Page 191 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
Her eyes widen. “He was twerking?”
“No! Not him. He just heard about it on the radio and asked what it was.”
She presses a palm to her chest. “Oh. Phew. That I can handle.” Her eyes drop to my shoes. “How did you get syrup in your shoes?” She pushes the door open. “You want to come inside? I can help you clean up.”
I grimace. I have to get out of here before she can pull me in and make me forget how I’m feeling. “Actually, I’ve got to get back to the farm. Something came up.”
“Oh. Okay. Something I can help with?”
Of course she would ask. She works for me. It’s her job to know about things at the farm. “Nah. Just need to touch base with my dad before the pest control people visit this afternoon.” It’s not quite a lie. Idoneed to touch base with Dad before this afternoon; I just don’t need three hours to do it.
I step forward and give Lila a quick kiss on the cheek. “I don’t know if you were planning on working today but take the rest of the day off. I’ll call you later?”
She nods, but I don’t miss the disappointment flashing in her eyes.
It can only be a direct reflection of the disappointment flashing in mine.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lila
Take the rest ofthe day off.
Is the man crazy?
Does he think that’s actually going to make my day easier?
Something went down at that breakfast, and I need to know what it is.
But Perry clearly isn’t ready to talk about it. Or talk about anything, apparently. Because he hightailed it out of my driveway like he was running from the police.
Or just running from me.
The thought makes me sick. The entire time he was gone, I was practicing anI love youspeech. And now this?
I can’t stop myself from imagining the worst. Maybe I really was being too optimistic. Maybe he reallyistoo good to be true.
I get to Jack’s bus stop fifteen minutes early, which does not make the time go by faster. After I use up all my Candy Crush lives, I start pacing, walking up and down the sidewalk.
Could Jack have said something that offended Perry? Not likely. The man is intelligent enough not to take anything a five-year-old says seriously.
Could someone else have upset him? A dad? A teacher? Or maybe he just had a really bad time and decided he doesn’t want to be a part of Jack’s life after all?
“Oh, this is stupid,” I say out loud, pulling my phone out of my back pocket. I pull up Perry’s number and call him before I can overthink it.
After five rings, the call goes to Perry’s voicemail. But then, it’s three o’clock. He’s probably still out in the orchard with the pest control people.
Or he’s ignoring me.
I’d much rather believe it’s the pest control meeting, so I’m going with that.
“A perfectly reasonable explanation for not answering my call,” I say out loud.
My heart starts to race as Jack’s bus pulls up. Will he look sad? Disappointed?
But Jack tumbles off the bus all smiles. His tie is crooked, and there’s definitely a syrup stain down the front of his shirt, but otherwise, he looks unscathed.
“Hey!” I say, pulling him into a hug. “How was your day? How was the breakfast?”
