"Taking Claire to see the lake," Nash says smoothly. "There's a spot on the north side. Thought she'd like it."
He's lying. Making it up on the spot. And he's doing it to give me an out.
"That sounds nice," I say quickly. "I've been wanting to see more of the area."
My mother's mouth is a thin line. "I see."
"Maybe Sunday?" I offer. "We could do lunch?"
"Maybe," my father says in a tone that means absolutely not.
They get in their car and drive away without saying goodbye. The second their taillights disappear, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Oh my god," I say. "Oh my god. That was—"
"You did good," Nash says.
I turn to look at him. He's standing there in the dim light, hands in his pockets, looking at me like I just did something impressive instead of having a minor breakdown at my parents.
"I basically told them I don't want to live near them."
"You set a boundary. That's good."
"They looked so hurt."
"They'll get over it." He pauses. "Or they won't. Either way, you said what you needed to say."
I laugh, and it comes out a little hysterical. "I can't believe you paid for dinner. That meal was probably two hundred dollars."
"Two forty-seven," he says. "Including tip."
"Nash, you didn't have to—"
"Yeah, I did."
"Why?"
"Because I'm supposed to be your boyfriend," he says finally. "And boyfriends don't let your parents pay for dinner when they've spent the whole meal disrespecting you."
Something warm and dangerous blooms in my chest.
"Thank you," I say softly. "For all of it. The hand thing, and the knee thing, and standing up for me, and everything."
"The knee thing?"
Oh god. Heat floods my face. "You…Your hand was on my knee. During dinner."
"Did you want me to move it?"
"No." The word comes out too fast. "No, it was good. It was very... couple-y."
He makes a sound that might be a laugh. "Couple-y."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah. I do."
We stand there in the parking lot, and I know I should suggest we get in the car and leave, but I don't want to move yet. Don't want to break whatever this moment is.
