Page 61 of Forgettable in Every Way

“Everything okay?” I asked with some emotion in my voice.

Dad looked up, one hand gripping his walker, his cheeks reddening like it embarrassed him I’d caught him. He set the polishing cloth on the Vespa seat. “C-c-c-an’t get this damn smudge out.”

I grinned and walked toward him, already dressed for Calista’s bridal shower in a red sundress. Simon was picking me up soon, and we would drive over to the country club together. He planned on having lunch there and working on notes for his next project while I did the bridal shower thing. Calista was livid it had ended up at the country club. A major plumbing issue at her sister’s house necessitated the move. Calista was all for canceling, but Stella wouldn’t hear of it. After lots of begging on Stella and Quinn’s part, Calista gave in.

“Let me help.”

Dad glanced at my attire. “I don’t want you to get your dress d-d-dirty.”

“I’ll be careful,” I promised while picking up the polishing cloth and kneeling to get a better look at the smudge. “Does this old thing still run?”

“Yes.”

I started rubbing out the pesky smudge. “I didn’t even know you kept it.”

“It was a r-r-reminder I had done something right by you.”

I glanced up at him, so very touched. “It’s still my favorite present.”

Dad smiled. “I’m s-s-sure Simon w-w-will change that.”

“Maybe,” I sang.

“You l-l-love him.”

“Yeah,” I happily sighed, thrilled to know love doesn’t actually suck. And I didn’t have to hate myself for it. Joan Jett was quite disappointed, but Cinderella had never been happier.

“J-j-just m-m-make sure he t-t-treats you like you deserve.”

“I will,” I promised Dad and myself.

Mom peeked her head in the garage. “Simon’s here,” she said without fanning herself. She’d apologized to me for acting like a twitterpated teen the first time she’d met him. Believe me, I got it. But I was glad to see Mom was behaving more rationally around him. She was even hurrahing less and staying at home more, taking long walks and soul searching, as she put it.

I stood. “I’ll be right there.”

“M-m-maybe you can take the old g-g-girl for a spin.” Dad nodded toward the Vespa.

That was an idea. A great one, even. I kissed Dad’s nearly healed cheek. The swelling was all but gone, and only faint yellows and purples remained. “Thank you.”

“I love you, Julia,” he said, as clear as day.

“I love you too.” I pranced toward the door and into the house.

Mom was waiting for me. She grabbed my hand as I walked by.

I stopped and tilted my head. “Everything okay?”

“I’m working on it,” she said, honestly. “Your dad and I were talking, and if you want the piano, it’s yours.”

“What about Raina?” She would throw a fit if she didn’t get it.

“I talked to her, and she really doesn’t have room for it. Besides, it will mean more to you. And”—she grinned—“it would look great in Miss Sally’s old dining room.”

My mouth fell open. “Mom. Shh. You can’t say things like that.” I feared Simon might hear us. While I was in love with Simon, he was just starting on this journey. Sure, I hoped he would fall in love with me, but we weren’t there yet as far as I knew. And I still wasn’t sure about moving back to Aspen Lake. Especially since it seemed I made Penelope lose her mind. When she’d picked Jack up yesterday for the weekend, she’d brought her old high school boyfriend, Sean, with her. The high school quarterback who now sold insurance at his dad’s agency. He was still as buff and as full of himself as ever. He’d looked at his reflection no less than ten times in the car’s window while Penelope droned on about how great it was to be back with her first love. A dream come true, according to her.

I guess she didn’t remember Sean cheating on her with half the cheerleaders. Or that he was constantly on academic probation because of his low grades.

Sean had at least tried to be friendly with Jack, giving him a high five before he got in the car. Of course, he looked at his reflection to see how he looked while doing it. I only hoped he was good to Jack. And that Penelope wasn’t just jumping into a relationship because Simon was in one. But it sounded just like something she would do.

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