Page 76 of Grave Misgivings
“Yup.” His green eyes glitter with flirtation as he leans in closer to my space, capturing my gaze, his lips inches away from mine.
I’m acutely aware that we are in public and anyone can see us. Including my sister, who is supposed to be meeting us here. Panic starts to build as those familiar feelings of guilt threaten toupend me, but I take one look at Zeb and they seem to get a little quieter.
I lean into him, into his space, flashing my gaze up at him.
“I’ll buy you a sour apple martini later.” I smirk.
“I’ll hold you to that, sunshine,” he drawls, and I don’t think twice about kissing him.
I break away, noting his grin as we pick up his equipment and head inside.
Katy arrives not long after, but she isn’t alone.
Katy hooks her arm in Zeb’s. “The talent and I must be off now. Autographs are fifteen dollars and our booth is over there,” she teases, winking at me.
Zeb rolls his eyes. “This is your fault,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me. “Remember that.”
My mother laughs. “Break a leg, Zebulon!”
He smiles as Katy pulls him in the other direction, leaving my mother and I alone.
Fuck.
“So... cancellation, huh?” I ask, not knowing what else to say.
She shrugs, hooking her arm in mine as we head for the seats that are starting to fill in.
“God works in mysterious ways,” she says, and I purse my lips.
“Yeah, I guess he does.”
We take our seats, sitting three rows back from the stage.
“I heard your concert was canceled.”
I cross my legs. “Postponed, not canceled,” I say.
She waves at me dismissively. “That means you have a little more time off, right? More time to spend with us? With Zeb?”
I look at her, feeling on the spot. Her words don’t feel suspicious, but my mother isn’t one of those outwardly deceptive people.
She’s like one of those little African cats that look like kittens, but are one of the most vicious predators alive.
“And my friends,” I say defensively.
Mateodidsay we should hang out. Maybe I should take him up on it, bring Zeb.
Maybe it would be fun to hang out with another couple?
I blink as the thought lands.
Are we... we aren’t a couple, are we?
I’m not entirely surewhatwe are, to be honest, because this really is a new demographic for me, and I don’t have the best track record with my previous demographic, either.
Do Iwantus to be a couple?
What would that even look like?
