Question after question rattles off while I keep my focus on Grey, who’s beaming. What am I supposed to say to that? Correct him, obviously.
“Simon and I are not?—”
“We’ll tone it down on our Simon chatter now that we know. I am so sorry—we had no idea.”
They’ll stop talking about him?
I could take that.
“You and Simon aren’t what, Greer?”
“Huh?”
“You started to say something that you and Simon are not…”
“Telling a bunch of people yet. It’s new,” I blurt out. Grey is really grinning now.
Simon’s going to kill me.
“Oh, well, our lips are sealed.”
I’m sure.
“We should be going,” I say quickly and put my hand on Grey’s back to nudge him toward the car. I should get this kid out of here before he can come up with any other crazy stories.
However, the moment we get into my car, I twist to face him as he buckles himself into the backseat.
“Why did you say that?”
He shrugs one shoulder, pulling a water bottle from the cooler I’ve started keeping in the car for him.
“Because Billy kept saying that if my dad and his mom hit it off, we could be brothers, and I don’t want to be brothers with Billy. All he talks about is video games. Dad needed a girlfriend fast.”
I laugh at the disgust on his face.
“Do we tell him?” I ask Grey.
He shakes his head. “It’s just the kids at camp. I think it can be our secret.”
I’m not totally sure I agree, but he’s right. No need to make this into something it’s not. I can debate whether or not Simon needs to know later.
“All right, where to now?” I ask. “The night is young, Grey Stone.”
“To get pizza!”
“What? Pizza?”
“Yep. We’re already causing a ruckus, Greer. Let’s be rebels for dinner and splurge for some ice cream too. I know where my dad keeps a hidden stash in the freezer.”
This kid. He’s much cheerier than his father, and I’ll take it.
“That sounds like the perfect night.”
I pull out of the parking lot and head for downtown Wind Valley to grab a pizza.
I know the summer isn’t over yet, but moments like this, well, I’m really going to miss hanging out with Grey when they don’t need me anymore.
Back to lonely ole boring Greer I will be.
