“Yo,” Hector called out as he extended an arm out the window. “You ready, man? I’ve got to head out.”
“Yeah. Be right there.” Rider handed my bag over as he lowered his head toward mine. I stilled as the air rushed out of my lungs. His lips brushed over the curve of my cheek, sending a rush of tight shivers down my spine. “I’ll text you later and we’ll talk about Saturday.”
I thought I said okay. I wasn’t entirely sure. I might’ve just stood there and stared at him. But Rider smiled that smile that reached deep into my chest and wrapped around my heart. I watched him hop into Hector’s car, waved at Hector as he peeled out of the lot, and then I climbed into my Honda and sat behind the wheel.
I didn’t turn the car on.
What was I thinking? Feeling?
It didn’t matter.
Staring out across the rapidly emptying parking lot, I realized something extremely important. Almost earth-shattering in its simplicity. Caught up in excitement for Saturday, I’d forgotten all about Mr. Henry and Miss Becky, about Carl and Rosa calling the school, about speech and me not talking. I forgot about everything.
Because it wasn’t that important.
Something else was.
Living life was.
*
It was an ice-cream kind of night, or so Rosa told me when she came into my bedroom later that evening, carrying two bowls of the stuff.
Chocolate.
With tons of chocolate syrup.
Celebration for my successful speech was on.
Carl had to work late so it was just the two of us. Seeing her in sweatpants and a cotton shirt seemed so odd, because I almost always saw her in green surgical scrubs.
Rosa sat beside me and handed over the bowl. “I hope you still have some room in your stomach for dessert.”
I grinned. “I always...have room for dessert.”
She smiled. “Are you sure we’re not connected by blood?”
I laughed as I scooped up some of the cool, soft, syrup-covered goodness. Rosa glanced around the room, her gaze landing on the dresser. “Is that the latest carving?”
I nodded. “It’s an...owl.”
She stood, balancing her bowl in one hand as she walked over to it. Picking it up, she looked over her shoulder at me, her dark eyes glimmering. “Mallory, this is really good.”
“Thank you.”
“All of the carvings are good, but the details on this?” She carefully placed it back on the dresser. “It’s amazing.” She returned to the bed and sat. “I really wish you’d reconsider trying it out on wood. Carl still has the tools in the garage.”
I wasn’t really a fan of power tools.
She swallowed a spoonful. “Carl wants to take us out to dinner Saturday night, for a more official celebration.”
Suddenly, the ice cream turned sour in my stomach. “I’ve made plans with...Ainsley for Saturday.”
Excited didn’t even capture how Ainsley felt about finally meeting Rider. My IM had started blowing up when I’d told her the good news after school, and she was probably still sending me OMGs even as I sat there stuffing my face.
“Oh! That’s right.” In went another spoonful. “How about Sunday, then?”
I nodded, but my stomach was still twisting. “Um, Rider...” My mouth dried as Rosa lifted her chin. “Rider wants to meet Ainsley on Saturday.”
Her spoon clanged off the bowl. “He does?”
I nodded. “I would...I would like them to meet.” The skin around her mouth tightened. When she didn’t respond, I grew concerned. “Is that okay?”
Her shoulders rose. “Yes. I think so.”
Think?
“So, what are you guys going to do on Saturday?” she asked.
“Ainsley and I are going to lunch, and that’s where Rider will...meet her. Then Ainsley and I were planning to see a...movie in the evening.”
“Sounds like a long, busy day.” She swiped the spoon around the inside of her bowl. “You don’t think you’ll have homework this weekend?”
I shook my head as I placed my bowl on the nightstand. My stomach was a pretzel now.
“Carl isn’t exactly going to be okay with you spending your free time with Rider,” she said, and I might’ve stopped breathing. “He was the same way with Marquette,” she added with a sad smile. “Now, I think it’s a good idea for your two friends to meet, because both of them are important to you, but it’s also important that we meet him.”
Oh no.
“So I think we should meet him before Saturday. That will probably go a long way to alleviate Carl’s concerns, and, well, mine, too.” Her gaze met mine. “So that’s the deal we’re going to make. You want to see Ainsley and Rider this weekend, then he needs to come over for dinner on Friday. Both of us will make sure we’re home.”
Oh, my.
Oh, my, my, my.
“Okay?” she urged.