Page 60 of How to Kiss a Movie Star
“Do you trust him?” she asks.
“I do,” I say, realizing I don’t even need to think about it. Idotrust Flint. Maybe weirdly, considering how little I know about him, but I feel certain he wouldn’t do anything to intentionally make me uncomfortable. He’s been so cautious about all of this, about making sure he’s not pushing me into anything. “I’m sure it’s going to be okay,” I say, as much to reassure myself as my sisters. “So, um, do you guys want to come with me today?”
“Are we leaving Silver Creek?” Lucy asks, though I don’t know why she thinks I know the answer to her question. I don’t have a clue what’s about to happen. “I’m on call, but if we’re staying in town, I could maybe come.”
We turn together and look at Charlie. “You will not be staying in Silver Creek,” he stoically says.
“Boo,” Lucy says. “Then I’m out.”
“I can’t go either,” Summer says. “I have hours of depositions to read. Though, if I stay up late tonight, I might could…” She cocks her head as if considering, but Lucy protests before she can say anything else.
“No!” she says firmly. “If I can’t get out of work, you can’t get out of work, either.”
Summer scoffs. “That is not how this twin thing works.”
“It is too how it works,” Lucy says. “You don’t get to have fun without me. Especially not movie star fun.”
“It won’t be movie star fun if Flint isn’t even there,” I say.
“It will beplanned-by-a-movie-starfun, which can only mean it will be expensive and amazing,” Summer says.
“And we’ll hear all about it when Audrey gets home,” Lucy says pointedly, and Summer sighs. “Fine. But if we didn’t know Flint’s family will be with her, I’d leave you in a second if it meant Audrey not being on her own.”
“Of course you would. And I’d want you to go. But that doesn’t matter now, does it? We’re both staying home today.”
“Fine, yes,” Summer concedes. “We’re both staying home today. Geez. Overreact much?”
I reach out and grab my sisters’ hands. “Thanks for looking out for me, you guys.” I smile, wanting to reassure them. There’s still a slight edge to my nervousness—there always is when I’m facing the unknown—but the much larger part of me is excited.Happyexcited. My sisters don’t need to worry.
I look down at my jeans and the white, V-neck T-shirt I borrowed from Lucy because she insisted it was better than all the science pun shirts I tried to put on before she intervened. I lift my gaze to Charlie. “Do you know where I’m going today? Am I dressed okay?”
Charlie nods. “I was instructed not to give you any more information than what’s on the card, but I believe your wardrobe is appropriate for the occasion.”
I take a steadying breath and look from Lucy to Summer. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you later?”
They both lunge forward and pull me into a group hug. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be great,” Summer whispers.
I hear her words, but I don’t miss the concern hovering in my sister’s eyes. Not that I can blame them. Sometimes, I think my sisters forget what I’m capable of because I’ve intentionally made my world so small. But just because I don’tlikedoing lots of people-y things doesn’t mean I’m incapable.
“You guys. I’m fine. Please stop worrying about me.”
“Youarefine,” Lucy says. “You’ve got this.”
I give them one last hug, then follow Charlie to the limo which is really more like a stretched-out SUV. It’senormousand feels like a ridiculous expense to drive around one person, though I do feel slightly better when I see the eco symbol on the door telling me the car is fully electric.
I wait while Charlie opens the door for me, then I climb in. “There’s chilled water and sodas in the fridge across from you,” Charlie says through the still-open door. “And snacks in the basket next to you. Help yourself to whatever you like.”
“Thank you, Charlie,” I say, though honestly, I’m way too nervous to eat. It occurs to me, as Charlie pulls the limo onto the interstate heading toward Asheville, that the whole point of getting together with Flint today was so that we could talk about boundaries and expectations. I don’t particularly love surprises, but even more, I don’t love not knowing what to expect.
I pull out my phone, intent to text Flint and let him know he still owes me a conversation, but as soon as I look at my phone, I find a text from him already waiting for me.
Flint:Thanks for agreeing to go. Sorry again for abandoning you. Were your sisters able to join you?
Audrey:They’re both working today, so I’m on my own. But thanks for inviting them.
Flint:I thought you might need your sisters to convince you to go at all. Now I’m even more grateful you said yes.
Audrey:Oh, I definitely needed them to convince me. I don’t typically love surprises.
