“I don’t know why we’ve told each other so much in the last few hours. Why I told you about when I dyed my hair bozo orange when I tried to darken it to look more mature, or why I told you that I backed my car into a police officer in the rain outside the student center, or that I failed my first literature test. No one else knows about my failure on thattest.”
“Not even Edward?” heasked.
“Not even Edward,” I said in the softest tone, as if I said it too loud Edward wouldhear.
“I hope that boyfriend of yours knows what he has inyou.”
A yawn took hold, and I couldn’t stopit.
“I should let you get some sleep. You have a demanding boss who’ll expect you to be there at seven a.m.,” Kevinteased.
“Seven?” Iscreeched.
“I’ll make it eight o’clock since you're the best volunteer we have. I’ve never seen a girl put together a light fixture so fast in my life. And goodness, you are amazing with an Allen wrench. Oh, and if you bring some scones from the bakery, I’ll make it eightthirty.”
“Deal.” I was tired, but I didn’t want to hang up. It had been a long time since I’d impressed someone, and it felt good. The last few hours, I’d felt connected to someone, entertained, and not lonely. “I guess not having a dad made me Ms. Fix It.” I didn’t want to talk about my father. That was one subject I wasn’t ready for. “Kevin?”
“Yeah,beautiful?”
“You need to forgive yourself. That kind of guilt will eat youup.”
He chuckled but in a sober tone. “Great… One day at a rehab center and you think you’re a realtherapist.”
I pulled the quilt up to my neck and closed my eyes. “I thought you said I’d make a goodone.”
“And I still believethat.”
I smiled. His words meant so much to me. “Kevin?”
“Yeah,beautiful?”
“Thanks. It’s nice to talk to a non-sister friend who believes inme.”
“Ouch. I’m getting thelet’s be friendsspeech, aren’tI?”
“I do have a boyfriend, youknow.”
“I hope he realizes what he has. If not, cut him loose. You deserve someone who believes in you. Zoey, you can do anything, be anything. I always knew you’d be the one from our high school who would be something special to theworld.”
My chest warmed at his words. “Kevin?”
“Yeah,beautiful?”
“You need to stop calling mebeautiful.”
“I will,” hesaid.
Part of me was relieved that he agreed. Another part of me would miss it. “Thanks.”
“When you start believingit.”
