Page 42 of Borrow My Heart

“Whose house are we going to again?” Chad asked.

“Dale’s. He’s Asher’s friend.”

“Dale…the guy who worked check-in last time?”

“Yeah.”

“He wants to be a social media influencer or something,” Chadsaid.

I didn’t realize Chad had talked to him at all. I thought he’d only been asking Asher the questions. “Was he recording? He does that a lot.”

“He wants to go viral,” Chad said.

“Doesn’t everybody?”

“I don’t,” Chad said.

“Yeah, me neither.”

“And Asher. You’re still seeing him?”

“We’re hanging out,” I said. I didn’t want to completely deter the guy who I’d always thought was right for me for the one who was completely wrong. Because really that was all Asher and I weredoing—hanging out. We hadn’t gone on a date. We hadn’t kissed. He hadn’t even hugged me since I declared to him I wasn’t his girlfriend at Olive Garden. My mission hadn’t changed: I was helping him save face. Andeventuallytelling him the truth once I knew Dale wasn’t going to follow through with his humiliation plan. Kamala said he’d asked a lot of questions about me at D&D night. She’d tried to keep it vague but sensed he was digging.

“What have you been doing this summer?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Not much. Working. I’m going up to Lake Tahoe for the Fourth, so that should be fun.”

My head whipped in Chad’s direction, but I quickly glued my eyes back to the road. A light ahead turned red and I lifted my foot off the gas.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing. It’s just my mom wants me to visit for the Fourth. She lives near there.”

“You should. That would be fun.”

“No, I…yeah, maybe,” I said. “I still haven’t decided.”

“The Fourth is not that far away.”

“I know. I need to decide.”

“Why wouldn’t you go?”

This was where I should’ve told him about my nonexistent relationship with my mom, but that was so much baggage to dump on someone. Especially on someone Ieventuallywanted to date. “I hate to leave my dad alone on holidays.” That was true too.

The directions on my phone guided us into a neighborhood in the hills.

“Well, if you do end up going, let me know. My aunt lives there and my cousins always take me to some fun parties on the Fourth. I’m sure they wouldn’t care if you came too.”

“I’ll probably be hanging out with my mom and sister, but yeah, if I have some time that day, I’ll text you.” I pulled up in front of a huge Spanish-style house. There was a large paved circular drive and a meticulously manicured hedge leading up to imposing wood double doors.

“This is where he lives?” Chad asked.

“I know, right?” I said.

Another car had pulled up at the same time and it took me a second to realize it was Kamala. She pointed to the driveway and then shrugged, asking if we were allowed to drive on it. I shrugged right back.

“Is that Kamala?” Chad asked.

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