Page 24 of The Rowdy Ones
“Stay here,” Aunt Eve says. “I forgot the rice.”
I clutch onto the shopping cart where I know the twins are seated inside and wait for her to return. Someone laughs close by, and I immediately recognize it.
“Destiny?”
I grin, turning toward the voice. “Weston? What are you doing here?”
“Buying groceries. Same as you. That’s literally the whole purpose of this store.”
I stick my tongue out of him and he chuckles.
“Who are these little ones?” he asks. “They’re cute.”
“Forest and Meadow. My cousins.”
He attempts to talk to them, but they squawk at him like baby birds being threatened by a snake. This alerts Aunt Eve, and she descends on us like a storm.
“Leave, boy,” Aunt Eve growls. “My children. Mine.”
He laughs again, but it dies in his throat. She must be giving him a vicious glare or maybe even found a sharp object to threaten him with. A flood of embarrassment rushes through me. My family does not like Weston for some reason. They’re protective to a fault.
“He’s my friend,” I rush out, reaching for where I think she’s standing. My fingers brush against her hair. “Weston. It’s Gwen’s son.”
“Hey,” Weston mutters awkwardly. “Sorry if it was creepy that I spoke to your kids. Just trying to be nice.”
“Nice people don’t have to try,” Aunt Eve barks out. “It comes natural.”
Oh my God.
“She’s kidding,” I rush out. “Come on, we can walk around while they finish up their shopping.”
I hold out my hand and Weston immediately takes it. His hand is big and swallows mine. Aunt Eve grunts but doesn’t stop me. He’s quiet until we’re down another aisle, and then he finally speaks.
“Your aunt is fucking scary.”
A giggle escapes me. “She really is. I basically saved your life just now.”
“They shelter you too much,” he grumbles playfully. “And to think I was actually going to ask you out on a date.”
I slow to a stop and turn to look in his general direction. “You were?”
“Now I’m scared shitless.”
“That’s too bad. I might’ve said yes.”
His mouth brushes my cheek as he dips it to my ear. I shiver at his intimate touch. “In that case, can I take you out tonight?”
“What would we do? I can’t exactly go watch a movie with you.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“If we’re going to a movie or not.”
He’s still close enough his breath tickles over my face and his hand hasn’t let mine go. My skin tingles in a good way. It’s a great distraction for the strange stuff that happened in the RV with Rowdy.
