’t think so. Your description of the relationship is all about how you assumed things and you were wrong. What if you’re not wrong? What if instead of being a jerk, he’s trying to be nice? It’s not wrong to want to be with someone. It’s not wrong to think the regular rules of love, or like, or whatever apply.”
“I hate it when you’re rational,” Montana grumbled, even as she thought maybe Nevada was right.
“I’m just saying talk to him. Find out why he didn’t invite you to go with him. If he says it’s because he doesn’t care about you or wouldn’t be caught dead with you in public, then kick him in the balls and leave.”
“He’s been seen in public with me before.”
“Ask.”
“Fine.”
Nevada rubbed the puppies she held. “You know you’re falling in love with him, right? That’s the real problem.”
Words Montana really, really didn’t want to hear. “I’m not in love with him yet.”
Her identical-triplet sister shook her head. “Yes, Montana. You are.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“THIS IS STUPID,” Daniel told Montana as he stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at her. “I don’t want to be here. I want to be out with my friends.”
Montana put down the book she’d been holding and glared right back.
“Wow. Talk about a news flash, because it’s the same thing you said last week and the week before that and the week before that. If you’re really sick of it, why do you keep showing up? What’s the point? Why don’t you forget it? After all, it’s just reading. You don’t need to go to high school and maybe play football. You could drop out and get a job. Oh, wait. You need to read to get a job.”
She reached down to pet Buddy, who’d come over to check on her.
“I’m tired of people not trying and then complaining when things are too hard. I’m tired of people not making an effort. Did it ever occur to you that Buddy here would rather be outside playing with his friends? But he’s not. He’s here to help. Because that’s just the kind of dog he is. And I’m here, too. Do you appreciate that? Do you thank us? Of course not. Because it’s hard. You know what? Sometimes life is hard. You have to learn to shoot a basketball in the hoop before you can be any good at the sport. At first you don’t get it through the basket very often, or even at all. But one day you do and then it gets easier. But only because you put in the work.”
She grabbed the book again. “Here’s the thing, Daniel. I’m not giving up and Buddy’s not giving up and there’s no way you’re giving up, either.”
By the time she wound down, the kid was wide-eyed and looking a little nervous. But he didn’t bolt or call for help, which she took as a good sign.
She sighed. “I’m sorry. I know I’m ranting. It’s just, reading is so important. That’s why we have this program. A friend of mine was burned really bad when he was about your age. He spent nearly five years in a hospital after that, working hard to get better. Now he’s a brilliant doctor and he saves people. My nephew was in a car accident and his face got cut up. That doctor was able to help him. But what if he’d given up? What if he’d decided it was all just too hard?”
“I’m not going to be a doctor,” Daniel mumbled.
“How do you know?”
He stared at her for a long time. “You’re really serious about this.”
“Yes, I am. Are you?”
“I guess I am now.”
He took the book from her and walked over to the beanbag chair. Buddy followed and settled next to him.
Montana slipped out of the room, but stayed within earshot.