He pulled back, blinking. “How soon can we get married? Like, can we just elope?” His eyes bore into me. “Ineedyou.”
I threw my head back and laughed. Having this effect on him was intoxicating.
“Clem?” His voice was husky and impatient, his expression dopey-drunk.
I pecked him on the lips and then held him there, smiling against his mouth. “Let’s figure it out after the beach.”
I lifted the bottom of his shirt, running my fingers up and down his warm back as we got lost in each other’s eyes. He dove back in, kissing me so hard my back arched. I moaned, welcoming it.
“What in the Sam Hill do you two think you’re doing?”
Silas whirled around so fast I almost fell off the counter. I caught myself against his back. It took a second for my vision to clear and my brain to catch up. But when I peeked over his shoulder, I saw Jenny and Anna right inside the doorway, gaping at us. I sucked in my breath, too loud.
Jenny’s arms folded across her chest, disapproval etched in every line of her face. “Are you out of your ever-lovin’ minds?”
Anna, on the other hand, was bouncing on her toes, Huck asleep in one arm, a smug smile splitting her face. “Aw, yeah. That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout. I knew all that juju I put out into the universe would work.” She hula-hooped her hips.
“Anna, go to your room,” Jenny ordered, furious.
“But Granny.” She punched her free hand at us. “YOLO.”
“Now!”
Anna humphed and hurried herself and Huck out of the room.
Jenny took a step toward us with the glower of an angry prison guard. “You think because you’re over here playing house that you can just do the hippity dippity for fun? Both of you were raised better than that.”
Hippity dippity? My face burst into flame and I cowered behind Silas, wishing there was some way to escape without having to walk past her.
“Mom,” Silas said, his tone abrupt. “The 1950s wants its euphemism back. And that’s not what this is, so stop. We love each other.”
She guffawed. “I don’t care if you do. You’re raising a fourteen-year-old girl here. You can’t be going at it like feral rabbits on the kitchen counter. You shouldn’t be touching at all. This is not the time for that.”
Hot shame rolled over me in flames. She was right. What had I been thinking? This isn’t why Sophie put the three of us together. This was supposed to be about Anna and Anna alone.
I was acutely aware that I couldn’t keep hiding behind Silas. But I wanted to. Oh gracious, how I wanted to. But Jenny wasn’t going to stop as long as I was pressed against his back. So I slid off the counter onto my feet and moved away from him.
He reached for me.
I wrapped my arms across my stomach and took another side step. “No. She’s right.”
“No. She’s not.” Silas scowled, throwing his hands out. “Clem.”
I shook my head.
A vein in Jenny’s forehead protruded. “Well, I’m glad someone isn’t letting their hormones run the show.”
“Mom.” Silas clenched his jaw, his fist punching his thigh. “Shut. Up. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Everything was silent for a split second.
The only time I knew of Silas disrespecting his parents to their face was that night he pushed his dad on the bed and brought Sophie home. He didn’t respond this way unless he felt there was injustice that needed defending. I felt sick that I’d done anything to lead up to this.
“I am your mother and that girl’s grandmother.” She jabbed her finger toward Anna’s bedroom. “Don’t you ever talk to me like that!” She was coming unhinged, and I thought she might slap him. I couldn’t be here to see it if she did. I had to go. I walked quickly across the kitchen.
“Clem, come back,” Silas called.
I shook my head and disappeared into the hall. Call it cowardly, but I loved him too much to witness anymore. I hated myself at that moment. This was my fault. All of it. Jenny was right. I shouldn’t have initiated things right now. In a week and a half, I would’ve been free to do that. Why couldn’t I have waited? I was so selfish and stupid.
