Page 123 of Shortcake
I was seeing a theme in my life.
Thankfully, Mia lived close by. I’d never seen a girl scurry out of a car as fast as she did, muttering, “Bye Addy, see ya tomorrow at book club,” and avoiding all eye contact with me.
Arms crossed, glaring out the window, Harper didn’t flinch as Mia shut the car door and booked it for her front door.
Thank God the kids hadn’t come in ten minutes earlier. I’m pretty sure Mia’s parents would have sued us for performing pornographic acts in front of a minor.
I cleared my throat, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. “Do you want to move up front?” I asked.
A snort was her only response.
“Okaaaaaay,” I sang, drawing out the vowels. “No front seat. Got it.”
I put the car in reverse and finished the drive home in total teenage silence. I pulled into our driveway and before I could turn off the car, Harper hopped out and stomped into the house.
“Harper, wait! Talk to me!” I locked my car door and ran after her, stubbing my toe on a sidewalk stone and muttering curse words beneath my breath.
She whipped around, nearly smashing into me. Her blue eyes, so similar to her dad’s, turned hot and fiery, like the center of a flame. “I thought you were my friend,” she yelled, as tears brimmed her eyes.
“Harper,” I said gently. “Iamyour friend.”
“No you’re not! You lied to me!” Her voice carried, echoing over the lake and I winced at how loud she was. How mad she was.
And she was right. She had every right to hate me. If I were her, I would have hated me, too.
“I’m so sorry you found out like this. Let’s go inside and talk,” I tried. “I can make us some scones—”
“No. You wanted to talk about this? Let’s talk about it.” Crossing her arms, she blocked my entrance to the door. “How long have you and my dad been a thing?”
I swallowed the potato sized lump in my throat. Okay. I guess we were doing this.
“A few weeks,” I croaked.
Her face sank. She looked like I’d just kicked her puppy in front of her. “A fewweeks,” she repeated. “So, what? You were just using me? Hanging out with me to get close to my dad?”
“Not atall. You are my people. I swear, you’re more like me than anyone I’ve met in a long time—”
“Oh, that’s supposed to make me feel better? That I’m similar to the slut that’s trying to take my dad?”
Her words sliced into me like a scalding knife into room temperature butter. I should have seen that coming, but it still hurt, nonetheless. God, I hated that word. Girls in high school used to call me that all the time because I dated guys who were older than me. My eyes drifted closed as I breathed deep, gaining my composure and tamping down the tears that threatened my ducts. “Don’t use that word. Not with anyone—”
“You’re not myfuckingmother. Don’t tell me what words I can and can’t use.”
“Harper Renee Meyer!” Conrad’s voice boomed behind me. “She may not be able to tell you what words to use, but I can. Donotspeak to Addy, or any adult that way!”
No.
No, no, no. You’re going to ruin everything.
The squad car door slammed closed and I whipped around, shaking my head at him. “Conrad, it’s fine,” I tried reasoning with him. Speaking softly and calmly. “Please, just let me talk to her—”
Harper sucked her teeth and shoved the front door open with her shoulder. “You’re right, Addy. It is fine. He’s clearly made his choice.”
Then, that door slammed, too.
Right in our faces.
“Why did you do that?” I hissed at him as he walked up to me.
