Page 46 of Perfectly Grumpy

Olivia beams, clearly elated that she orchestrated this.

“I told younotto come,” Lauren says under her breath.

“I know, but…I wasn’t a hundred percent sure how firm that instruction was.” So maybe I took some liberties by assuming her lack of a firm no was “code” for giving me permission. Considering the caveman I'm pretty sure is Bart is making a face like he just ate a ghost pepper, I think it worked.

“You want some spaghetti, Tate?” Granny asks. “There’s plenty.”

“He’s not staying,” Lauren says firmly.

“Yes, he is,” Granny says. “I insist.” She takes hold of my shoulders and directs me into her seat, much to Lauren’s dismay, before heading to the buffet table.

Olivia’s kids have already raced off to the dessert table with Jake, which leaves me alone with Lauren and her sister. I set Annie on the ground to clean up the children’s crumbs.

Olivia leans forward with a gleeful smile. “You should’ve seen Bart’s face when you walked in. That was freakingamazing, Tate. Can you please stay all week? Because I want to replay Bart’s face about twenty more times.”

“Not going to happen,” Lauren says, eating the stray end of a breadstick left over from Kaylie’s plate.

“Why not?” Olivia asks. “You can already tell Granny loves him. Her face was glowing like the heavens just opened when he walked into the room.”

“BecauseI’mnotstaying,” Lauren says, leaning back in her chair.

“But you haven’t even told him about Patty yet,” Olivia says.

Suddenly there’s a crash at the buffet table, and I turn to see Jake picking up plastic forks on the floor.

Olivia cringes. “Oh, no. I need to wrangle the kids before they knock a pie off the dessert table.” Olivia darts toward the other end of the room.

“Who’s Patty?” I ask Lauren.

“Dad’s new girlfriend,” Lauren says as she nods toward a woman with blonde hair. “I was supposed to room with her. Yet another reason not to stay.”

“Well, it looks like they’re coming this way,” I note.

“Probably to meet my new ‘boyfriend,’” Lauren says, making air quotes.

Boyfriend.Right.I just need to pretend I know how to do this and maybe no one will notice I’m one awkward answer away from blowing the whole illusion.

Lauren’s dad approaches our table with his arm around Patty. “Hi, I’m Dave, Lauren’s dad. I don’t think we’ve met yet.”

I stand and shake their hands. Suddenly, this whole thing feels verygirlfriend-official. “Tate Foster.”

“Good to meet you, Tate. Lauren didn’t tell me she had a boyfriend,” Dave says.

“Like father, like daughter,” Lauren mutters under her breath.

I put my arm around the back of Lauren’s chair when I sit next to her, just to make it look like we’re together. She shifts when my arm brushes her bare shoulder, and that’s when I notice the freckles that sprinkle across her shoulders. At work, they’re always covered, so I never see her dressed casually. This feels like a different person—Summer Lauren—and I like it.

“How did you meet?” Dave asks.

“Through work,” I say.

“Wait, you’re a hockey player?”

“A defenseman with the Crushers,” I answer.

Dave shakes his head. “Never would’ve guessed that.” Helooks at Lauren. “Since Lauren always said she’d never date another hockey player after Lucas.”

“Lucas?” I ask, looking at Lauren.

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