“He has responsibility for you, so he’ll worry about you just like he does the boys.”
“I don’t think he worries about any of us. I think he only worries about himself.” I turn to her. “Don’t tell him I said that.”
She smiles. “It’ll stay between us.”
I sit back in my seat. “Do you like working for Brock?”
“It’s a job,” she says. “I can’t complain.”
“But just between us, is he hard to work for? I’m only asking because I’m trying to figure him out. When he’s nice to me, I can’t decide if he’s being real or just acting.”
“I wouldn’t know. He’s my employer. I go there, do my job, and leave.”
“How long have you worked for him?”
“A couple years.”
“That’s long enough to know what he’s like. I think what I saw today was the real Brock. Yelling at you for taking the money? I still can’t believe he did that.”
“Anyone else I’d work for around here would do the same thing. They don’t trust the help. They think we steal because we don’t have money when the truth is, stealing would put us out of work so we’d have even less money.”
“That sucks. I hate being accused of stuff I didn’t do.”
She turns up a steep road that winds past tall pine trees. “So tell me about this boy.”
I smile. “He’s great. Really sweet, but also has an edgy side. He has a nose ring and a pierced lip and he’s saving up for his first tattoo.”
She glances at me. “The boy you were with this morning?”
“No. Axl. My boyfriend.”
She nods. “You’ve dated for a while?”
“Two years. We’re moving in together when I go back to New York. Hey, you think Brock would let me keep whatever money I don’t spend? Because I was thinking I could use that money to get an apartment. We can’t live with Axl’s mom. Her place is too small.”
“Rumor, I don’t mean to overstep here but don’t you think you’re a little young to be settling down? You’re still in high school.”
“I’m not moving in with him until next summer, after we graduate.”
“I know, but still. You might want to date other boys before deciding Axl is the one.”
“I don’t need to date other guys. I know he’s the one.”
“Have you dated anyone else?”
“No, but I wouldn’t want to.”
“Are you sure about that?” she says, slowing down as we approach a stoplight.
“Yeah. Why do you ask?”
“That young man you were with this morning had you smiling more than I’ve seen you smile since you got here.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I saw you get out of his car.” She smiles at me. “You had that look.”
“What look?”
