Dad’s gonna flip.
“I gotta be somewhere at three,” I mumble. Picking up my plate, I head towards the kitchen in an effort to avoid any more conversation.
“Can it wait for about an hour?” His voice carries after me.
“No.” I don’t want to argue, but I also don’t want to miss work.
Val would be pissed.
His lips thin. “Tell Scotty you’ll play your games a bit later.”
“Dad, it ain’t games. I just can’t. I can go earlier, would that work, Grandma?” I turn to her in a desperate hope she can save me from this chasm I’m falling into.
“I don’t see why not. It isn’t critical, dear.” Her soft brown eyes are three times their normal size through the lenses.
“Thanks, Grandma.” I grab my boots and stuff my feet in so fast my jeans ride up the backs.
I don’t care, I need to get out of here.
“Wait, son.” Dad leans back, bouncing Jack as he talks. “I’m curious now, what’s so important at three if it isn’t Scott?”
Lori slips her palm onto his thigh.
Is she trying to distract him?
Please pay attention to her, not me.
“I bet it’s a girl.” Sophia grins around her bacon-flecked teeth. “That’s why he’s getting all red faced.”
There isn’t a dirty enough scowl to send her way. I need to invent one.
Dad’s brows shoot up. “Really? Is it that Shufflebottom girl? She always gives you those googly eyes when they came over.” His mouth slowly tilts as he tries to fight a smirk.
Everyone turns to me.
Fuck.
My face feels like it’s on fire.
Without a word, I stomp out the door where I can breathe again.
It ain’t a bad thing, making pizza.
But it’s not what Dad wants.
Shit, it’s just something to do to get out of the house. A break from horse shit and dirt.
And a chance to see Val look at me like I’m a hero again, like last week with that asshole.
No one here looks at me like that.
They just expect me to do whatever.
At least she appreciates me. It made me feel pretty good when she said I got better at the dough stuff.
She noticed that I tried.
Sometimes around here, they only pay attention when I fuck up.
