“Emery” she said sleepily. “It’s early.”
“Harper, I need your help.”
I gave her a quick recap of last night and asked if she’d cover for me if my parents called.
“Of course, I will. Tucker, that asshole,” she snapped. “Jesus, Em, I’m sorry I missed your call last night. Are you okay?”
I glanced at Xander. “Never better.”
“Thank God. And yes, I canhearyou smile. Tell Xander I said hi, I told you so, and that I’m proud of him for finally getting his head out of his ass.”
I grinned. “I’ll be sure to do that. Thanks, Harper.” I hung up. “You get all that?”
Xander chuckled. “Loud and clear.”
***
We arrived at my neighborhood with the sun fully risen. Xander idled the car on the street, out of sight from my house.
“Are you going to be okay?” he asked. “Because I can’t let you go up there if it’s not safe.”
“I’ll be okay. I have to stand up for myself, even if it’s just one baby step at a time.”
“That’s more than a lot of people ever do for themselves,” Xander said. “You’re braver than you know.”
“Thank you,” I said with a smile. “Ineeded to hearthat.”
He leaned over, his hand cupping my cheek like it had during our last tutoring session and kissed me. I was glad to be sitting down, because just like last night, his kiss made my knees weak. The scent of his soap on his warm skin mingled with the taste of him that was so clean and good. I didn’t know how I could want something so badly that was already happening, but that’s what kissing Xander felt like. I was there, kissing and being kissed, and still it wasn’t enough.
“Call me later,” he said.
“I will.”
I grabbed the bag carrying my coat, shoes, and ruined dress, and walked up the long drive to the house, barefoot and in Xander’s clothes.
Inside, my parents were at the kitchen island, both in their pajamas, my dad on his phone.
“Hold on, officer. She’s home. Thank you.”
He set his phone on the counter and glared icy daggers at me while my mother’s eyes fell closed in relief.
Dad crossed his arms. “Well?”
“Grayson,” Mom snapped. She turned to me. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
Her bleary gaze took me in and then sharpened on Xander’s sweatshirt, which read Langdon School, Bethesda, Maryland, with the school’s seal—a sun breaking from behind a mountain—in the center.
Shit. I had no good excuse for wearing a boy’s clothes. My nervousness ratcheted up, making it hard to think.
“Where have you been?” Dad demanded.
“At my friend, Harper’s.”
“Harper who?”
“She’s a new friend. She took me in last night after Tucker left me stranded on a deserted road in the middle of a monsoon.”
