Page 75 of Tongue-Tied

“Suppose you’re right.” Austin glances toward the ocean and stands. Suddenly I want to take back every levelheaded, mature thing I just said and hash it through with him again.

“Gotta head to the Italian place.” He averts his eyes. “And it’s okay if you don’t want to?—”

“I do,” I blurt. “I only wanted to point out some of the positive changes I’ve seen in you.”

“Thanks.” He toes the grass. “But like I said, I could use more practice.”

When our eyes meet, I ask, “What are we doing, Austin?”

“I just told you I need more?—”

“No.” I lightly grip his wrist. “I mean, what are we really doing?”

His eyes grow wide and searching. “I don’t know, but I don’t wanna stop.”

The molecules in the air start popping and zinging between us like we’re standing on the precipice of a giant cliff and neither of us is willing to take the first plunge. Either out of fear or worry.

Somehow, pretending is easier. And a whole lot more fun.

“I don’t wanna stop either. Until one of us decides it’s time.” Austin’s breathing is labored as he listens. “Promise me we’ll fight to maintain our friendship because I swear to God, if I fuck it up?—”

“I promise.”

When I see Austin’s parents walking toward us, I lift my hand in a wave.

“I thought I was meeting you on the pier,” Austin says before hugging his parents.

“We decided to take a stroll around campus,” Mr. Reid replies. “And just happened upon the two of you.”

“I hope this means you’re joining us,” Mrs. Reid says to me. “We’d love to hear about your school year too.”

God, they’re great, and right then, I want nothing more than to hang out with them for a couple of hours. “You know what? I will.”

“What about your meeting?”

“I’ll just show up late.” It isn’t for another hour, and I’ve never missed one before. “I can always say that my second set of parents are in town. They’ll get it.”

“Perfect. We love spending time with our other son.”

Mrs. Reid throws her arm around my shoulder, and Austin grins as we follow behind him and his stepdad to the restaurant. This doesn’t surpass Austin asking for another date, but spending time with the Reid family fills me with a quiet comfort I didn’t realize I was missing.

Once our food arrives, I’m having too much fun to leave for the meeting. I just want to be in this bubble with them and have a good meal. So I scroll to Ian’s name in my phone and fire off a quick text, letting him know I can’t make it. It’s so unlike me, but Austin would be proud since he thinks I burn the candle at both ends.

“How’s your mom doing?” Mrs. Reid asks, and I briefly stiffen because it’s a loaded question.

“Same old, same old,” I say, and Austin shoots me a sympathetic look.

“Is Jodi still enjoying her job?” she asks, and I nod.

“That’s important,” Mr. Reid adds as he digs into his salad.

“It is.” I try not to think about the whole ruined-date-comforting-Mom session, but it’s never far from my thoughts.

“It’s tough out there,” Mrs. Reid says as if reading my thoughts. “Dating isn’t all it’s cracked up to be—at any age.”

“Tell me about it,” Austin mutters, and it’s the perfect segue from that topic.

“Austin had a date last night.” Austin shoots me a scathing look for bringing it up, and I grin even though the whole thing still makes me feel nauseous.

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