Page 94 of The Perfect Love

“And how isChelsea?” my mom asks with the same lilt in her voice.

“You guys are annoying.”

“I’m still working on your ship name. Now that I know her last name is Winters—”

“How do you know her last name?”

“Uh…”

“Hyla Aria.”

“Trevor Mitchell.”

“Hy.”

She inhales deeply and forcefully lets it out. “Fine. We follow each other on Instagram.”

Mom laughs loudly at that.

“You’re stalking my girlfriend?”

“Not stalking. But she’s very pretty,” Mom says.

“Wait. Chelsea is following you back?” I ask Hyla.

“Yep.” She pops the P.

“Have you talked to her?”

“Not yet. Just learning everything I can about my future sister-in-law.”

“She won’t be that if I disown you first.”

I pull up outside Chelsea’s building to a chorus of laughter from my mom and Hyla. They get into too much trouble when left to their own devices. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’reboth social media stalking us on every platform, waiting to see pictures of the two of us together.

“As fun as this phone call has been, I have to—”

“Wow, only a few weeks in and you’re already making me walk to your car? Is chivalry dead?” Chelsea’s playful voice dances through the car as she swings the door open and climbs in, putting a cooler in the backseat as she does.

A squeal rings out, and I groan.

“Is that her?” Mom asks.

I turn to Chelsea. “There was a reason I didn’t get out of my car yet. Do we need to come up with a signal so you know when it’s not safe?”

My voice gets rumblier than it should when I’m still on the phone with my mom and sister, but I stop functioning normally when Chelsea is around.

“What could be unsafe about this?” Chelsea teases.

“Trevor Matteny,” my mother says.

“Fine. Chelsea, you’re on with my mom and Hyla. Good luck.”

But Chelsea just smiles brightly. “Hi. It’s nice to, uh, talk with you both.”

“You too. Is my son behaving himself and being a good boy?”

“Uh…”

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