“Yeah, well.” Jennica shrugged. “I guess that doesn’t matter.”
“He still loves you, Jennica,” I said. I knew the words were weak. I didn’t know what else to say.
“Well, it doesn’t feel like it.”
I thought about my family and about how far apart we’d all drifted. I thought about my dad, and how he wasn’t here for us when we needed him most. And weird as it was, I thought about Sam and the fact that in just a few minutes of talking to him, he’d made me feel more understood than I’d felt in the last ten months.
“My mom’s out and Anne’s at her friend’s house,” Jennica said, changing the subject. “Is it cool with you if we just go to the mall now and eat there? I promised I’d have the car back by three.”
“Sure,” I said.
It wasn’t until we were walking into Macy’s that I blurted out, “So I’m going out with someone tonight.”
Jennica stopped. “Who?” she practically shrieked.
“Sam Stone.”
“What? Since when? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m telling you now.” I quickly recounted the story of my jog yesterday and of running into him as he mowed his lawn.
“He’s, like, completely gorgeous,” Jennica said. “I can’t believe you’re going out with him.”
“I know,” I said.
“Omigod,” Jennica said.
“I know,” I repeated with a smile.
“Well, we totally have to get you a new outfit, shoes, a top, earrings—”
“It’s not really that big of a deal,” I protested. I felt silly. “I mean, it’s a Sunday night. We’re just going to dinner.”
“And you need to look hot.”
For the next hour, Jennica seemed to forget entirely about her dad’s upcoming remarriage as we raced around the mall. She was on a mission as she rifled through sale racks, throwing dresses, skirts, and cute tops at me. And she was chattering a mile a minute.
“So you have to ask a lot of questions, but not too many, because you want to seem interested, but not annoying,” she rambled. “And you want to make eye contact, but you can’t, like, stare, because that comes off as creepy, you know? And you should order a real meal, not just a salad, because guys don’t like girls who don’t eat, but you shouldn’t finish it all, because you don’t want to look like a pig. And you should remember to cross your legs, bat your eyes, and sometimes lick your lips, because it’s been proven that guys find that attractive.”
“Jennica,” I said after we got our lunch and found seats in the crowded food court, “I appreciate all the advice. But I think I’m just going to be myself.”
“Be yourself?” Jennica repeated. She looked horrified.
“I’m not a total loser or anything,” I said, taking a bite of my hot dog.
“No … but you aren’t exactly used to going out with cute guys.”
I gave her a look. “I think I can manage.”
Jennica took a sip of her soda. “You are going to have so much fun. I’m actually kind of jealous.”
“What, of me going out with Sam?” I asked, surprised.
“No,” she said. “Of how excited you are.”
“Don’t you feel like this with Brian?” I asked.
Jennica paused. “No,” she said. “Not anymore.”
chapter 15
When the doorbell rang, I took one last look in the mirror, then raced downstairs. I’d bought a new black top with a deep pink rose stitched up the side, and I’d paired it with my favorite jeans, black boots, and gold hoop earrings. I looked good.
“Hey,” Logan said, beating me to the door. He stared at Sam, who looked ridiculously hot in dark jeans, a white button-down shirt, and his leather jacket.
Sam looked past Logan and saw me coming down the stairs. “Hey.” His smiled widened.
“Tell Mom I’ll be home by ten,” I told my wide-eyed brother.
? ? ?
We ate at a place called Saltwinds, which looked out over Plymouth Bay. And luckily I didn’t need Jennica’s rules—I didn’t even feel nervous. It was like talking to a friend who happened to be super cute.
“I want to show you something,” Sam told me after dinner. “Do you have another couple of hours?”
I doubted Mom would even notice if I was late.
“Yeah,” I said.
Sam turned east on Route 44, but I didn’t figure out where we were going until we were well outside the city limits.
“Are we going to where you used to live?” I asked.
“Near there,” Sam said mysteriously.
Just after we passed a WELCOME TO TAUNTON sign, Sam took a left and then another left onto a dirt road. We drove until I could see a collapsed bridge across a river ahead of us.
“You’re not going to try to cross that or something, are you?” I asked, realizing as I said it that I was being silly.