“That’s great, isn’t it?” I ask politely.
“Yes, but it’s massive. My biggest job yet and I can’t screw it up.”
Duh.
I won’t say that aloud, though.
“I’m sure you’ll do great.” A little ass-kissing never hurt anybody even though I couldn’t care less about what she’s doing.
“You don’t understand.”
“Probably not,” I agree. “Anyway, are we leaving soon?”
She grunts. “When are you going to start driving? I don’t have time to be taking you to work.”
“You still have to take Lindy to school, don’t you?”
“Your father took her in. They already left.”
I grit my teeth so I don’t snap at her—that never ends well.
“I wish someone had let me know,” I say instead.
“We’re not your taxi service.”
“Uh, we agreed that you guys would help out so that I could graduate. I don’t get my master’s without the internship.”
“You should be looking for a husband instead of an advanced degree,” she replies, scowling. “I mean, you’re costing your father and me a fortune.”
“Costing my father, you mean,” I correct her. “Last time I checked, you weren’t working. Isn’t this only your second or third interior design project?”
She smacks her hand down on the granite countertop. “Donottalk to me that way. Your father and I are married, so what’s his is mine and vice versa.”
I stare at her for a beat. “Whatever you say, but I still need to get back and forth to the library. Otherwise, Dad is the one who pays for the Uber account. You can explain why the cost is going to double.”
“I can take you to work,” Blaze says, coming into the kitchen.
“Blaze, you’re a lifesaver!” Lourdes’s entire demeanor changes when he comes in the room, and it makes me want to gag. She’s old enough to be his mother but she smiles and bats her eyelashes like they’re dating.
“Sure, Mrs. M.” He nods before looking at me. “Are you ready to go? I’m heading to practice.”
“Yes. Thank you.” I don’t really want to ride with him, but it’s better than spending even another second with Lourdes.
I follow him out to his car and get into the passenger seat. He gets behind the wheel and starts it up, pulling down the driveway.
Neither of us talk on the way, which is fine with me. I don’t particularly like him and Bodi doesn’t either. Not to mention, he makes me nervous. Someone has been spying on the team and telling my dad things.
And part of me can’t help but wonder if it’s Blaze.
He and my dad have gotten close. I spend as much time as I can in my room, but whenever I’m downstairs and they’re home, they’re together. Talking hockey, watching football on TV, grilling together. Almost like the son my father never had. Except my father is the least parental person in the world. My mother did most of the parenting when she was alive and then I essentially finished raising myself once she died.
So I can’t quite figure out what the lure is.
From where I’m sitting, Blaze is a typical eighteen-year-old. He’s athletic, but awkward, hasn’t completely grown into his tall frame yet, has really bad acne, and thinks he’s funnier than he actually is. All things that normally drive my dad nuts. Yet they’re like the best of friends lately. He spends more time with Blaze than with Lindy, which is kind of sad.
I’m sure my dad has his reasons, none of them altruistic. It’s just a matter of figuring out his angle.
“How well do you know Billie?” Blaze asked as we stop at a red light.
