“Yes, I ordered furniture,” Adam growled at the group. He glared over to Harry. “What is so funny?”
“I think you two better start comin’ clean,” Harry said. “There are a whole bunch of us here.” He scanned the crowd, grinning and grinning andgrinning. “And some of us can’t keep a secret.”
Joey cleared her throat. “I don’t expect anyone to keep a secret. Adam and I are dating, and I’m going to put it on the family text after we get him moved into his new house, where he has new furniture that might need to be placed, as I believe Aunt Hilde was delivering it last night and this morning.”
“That’s right,” Adam said, practically clipping the words out in a yell. “All the boxes are labeled as well.”
Boston wouldn’t expect anything less. Joey laced her fingers through Adam’s and squeezed. He visibly relaxed, and Boston found the two of them just so cute. He also wanted someone in his life who could hold his hand, say nothing, and calm him down.
“Adam was able to get into his house last night,” Joey said. “And he stocked the freezer full of pizza, so we’ll feed you guys before you leave as well.”
“There are a couple of pieces of furniture I bought online,” he said. “Bookcases and a nightstand and TV stand. I’ll need help putting those together.”
“I brought the power tools,” Harry said.
“If you have to leave early, that’s fine,” Joey said. “But we’ll take as much help for as long as we can get it.”
Boston had nothing else to do, and he certainly wasn’t going to return home to his parents’ house earlier than he had to. He really needed to find a job, because he really needed to get out of his parents’ basement, and he closed his eyes in a long blink and said a quick prayer.
Please, God, I just need something to open up for me.
“Harry, someone saved you some kolaches,” Joey said.
“Oh, thanks.” He moved over to get the last couple, and Boston figured now was as good as any time to pick up the first box and get this moving day started. He did, and that spurred others to do the same.
Since they didn’t have to move any furniture out of Adam’s house, it took less than a half an hour to load the truck. It would take forty-five minutes to drive to Dog Valley from his rental, and though Boston had just eaten a kolache, he couldn’t wait for the pizza buffet feast.
“What about you?” Cole asked as Boston climbed in the truck with him and Rosie. “Are you seeing anyone secret we should know about?”
Boston laughed and shook his head. “Absolutely not. You?”
“Sure, I need my daddy riding me about finishing schoolandhaving a girlfriend,” Cole said, and that made Boston laugh all over again.
“Rosie, what about you?”
His cousin turned beet red, and even her brother turned to look at her.
“Rosie,” he said, shock and scandal in his voice. “You arefourteen years old.” He leaned closer as if her age were a massive national secret.
“I’m not dating anyone,” she bit out. “There’s just this boy in my French class that I like, and he seems to like me too. Shocking, I know.”
“Why is that shocking?” Boston asked at the same time Cole said, “Of course, he would like you.”
She rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “Oh, come on, everyone knows I’m not the type of girl that boys like.”
“What does that mean?” Cole asked.
“I’m mouthy,” she said. “And smart.” Her face turned bright red again. “And I look like a boy.”
“You do not,” Cole said. He looked in the rearview mirror and met Boston’s eyes.
His heart hurt for Rosie, and he said, “Yeah, I never seen a boy look like you, Rosie.”
She twisted and looked at him. “Really, Boston?”
“You got real pretty hair,” Boston said. “And those freckles across your nose are super cute. And Rosie, boys like smart girls. Don’t ever feel bad about that.”
“Why do they act like they don’t like me, then?” Rosie asked. She sounded small and vulnerable, which were two words that Boston would never, ever use to describe her.
