“And that’s a color.” I sighed, though from the mischievous look on his face, he was clearly just teasing me. “We need avibe, Con.”
Connor’s next contribution was a shrug.
“Mmm, how about classic…” Da started.
“With a bohemian twist,” Dad finished.
I gave him a blank look. “You used that description for a listing in Lambertville.”
My Realtor father smirked. “Did I?”
“Yes.” I laughed, but then my fingers flew across my touchscreen. “And it’s totally perfect!”
***
“What do you mean he’s not picking you up?” Da asked on the drive home from a Saturday field hockey game. Here we were in mid-April, finally playing outdoors. We’d won, but it had been a close one: 5–4. Half my mind was still back on the turf, visualizing Amy and me playing tic-tac-toe up the field before she faked out the other team’s goalie and passed the ball to me…
But still no invitation to visit Penn,I thought.Why hasn’t it happened yet?
I was doing everything right. Wasn’t I?
“Mads?” Dad’s voice brought me back to reality. “Davis isn’t picking you up for the dance?”
“Oh, no.” I shook my head. Hun’s JProm was tonight. “He’s not.”
Dad turned in the front seat to give me a look while Da shot me one in the rearview mirror.Why not?
“It doesn’t make sense,” I told them. “He lives in Princeton, we’re having dinner in Princeton, and the dance is in Princeton…” I shrugged. “Why should he have to drive to Pennsylvania only to go back to New Jersey?”
“Because it’s the chivalrous thing to do,” Dad said.
“Well, chivalry might be dead,” I replied. “I don’t know if picking up your date is even a thing anymore.” At least, not according to my goalie. When she and her boyfriend had first started going out, they always met up places. It wasn’t until they were official that she started riding shotgun in his car.
“Perhaps,” Da said. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we’d like to meet the young man taking our daughter out tonight.”
I tried not to roll my eyes.This will be so much easier with Connor next weekend, I thought.They know Connor, and they love Connor. We’ll laugh while Dad takes photos on the porch before we take off in the Jeep.
Something in me twinged.
It wasn’t that Ididn’twant my parents to meet Davis. I liked him a lot. We’d been texting pretty regularly, sending music recommendations back and forth, and then talking about school andstuff. Part of me had been wondering why he hadn’t suggested we hang out again before JProm.You could always suggest it, Meredith had said when I asked her opinion, which was fair. I could. But I didn’t.
I’d been busy.
My dads dropped the subject of meeting Davis. They weren’t going to push too hard on it, knowing that the last thing I’d do was text Davis to change our plans. I didn’t want it to seem like I was bumming a ride. I had the Defender and would make it to Princeton on my own.
Only I planned to leave the house wearing sneakers with my dress. Driving stick in heels? Hard pass. I’d change into them once I parked.
I checked my phone, wishing Da would speed up a little. There was still plenty of time before I needed to get ready, but I always preferred having more time to less.How are you doing your hair?Amanda had texted in the bridesmaid chat.Because I’m thinking Old Hollywood curls.
Or a classic chignon, Courtney wrote, which Paige immediately hearted. (For whatever reason, I was beginning to think of Katie’s cousins as a set of twins. Courtney-and-Paige.)
Just no braids, Mads, Reese texted.
Ladies, you do know she’s not your Barbie, Meredith said.Right?
I smiled; Meredith hadn’t sent that message. Her husband hijacked her phone every now and again.
I was actually more into American Girl dolls, Wit, Katie wrote, and ironically, a few beats after her text appeared, our car’s Bluetooth alerted us that we had an incoming call from Austin. Dad tapped accept. “Hey, kid. What’s up?”
