Page 60 of One Little Problem
The awesome part of me leaving? Before I left, Luke and I were spending as much time together possible, which was understandable. Also understandable? Me trying to take it as far as possible.
“Luke’s going to pick me up,” I told my dad. “I’ll probably be back by the time I have to leave for the summer.”
“Nice try.” He sounded amused but vaguely horrified by the thought.
“You like Luke now,” I reminded him.
He considered me a second. “Okay, you don’t have to tell me.”
“Really?” We were just going a movie. Maybe we should rob a liquor store instead.
“We can try it,” Dad said. “As long as you promise you won’t be doing anything illegal and you’ll be out of the house,” Before I could interrupt, he addressed what I was about to protest. “And that’s not because I don’t trust him, it’s because I completely trust in your ability to push everything to the limit.”
I smiled cheerfully and ushered him out the door. Dad knew me so well.
* * *
Ryan
The weekend ended and I found myself in a terrifying, potentially life-threatening situation. There were sharp objects everywhere. This was such a bad choice. Going out to eat with Luke’s mom. The three of us were led to a table and all I could see were all the place settings with silverware, like warnings of what was to come.
What if she stabbed me?
She probably wasn’t going to stab me.
What if she did though? The problem with having this crazy thought even once was that it didn’t only want to be thought once. Once I thought it, it was hard to let go of, until—
“Please don’t stab me,” I said once we all sat down. She wasn’t the type to enjoy messes and my blood would totally stain the white tablecloth.
“No promises,” Linda told me almost cheerfully.
“Mom,” Luke reproached, staring her down and putting an arm over my shoulder in a show of support. We sat on one side of the table while she sat on the other.
“I was joking!” Hmm… she didn’t seem particularly murderous. I tensed when she grabbed for the silverware rolled up in the napkin, but she only wanted to remove the napkin and put it on her own lap. Hey, Luke did that too before the food even came or was ordered. She made a show of setting the utensils away from her.
“Good one,” I said. Joking was a lot better than icy silence or actual stabbing. And also, you know, I desperately wanted her to like me and I might even have a chance now. Maybe that was why I added, “You can stab me if you want.” Crap! “Wait—”
Luke removed his arm from around me so he could put his head in his hands for a moment, like he was taking a little break from everything happening around him. When he looked at me, his face was a little amused, exasperated, and possibly he was wondering if he should just stab me instead and put us out of the misery this lunch might bring. Wasn’t sure if that was rude or sweet, a mercy killing. It probably depended on who he was showing mercy to, me or him.
“Ryan,” Linda spoke, grabbing my attention. “You have to stop trying so hard to get me to like you.” Summer was here and she was in a light cotton top, but she had a cardigan draped over her chair; I refrained from mentioning that it was a million degrees outside because I was a good boyfriend.
My traitor boyfriend nodded about me not trying so hard while I immediately said, “I want you to like me.”
She smiled faintly at that. “I know.” Our waiter was filling our water glasses and he smiled too, like that much was even obvious to him.
“My desperation is totally unappealing?” I guessed.
“No, I understand.” She hesitated a moment before saying, “I’m obviously not an easy sell.”
Luke snorted at that. I elbowed him. “I don’t mind trying anyway,” I told her. Hell, I had even considered getting my hands on a pair of women’s genitals; that was true commitment.
Before Luke could object, his mom did. “Well, I mind.”
Guess that was to be expected. Luke looked ready to step in and defend me and it also seemed like he had now decided maybe he should just stab all of us instead of just me and him, so that was nice, but I put a hand on his leg under the table and stopped him.
“Is it rude to say too bad?” I questioned.
“Yes,” she said immediately. Then, she almost looked sly. “But I supposed it wouldn’t be at all out of place.”
