“Uh, yes,” I mumble.
“I’m Issac Anderson, Marie’s dad. It’s nice to meet you.” He seems like a kind, warm person. “Don’t be alarmed when I say that Marie has told me a lot about you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Marie snuggles up to her dad and wraps her arms around his waist. “My dad is my fourth best friend.”
Issac chuckles. “Fourth? I didn’t know I’ve moved so down the list.”
Marie turns serious. “I have different categories. You’re number one in the parent best friend category.”
“But overall, I’m fourth.”
She thinks for a second then nods.
Another chuckle, then he says to me. “Apparently, Heath is on the third spot, you stole the second spot and the first spot belongs to Sebastian.”
“Sebastian came before her and I love him a lot.” Marie justifies.
Her dad playfully rolls his eyes. “Yes, I know. Just don’t remind me.”
“You can’t pretend he doesn’t exist.”
“But I can pretend that you’re single and I don’t have to worry about you being with a boy.”
“You’re good friends with the boy.”
That shuts him up and Marie giggles and turns to me. “He pretends he doesn’t like him but he does. They play checkers whenever he’s over.”
“He’s a decent player.”
“He’s beat you more than you’ve beaten him.”
“Precisely why I don’t like him.”
Marie comes to me and loops her arm with me. “C’mon, let’s go inside. I made chocolate cookies with Mom.”
We wander inside the property and walk down the long driveway. Issac tells me that I’m always welcome here and should make myself at home. He also mentions the countless stuff Marie made her parents buy for me over their travels. I feel embarrassed about it but as if he can read my mind he tells me that it’s because she truly cares about me. She never asks them to bring her stuff. It’s always for other people.
When we enter the mansion, Camila grins brightly and hugs me.
“Hope, you’re back. You should come here often,” she advises.
Marie tugs on my hand. “We’ll be in my room.”
Her parents laugh at her eagerness.
I give them a polite smile, then follow Marie to her room. The state of it makes me gasp.
There are clothes and shoes everywhere. It looks like someone broke into her room and searched through all the stuff.
“Excuse the mess,” she mumbles as she rushes over to the bed, collects all the dresses, tops and jeans and dumps them on the floor without a thought. “You can sit.”
I carefully make my way over to the bed and take a seat.
“What happened here?” I gesture around.
She grins. “I was looking through my stuff to help you get ready for the date.”
