Page 55 of Why Not Us?

“Sure.”

I consider the idea, laughing. “I can imagine what they’d think if I rode up to the house on the back of your motorcycle. If I ride up on a motorcycle, it would beAdalie, that’s so dangerous. But if Calista did it, they’d sayCalista is such a free spirit. And my brother? They’d probably say something like,He’s obviously done all the research and knows what he’s doing.” I roll my eyes. “You certain you want to be subjected to that kind of thing?”

“I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

My eyes travel the length of his body, from the top of his head with the slicked back hair, to the heavy boots he wears. He certainly is a big boy. Big and tough and ready to have my back.

“Okay. If you’re sure.”

So I explain how to get there and we ride out to my parents’ house in the suburbs of Vancouver. I point out the house and he parks on the street outside. As we start toward the front door, I twist my hands together in front of me until Nate takes one, squeezing it.

“Will it be okay that I came without an invitation?” he asks.

“It better be,” I say, climbing the steps to the front door. “Calista brings people all the time without asking. She brought her friend to my birthday dinner.”

I open the door without knocking.

“Mom?” I call. “I’m here. I brought a friend.”

“Oh, good,” she says from in the kitchen. “Come keep Elliot and Suzanne company while I get this roast out.”

“Where’s Dad?” I ask, reaching the top of the stairs, my heart racing while I wait for someone to notice the leather jacket I’m still wearing, or even the jeans, which are definitely not my normal attire.

“He went to get Calista,” Elliot answers. He’s sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at his phone while his girlfriend, Suzanne, sits on the other end of the couch doing the same.

Nate and I sit on the love seat.

“Um. Elliot, this is Nate. Nate, this is my brother Elliot and his girlfriend, Suzanne.”

Elliot lifts his gaze for half a second from his phone, then does a double take, focusing again on Nate.

“Who are you?” he asks.

“I told you,” I say, clenching my hands together in my lap. “This is Nate.”

“Why are you here?” Elliot asks.

By now, Suzanne has also looked up. Not because she wants to say anything, but because she loves drama.

“Adalie invited me to come with her tonight,” Nate says.

Elliot looks at me. “Why are you wearing a leather jacket?” he asks.

But I don’t answer because the door opens, and Dad and Calista come up the stairs.

“Elena, some idiot has parked their motorcycle in front of our house,” Dad says to Mom.

“Actually,” I say, “It’s Nate’s bike.” I stand, feeling like I’m preparing for a big fight.

Nate stands as well. Elliot stares at me agape, while Suzanne sets her phone down. Apparently, this drama is more interesting than whatever else she’d been looking at. Mom comes out of the kitchen, looking from Nate to me.

“What are you wearing, Adalie?” she asks.

“It’s a leather jacket,” I say.

“Did you come here on a motorcycle?” Dad asks.

Calista’s jaw drops open, but the satisfaction I gain from surprising her is overshadowed by the irritation on my dad’s face.

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