“So, I asked her. She had been stood up. I mean, who would do such a thing? And on Valentine’s Day! I offered to share my popcorn and we talked the entire movie, not once looking at the screen. We’ve been together ever since.” Papa pushes my hair out of my face. “If your nonna hadn’t been in the theater with her heart broken, we might never have met. Just have fun with this and things may surprise you.”
I don’t expect to meet the love of my life but maybe, just maybe, this will help heal the pieces Griffin broke.
“I’ll try, Papa.”
Olivia is touching up her lipstick in the mirror in the foyer while I pace. The guys should be in here in less than ten minutes and I’m super nervous.
Papa is in his chair in the front room watching the Saints game while Nonna rearranges a perfectly arranged vase of flowers that sits on the table by the front door. I know she’s just looking for an excuse to get to the door before anyone else has the chance.
The kitchen door opens. I jump at the sound. We hear a “Hello? Where is everyone?” then Aunt Lisa and Uncle Bruce stroll down the front hall. “There y’all are!” Aunt Lisa says. “We thought we’d come check on things.”
“Mom’s been trying to get me to tell her who I picked for you all day, but my lips are sealed.” Olivia smacks her freshly painted lips in the mirror.
“Okay, yes, we’re curious. And I told Eileen I’d be here, then call her with details. And Bill made Bruce promise he’d make sure Soph’s date was okay.”
I roll my eyes. I’m not surprised my parents sent spies to check things out.
And then we hear the door again. Charlie and Sara skid into the front hall, out of breath. “I told you we wouldn’t miss it,” Sara says, then punches Charlie in the arm. She turns to us. “He made us run here.”
“Oh, I’m glad I put that roast on earlier! After the girls are off, we’ll have dinner,” Nonna says.
“We really don’t need an audience for this,” I say, then look at Olivia, my eyes pleading with her.
“Yeah, y’all are going to scare him off if everyone is hovering by the door.”
The doorbell rings, and this time we all jump. There’s no way anyone is leaving the front hall now that the guys are on the other side of the door.
Just before Nonna opens the door, Uncle Michael stumbles down the stairs. “Wait! Let me get down there before you open the door.”
And of course, Nonna waits.
Thankfully, Olivia grabs my hand the second the door opens and we barrel through. The guys waiting outside jump back.
“Be back later,” Olivia shouts at the family. She pulls me to the car waiting at the curb. Luckily the guys catch on and are right behind us.
I’ve met Olivia’s boyfriend, Drew, a few times, but it’s not until I’m in the front passenger seat that I get a good look at my date. He issupercute. He’s wearing a football T-shirt from his high school and a worn pair of jeans. He looks good in a relaxed sort of way.
“Hey, I’m Seth Whitman.”
I smile. “Hey, I’m Sophie Patrick.”
Olivia and Drew climb in the backseat, and Seth cranks the car but doesn’t put it in drive. He looks back toward the house, where everyone is standing on the front porch. Waving.
He waves back while I lean my head against the seat and groan.
Seth turns in his seat wearing a firm expression. “I’m about to ask you to do something and I need you to take this very seriously.”
I can feel my eyes widen.What on earth?
“What is it?” I ask.
And then his top lip twitches. “You’re the DJ.” He hands me a long aux cord that’s plugged into the car stereo. “We’ve got almost an hour drive and the only good road trip is one with good music. Are you up for the challenge?”
“Yes!” I plug the cord into my phone and start scrolling through my playlist. Suddenly, I feel pressure. Even though he was teasing me, this first song needs to be a kickass one.
My finger hovers over “Perm” by Bruno Mars. I take a big breath and tap the screen. It only takes a few seconds before everyone in the car recognizes the song.
Seth looks away from the road and gives me a perfect smile. “That’s a good one.”
