Page 39 of Against The Rules

Damn. I did not peg her for a good liar, but she’s half-convinced me of our grocery store meeting.

“Not him picking you up, that’s too easy to believe. But that Tyler was anywhere near a grocery store or a chore,” my dad says.

Annoyance prickles at the back of my neck, too familiar where my parents are involved.

My mom laughs, slapping my dad good-naturedly on the arm. “Ken, be nice.”

“Are you kidding me?” Savannah says, blinking her eyes in surprise. “Tyler is such a huge help.”

My parents stop laughing, staring at her like she’s grown a second head.

“We must not be talking about the same kid. Tyler, this Tyler?” My dad laughs, like he’s made the greatest joke in the world.

“Oh yeah,” she says enthusiastically.

What the hell is she about to say? I want to tell her to stop, but I’m too curious to do more than watch her. Carefully, I pull out a crate of peaches, laughing a little as I set them on the countertop.

“You two did a great job of raising him,” she says, and I try not to roll my eyes or laugh too much at that. “I was exhausted from work the other night, and do you know what he did? He brought over my favorite dinner—sushi, by the way—without even asking what I wanted, and then he cleaned it all up on his own.” She glances past my parents, who exchange pleasantly surprised looks, and grins at me.

The crazy thing is, it’s not untrue. I did bring her sushi without asking, which luckily turned out to be her favorite. And I did clean up, but only because it seemed like the right thing to do.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” I say, feeling awkward and shrugging slightly.

Why are my parents looking at me like that? My mom’s eyes have gone all watery. “That is so thoughtful, Tyler,” she tells me.

“It really was,” Savannah says, and then, to my shock and pleasure, she steps forward, winding her small hand through mine. “He’s always sweet like that.”

Jacob snorts, then turns it into a cough. “Nice to meet you, Savannah,” he says.

“You haven’t met Jacob yet?” my dad asks, perplexed.

“This is the first time I’ve been out to their house,” she says.

“That’s true,” Jacob agrees, shooting me a meaningful look.

“What?” my mom crows, clearly surprised by this. “Tyler, look at you. You must be serious about her,” she says, her eyes creasing as she grins. “You know, Tyler’s never really been a relationship guy.”

“Mom,” I protest. God, I do not want Savannah to hear all this.

“Is that right?” she says, pressing up against me, leaning on me.

Suddenly, all my protests die on my lips. I can’t think straight with the feel of her body against mine.

“He took three different girls to prom,” Jacob says, cracking an egg. It sizzles on the skillet, and my dad laughs.

“That’s not so bad—” Savannah squeezes my hand.

“The same prom,” my dad finishes.

I sigh. “I was eighteen and stupid.”

“He’s never brought a girl home,” my mom tells her, then rushes to us both, squeezing us in a tight hug that leaves me both warm and cold.

I feel like shit for lying to my parents.

“I’m glad it could be me,” Savannah says quietly, and some of that guilt fades away, because damn it, I am glad it is her, too.

I’m glad she’s here, in my kitchen, with my mom holding both our hands.

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