Page 28 of I Hate You More

He studied me for several moments before he let out a breath and nodded. “Fine you can go, but I want you home by midnight, and you will be changing your outfit.”

I jumped into his arms and hugged him. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll go change now.”

“And I want you studying all day tomorrow,” he added as I flew back up the stairs to change.

“I will,” I called over my shoulder.

I threw on my jeans from earlier and pulled a sweater over my top. I knew the girls would be disappointed, but changing my clothes was the least of my worries. I needed to get out of the house before Dad started asking more questions about tonight.

Unfortunately, he was still waiting when I got back downstairs. His eyes were wary, and he kept giving the girls disapproving looks. He even shot a few disgruntled glances in Miles direction, which was making my poor friend quake.

Dad had been completely fine with me hanging out with my friends all summer, but now that school was back in session, he’d gone straight into worried parent mode. I don’t think the skimpy clothes I’d been wearing had helped much either.

“That’s much better,” Dad said, eyeing my new outfit. “Since Miles is going with you, I take it there will be boys attending your gathering tonight.”

“Yes, Dad. There will be boys there.”

“Is your brother going?”

“How should I know?”

His forehead creased with concern, and given the wild look in his eyes, I was starting to worry he might lock me up and throw away the key. Damn that short leather skirt.

“I think I heard Shane was going,” Tessa piped in.

“I heard the same thing,” Mia added.

Dad started to nod, like the news gave him some semblance of relief. “Remember, home by midnight,” he told me.

I let out a breath. “Yeah, I’ll be home by then.”

“And no boys.”

“And no boys,” I parroted right back to him. I walked over and stood up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, Dad.”

“Stay out of trouble,” he called.

We made a quick exit out of the house, and as soon as the door closed behind us, the girls started giggling.

“I swear your dad looked like the terminator in there,” Miles said, as we walked toward his car.

“I thought you were a total goner,” Mia added.

“Me too!” I agreed. “I think Dad’s brain went into meltdown when he saw that ridiculous outfit you had me wearing. I guess I’ll be wearing the jeans after all.”

“Don’t sound so sure,” Tessa said. “I brought a backup outfit in case you didn’t have anything appropriate to wear.”

I groaned when I saw the evil look in her eyes. “You didn’t.”

“I did. And it’s just as slutty as what you were wearing before, if not more so.”

I really shouldn’t have been surprised. “Do I have a choice in this?”

“Nope.”

“You know you’re evil, right?”

“I try.”

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