She lifted a shoulder. “I could make it anytime you want.”
I smiled. “How about you come over tomorrow? I’ll make that pasta, and you can make the Brussels sprouts and pie.”
“Yes!” She handed me the notebook and grinned over at me. “I wish it was tomorrow right now.”
My stomach growled, and we both laughed.
“Me too.”
The next day, when my mom took my brothers and sister swimming, I stayed back, saying I was too tired. She came backto my room afterward, checking to see if I was okay. Since I could never seem to lie to her, I told her the truth.
“I want to fine-tune that pasta dish I made recently, and Juju’s going to bring over Brussels sprouts and a pie that we think will be perfect with it.”
She smiled, knowing how much cooking meant to me and also that I needed time for more quietness than my family sometimes allowed.
“Okay, just as long as you save a little bit for me,” she said. “And have Juju make sure it’s okay with her parents that she’s here with you. Better if Jackson came over too.”
“But she’s here all the time.” I frowned. “And Jackson doesn’t get why we’re so into cooking.”
“I think it’s wonderful that you’re both so gifted in the kitchen, and I love that you’re doing this together. But everyone else is usually around when she’s over here. You’re at an age where it’d be good to have others around.”
“But why?”
“You’re getting older and going through some changes, right?” She smiled at me and I flushed. “It can be a confusing time.”
“Mom,” I groaned.
“I know, I know. We don’t like to talk about things like puberty.” She made a face, trying to get me to smile, but I was too grossed out. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, love. It’s part of life, and you need to be aware of it. Sometimes our hormones can make things complicated.” When she saw the disgust on my face, she laughed, and then she paused and her eyes lit up. “You know what? Grandma Donna said she was stopping by later with a few things. I could see if she’d hang out with you two for a while.”
I grumbled under my breath while she called Grandma Donna. I loved Grandma Donna so much, but I didn’t see whymy mom was making such a big deal about this. It wasn’t like anything weird would happen.
And then I remembered how I’d felt the night before when I saw Juju in those shorts. Her long legs. Her skin looked so soft.
I swallowed hard and avoided looking at my mom. It was terrifying how she could always read my mind.
She got off the phone and clasped her hands together. “Okay, it’s perfect. She doesn’t mind hanging out until we get home. She says she’ll stay out of your way too.” She winked.
Then why is she coming at all?I wanted to ask, but I was too shaken up by my mom’s sixth sense to argue.
Mom kissed my cheek and rubbed her hand over the hair by my neck like she always did. Just like that, my annoyance with her disappeared.
“Love you, Cam,” she said.
“I love you too.”
Grandma Donna came a few minutes before Juju. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed both of my cheeks.
“I can’t get over how fast you’re growing. You’re as tall as your dad!” She smiled up at me.
“He doesn’t love that his boys are passing him up,” I said, laughing. “Well, Noah already has, and Tully and Dylan aren’t far behind.”
“You boys are all growing way too fast. Knock it off!”
“Can’t.” I grinned and lifted my shoulder in a shrug.
When Juju got there, we couldn’t stop smiling at each other.
“You kids have fun. I’ll be watching my stories over here in the den,” Grandma Donna said.
