Page 17 of Hooking Her Up

“Don’t say you’re sorry,” he says. “Tell me we’re still on for the carnival.”

“I can’t wait.”

He’ll never know how I’m already counting the minutes until I see him again. By now the dread of going home is so strong, I can barely smile as he drives away. My hands feel like ice as I get in my car, and I don’t know how I get it started or how I make it back. Ten minutes and I already miss Liam.

It’s too much to hope my parents are at the country club. Nope, my mom is in the kitchen sorting her social calendar and the lights are on in my dad’s study. My mother jumps up when she sees me sneaking toward the stairs.

“Kayla, why weren’t you answering your phone? I was worried. Your father said you left work—”

Before I can calm her down and slip to my room, my dad slams from his study. “So you’re back? Do you have an explanation for me?”

“I can easily get that work done on Monday,” I say, edging past him.

He stops me with a bellow. “You’ll get it done tomorrow.”

“Honey,” my mom interjects. “It’s summer. Let her have her weekend.”

“So people think she’s getting special treatment? If she wants to work at our firm, she has to be held to a higher standard.”

I almost tell him I don’t want to work there but I stay silent and Dad changes course.

“And just who were you with until this hour of the night?”

“Honey, it’s nine o’clock,” my mom tries again.

“You were with that tow truck driver, weren’t you?” He ignores Mom and keeps glaring at me.

“A tow truck driver?” she asks. Not disgusted, but not exactly thrilled.

“He’s a business owner, same as you,” I say, outing my secret. But I won’t have them denigrating Liam. “He’s a hard worker and—”

“Enough,” he shouts. “You’ll go into the office tomorrow and you’re not to see that person again if you plan on staying in school at my expense.”

Storming back into his study, he shuts me out. Mom sighs. “Better just do what he says for now. I’ll talk to him, though.”

She looks like she wants to grill me about Liam, and probably try to change my mind about him in a more subtle way than Dad. I shake my head and flee to my room.

So much for all the good dreams I hoped to have tonight.

Chapter 8

Liam

Pulling up in front of Kayla’s work, I text her and wait, wondering why she’s here on a Saturday morning. Is her father really such a tyrant?

She skips out, wearing jeans and a pink blouse, her long hair in a ponytail, and carrying a foil-covered plate. Sliding in beside me, she beams, holding it out.

“I made you peanut butter cookies,” she says.

I study her. Everything seems fine except her puffy, red-rimmed eyes. “When?” I ask, peeking under the foil.

“Six this morning. I’ve been here since eight.”

“God, Kayla, you didn’t have to make these,” I say.

She shrugs, still beaming at me so I can’t start the car. “I wanted to. I promised I would.”

Taking a bite, I grin at her. “It’s amazing. You’re really good.”

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