Page 27 of Stay for Forever

Chapter 10

Dolphins are beyond smart. Within weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the edge of a pool and throw them fish.

Itrudge up the stairs to my parents’ house. It’s Sunday aka family dinner time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a curmudgeon. I love my family, and I want to spend time with them. But I’m also not oblivious to what’s happening in town as in a certain man running around trying to get my attention, which means the main topic of discussion today will be the one and only Maverick Langston.

Save me. I never want to hear his name again. Stupid flirty man who can’t keep his smiles or lips to himself.

I fling the door open. “I’m—” My greeting dies in my throat when I notice who has joined us for family dinner.

“You’re what?” Lilac asks.

I ignore her question to march over to Mav who’s standing in the living room with Rowan and Cole as if nothing’s wrong – as if he’s welcome here. I think not. “Who do you think you are?”

“Wait. You know he’s Maverick Langston, don’t you? Isn’t he your secret admirer?” Lilac wouldn’t understand a rhetorical question if one bit her in the ass.

“Not so secret anymore,” Ashlyn sings. “Although, I always knew.”

I can feel my nostrils flare as I shoot daggers out of my eyes at her. “Being a peeping Tom is illegal. The police should arrest you. Where’s Lyric?”

The door opens and the Chief of Police walks in. “I’m here. What did I miss?”

Aspen kisses his cheek before informing him, “Juniper’s losing her mind.”

“You know it’s not actually possible to lose your mind. To be lost means—”

I shove my palm in Lilac’s face. “Enough with the lectures. You know exactly what she meant.”

Here’s the thing about Lilac. She takes everything literally, but she does understand the figurative meaning. She’s just determined to use any excuse she can to lecture us about proper English grammar. I don’t know why. The woman is an environmental engineer, not an English teacher. She’s supposed to be saving the earth, not delivering lectures about the literal meaning of expressions.

“She’s going to blow,” Ashlyn whisper-shouts.

The door opens behind Lyric, and Ellery waddles in. “You better not be talking about me and this baby.”

Cole leads Ellery to the sofa and helps her settle. She groans as she puts her feet on the coffee table. “Can someone check if my shoes match? I haven’t seen my feet in months.”

Cole sighs. “Ellie girl, you don’t think I’d purposely dress you in two different shoes, do you?”

“No, but I also thought – wrongly as it turns out – you knew the difference between navy blue and black.”

“It was dark. I didn’t notice.”

The sliding door to the dining room opens, and Mom bounces inside with Dad following her. “Oh good. Everyone’s here.”

“Um, Ruby.” Rowan points to her hair where a leaf is sticking out.

“Oops!” Mom pulls the leaf out before winking up at Dad.

Ashlyn covers her face with her hands. “Someone save me.”

“Why must you persist in these theatrics about our parents’ sex life? You know they have sex. How do you think you came into existence?”

Ashlyn feigns gagging at Lilac’s pronouncement. “Stop. I’m begging you – stop.”

“I don’t care about Mom and Dad having sex. I want to know what Mav is doing here.”

Mom shrugs at my pronouncement. “I invited him.”

I swear I can feel the top of my head nearing explosion. I always thought those emojis with someone’s head blowing off were an exaggeration. They’re not. “Why? Why would you invite him?”

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