With only a few steps separating me and the door, my father claps. The three pops make me freeze, even though I know I should run.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Kenneth,” he says, voice dripping with malice. “Maybe you’re not as smart as I thought. Your grandmother may own the lake, but do you think upkeep is free? Electricity? Who do you think pays those bills?” He smacks his teeth. “You’re sadly mistaken if you think I’ll allow you to stay somewhere I take care of.”
My body whips around, and I almost trip over my own feet. “What?”
The sneer that takes over his face tells me I’ve fallen right into his trap. “I’m not sure why you sound so surprised. Lake Anita is part of the Gray family, right? And you’re clearly abandoning it.” He shrugs. “It wouldn’t be hard to sell. Would definitely go for a pretty penny.”
He wouldn’t. That’s Nan’s home.Myhome.Hischildhood home.
A gasp from my mother reminds me she’s been here the whole time. As much as I dislike my father, their relationship has always been strong. He may not love us, but he has always loved her.
Without a word, she grabs her purse and runs out of the office.
He gives me a conspiratorial shrug as he hooks his suit jacket over his shoulder to follow her. My body trembles with rage when he closes the distance between us.
“I need to check on your mother. She’s always been a bit dramatic.” His palm pats my cheek roughly. “Maybe you should take some time to think about your decision. I’m sure we’ll talk again soon, son.”
The door closes and he’s gone, but I feel even more suffocated than I did before.
Chapter Forty
“Holy shit. I wasright,” Shay whispers. “Jo owes me ten bucks!”
For a second, I’m excited for her newfound wealth. Then she rams the shopping cart into my ankle, which effectively shatters my happiness.
“Ouch!” I scream, jumping out of the way. “Watch it!”
Shay waves apologetically at an older woman grabbing deli meat. “Stop yelling like a maniac in the middle of a grocery store, Mally. You’re going to get us kicked out of here.”
“You ran over me, but you’re worried about me getting us kicked out?” I check my ankle for damage, happy to find nothing more than a scratch. “And why does Jo owe you money?”
Shay reaches up and pinches my cheeks.Hard. “You’re literally glowing right now. Even under these gross fluorescent lights, you look like a million bucks. Meaning you either started using that highlighter I got you for your birthday or…” Her lips curve into a sly smirk. “You got laid.”
My mouth gapes at the absurdity of her logic. Are those really my only two options? I mean sure, I look put together with my hair slicked back into a ponytail, violet pants, and skin that isn’t revolting against me for once, but that’s because I felt like dressing up.
“No and no! Neither of those! Can’t I look good without it being related to a dick?”
I attempt to get around her small frame, but she pulls the basket around to block me against the cheese display. I must have forgotten my dear best friend is a defender, a center-back at that, so she’s trained in the art of making big stops and tackling if necessary.
“Don’t bullshit me! I know what someone who got boned looks like.”
“Really?” I flick her between the eyes as hard as I can. “Boned? You’ve been spending too much time with Adri. She’s rubbing off on you.”
Shay shivers, rubbing her forehead. “Gross. Don’t tell her I said that.” She recovers from her moment of disgust and gives me a sharp look. “And don’t think that’s the end of our conversation. Did you have sex with Kenneth?”
“Oh my god, you’re insufferable. Can we not do this in public?” I hiss, attempting to squeeze through a small crack. In an instant, she covers the spot before I can break out. “Don’t you think I would have told you? Gave you a post-coitus bestie phone call while he was most likely still in bed with me? Hiding my sex escapades from you isn’t part of our brand.”
“Well yeah, but the tell-tale signs are all here!”
“What signs?” I look down at myself. Nothing about me physically has changed in the short time I’ve been dating Kenneth. Other than upgrading my underwear drawer with more lace options so I’m not caught in cartoon undies again.
But Shay can’t see those.
She waves her arms. “Everything! I said his name earlier and you literally giggled.Giggled! You’re buying his favorite snacks for when he comes over. You’ve got that twinkle in your eye that I’ve only ever seen when you’re on the field, eating good food, or playing a game for the Brain Bowl.”
I pat her head. “Sorry, babe. My celibacy streak hasn’t been fully broken, and you already know about that. You’ll be glad to know that I’m very happy though.”
There’s a moment of distracted silence as she gapes at me, so I slip out of the cage she created. She’s frozen to her spot as I pick up a bag of cheese sticks and take over as the cart driver.
