“That you doused in dressing and croutons!”
“Yeah, because I don’t hate myself. And don’t go throwing stones when you regularly eat your weight in sour skittles.”
“That’s totally different…it’s self-care. Plus, I’m an athlete so I can work it all off. You won’t be young forever and that crap will catch up with you.”
“Go preach to someone else, Dr. Oz. And I get plenty of exercise, thank you.”
“You do know running your mouth doesn’t count, right?”
“Oh, I do cardio alright, just with a workout buddy. Horizontally. In bed.”
I joined in Dani’s cackling as Dawson’s face contorted in disgust and horror. “You walked right into that one, Mercury.”
I made my way over to lean back on the counter, my legs crossing at the ankles. Dawson swept his gaze over my sweatpants and white tank, and the look he leveled at me heated my blood. I’d done my best to be a complete gentleman while hanging out, but I was only human. I’d caught those gorgeous eyes of his trailing over my body more than once the last few days, stripping me of my restraint layer by layer.
Luckily, their parents sauntered into the kitchen with the dog trotting behind them, killing my urge to leap over the island and suck Dawson’s perfect, pouty lips off.
“Uh oh. That’s Dani’s evil laugh. What did she do now?” Mr. Hayes asked sardonically.
Dani scoffed indignantly. “Why do you always assume I did something?”
“Years of experience has taught us that you’re usually the culprit, honey,” Mrs. Hayes teased.
“Only because Captain America here is a rule-following kiss-ass.”
“Don’t pout because I’m the favorite,” Dawson snickered. Dani lobbed a handful of popcorn at him, laughing when one piece pegged him in the eye.
“I doubt he’d be the favorite if your parents knew where that scratch on their new Mercedes came from when we were?—”
I was cut off by a volley of popcorn pelting me in the face.
“You Judas!” Dawson shouted, grabbing another fistful and throwing it my direction. I howled with laughter at his panicked outrage, catching some of the over-buttered projectiles in my mouth.
“Hey! Not in my clean kitchen, you heathens!”
“Relax, Emilia. That’s what the canine vacuum is for,” Mr. Hayes soothed his wife, gesturing towards Penny who was happily scooping up the shrapnel of our mini-food fight.
Being around Dawson’s parents after everything was strange, but also comfortingly familiar. His mom welcomed me back with open arms and a ton of food. Making me fat was her love language. What worried me was how silent our fathers had been about Dawson and I spending time together. No warnings, no words of advice. Nothing. Somehow that put me on edge more than anything. I was stuck waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.
It’ll probably be a fucking steel-toed boot drop, knowing my luck.
“Don’t worry. I’ll try my best to keep them in line tonight, Mama Em.” I shot her my most charming smile while Dawson and Dani booed in the background.
“And that’s why you’re my favorite,” she said, smooshing my cheeks together.
“Don’t you two have a date night to get to?”
“Yes and our show starts at five so we need to get going. Don’t forget to lock up after you let Penny out tonight,” Mr. Hayes reminded us as he herded his wife towards the door. “And double-check Stella’s pen too. I swear, that damn goat could escape from Alcatraz.”
“Remember to call us if you need anything! Our hotel is downtown so we’re not far!” They disappeared through the door, only for their dad to pop his head back in quickly.
“But only call in an emergency or you’re all disowned.”
“Alright, I’m gonna go set up the movie in the theater room,” Dani said. “You guys know we’re never gonna get through all of them at this rate, right?”
“It’s cool. We always skip two and three anyway,” I explained to her.
“Why would you do that?”
