Page 5 of Happiness for Beginners

“I don’t see what’s so great about petting a whale.”

He leveled his gaze at me. “Yes, you do.”

“No, I really don’t.”

We stared each other down.

After a minute, he went on, as if that tangent about whales had somehow settled the ride-to-Wyoming question.

“So it’s just the ride out. You won’t even know I’m there. I’ll even sit in the backseat, if you want. Or you can strap me to the roof rack. I thought about making a music mix—but then I was like, ‘No way, dude, she’s got her own music’—so I’ll just stay out of your way and not even make a sound and we’ll listen to whatever you want. Even Carly Simon, or whatever—”

“No!” I almost shouted. I felt a rising sense of panic. Here was my life, proceeding without my consent. Again. “Look, I don’t know what Duncan told you, or promised you, but I’m sorry: I cannot give you a ride. You’ll just have to go on a different trip.”

“But it’s non-refundable.”

I knew that, of course. “Then you’ll just have to take the bus. Or something.”

Jake studied my face. “Okay,” he said. “No problem.”

I exhaled. “Good. Great! I’ll see you in Wyoming.” I bent down to grab Pickle’s carrier.

“Except…?” he added.

I stood back up empty-handed. “Except what?”

“Except I’m pretty short on cash,” he said. “I don’t think I have enough for a bus ticket.”

I closed my eyes. “You’re short on cash?”

He shrugged. “We went over budget on the nook.”

I glanced at the nook for confirmation. Then I looked back like,Seriously?“What about your parents?” I asked.

“Parent,” he corrected. “Just my dad.”

“Can’t he help you out?”

“He’s in Texas,” he said, shrugging like he was on Mars. “And he doesn’t exactly know I’m going on this trip.”

I put my hands on my hips and tried to come up with another answer. Any other answer. Down at my ankles, Pickle was whimpering.

“It’s cool,” he said. “I can see it doesn’t work. I’ll just hitch.”

“You’re not hitching,” I said.

“No, I’ve done it before—”

“You arenothitching,” I said, in my teacher voice, and it felt for a second—before I realized the opposite was true—like I’d won.

“Okay,” he said, shrugging. “I’ll ride with you.” Then he gave me a half grin that I couldn’t help noticing made a very high-caliber dimple. “If you insist.”

Chapter 2

It’s a thousand and one miles from Boston to Evanston, give or take. You can drive it in a day, but it’s a long day. A fifteen-hour day, according to Google.

That’s why I’d wanted to leave early—before the sun was up. That’s why I’d wanted to get Pickle set up with Duncan the night before. If I made it home fast enough, I’d get a good visit with my grandmother. My grandmother who’d raised Duncan and me after our mother lost interest. My nothing-short-of-fabulous grandmother, who wore a bun with chopsticks in it, who I adored.

As it was, though, I had to wait for the vet to open so I could bring Pickle in for boarding.

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