Page 19 of Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls

Joel laughs. “You’ll be fine, but don’t wait too long.”

“Have you told them?” I let my eyes sweep the house to indicate who “them” is.

Joel shakes his head. “I don’t know that I will, truthfully. They’ll probably figure it out when I’m moving stuff out of my room. Honestly, don’t you think if I told Mom, she would just forbid me from taking my bed and dresser? I need that.”

He’s right, but I don’t look forward to the day they do figure it out. “Yeah, you tell them now, they’ll scream and yell, and you won’t get to take your stuff. You tell them later, they’ll still scream and yell, but you’ll get your stuff.”

Joel puts his plate in the dishwasher and tosses the apple core in the trash. As I follow him up the stairs, he whispers over his shoulder, “Did you have fun at Sam’s this weekend?”

I nod, then realize he can’t see me. So, I whisper back, “Sure.”

We’re quiet as we pass Mom’s room, both stepping over the creaky floorboard so as not to disturb her. He stops in the doorway to his room. “What’s wrong? You don’t seem too excited. Did something happen between you?”

My eyes bug out a second time. “No! You kidding? I love Sam and Bek so much. They mean the world to me.” I wrinkle my nose. “No, there’s just a new volunteer at the shelter that’s making me uncomfortable, I guess.”

Joel leans forward. “Uncomfortable how? Is it a guy? Did he make a move on you?”

“Nothing like that. No, he’s just disrupting the peace, I guess. I love going there.”

“I know you do.”

It means so much to me that he knows that even though we live such different lives. “With this guy there, I don’t really look forward to it. You might know him. Dylan Scott?”

Joel’s face darkens with a glowering expression. “That guy is bad news. Are you sure he hasn’t tried anything? Is he intimidating you somehow?”

“No, but you are.” I whisper-laugh, but also make a frightened face. “You’re scary right now.”

“I could take him.” Joel flexes his bicep. “Let me know if you want me to threaten him. Or beat him up. That could be fun.”

We whisper-laugh together, knowing he isn’t someone who would do either. “I’m so lucky to have you for my brother.”

I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “Thanks for having my back.”

“Thanks for dinner.” Joel points at me. “And the offer stands. I’ll scare the piss out of that little creep if you need me to.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Mom’s bedroom door swings open. “Will you fricking keep it down out here? I have to get some sleep before work.”

Joel and I exchange a tired look and sigh. He turns into his room, slipping his “IN” sign onto his doorknob, and I retreat to my own room. Neither of us acknowledge Mom directly, because that would only cause her to yell more. She huffs and slams her door closed with wall-rattling force. I take extra care to close my door silently.

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