Page 3 of Inviting Trouble
Her dad finally wound down and Ty spoke up. “Park’s not the only one heading out. I’m going to LA next month.”
“What? Why?” Everyone spoke at once.
Ty grinned. Only Park didn’t seem surprised. The two were close. “I’m going to be a stuntman.”
“How you gonna do that?” Alex asked. He was in community college and still trying to figure out what to do with his life.
“I met a guy at the gym who used to do it,” Ty said. “He’s gonna set me up with some people he knows.”
“You make sure you get the right training,” their dad said. “Don’t be reckless and get yourself killed.”
“Come on,” Ty said, pointing at himself with both hands. “With this bod? You know I take care of the goods.” He flexed his guns.
Everyone laughed except Mad, who just sat there, eyes hot. One by one, the guys were leaving. First Jake and Josh had left for the Army, then Ethan to the police academy, Park to the Air Force, and now Ty. Pretty soon she’d be like an only child. Everything was changing and she hated it. She got up and went to the kitchen, needing a minute to herself. How could everyone be so happy about their whole family falling apart?
She dug around in the fridge, grabbed one of Ty’s beers, and looked for the bottle opener. She found it in the junk drawer. She’d just popped the top when it was snatched out of her hands.
“Thanks, mini,” Park said, tossing the drink back.
She scowled.
He fixed her with a hard look. “You’re too young to drink.”
“No one cares,” she said. “It’s a party.”
“Icare.”
She swallowed over the lump in her throat. No one would ever care about her the way Park did. He noticed her. He made her feel special.
Park leaned against the counter and set the beer out of her reach. “You upset about Ty leaving?”
“Everyone’s leaving,” she muttered.
“Everyone’s grown up,” he said. “It’s time.”
She was quiet, glad he’d included her in that grown-up bit, glad to have him all to herself. She hopped up on the counter next to him, swinging her legs. “I’ll probably leave soon too.”
He inclined his head. “You’ll get there. You keep getting As, you could go to college.”
“By the time you get back, I could almost be done college.”
He pulled out his cell. “We’ll keep in touch. Email, text, whatever.” He held up his cell. “Say cheese.”
“Cheese,” she said and smiled with all the love in her heart.
He looked at the picture, grunted, and shoved the cell in his pocket.
She studied his profile, the surge of love overwhelming in its intensity. “Park, I—”
“Hey!” Ty boomed, coming into the kitchen. “Time for volleyball. Move it on out.” He snagged a beer for himself and headed out the back door. The guys followed close behind, already divvying up the teams. Her dad went with them.
She started to follow when Park grabbed her by the back of the collar.
“You’re gonna sweat like a pig in this,” he said. “What’re you wearing my shirt for anyway?”
She peeled off the flannel shirt and handed it to him. Then she pulled the V in her concert shirt down lower. “My shirt ripped. See?”
He looked and then his eyes snapped to hers. “Didyourip it?”
