Page 93 of Promising You
“Good. Because I gotta tell you, Jade, I was getting really tired of hearing you complain about the money thing, especially since Garret’s family is loaded. And ifIwas getting tired of it, I’m sure Garret wasreallytired of it.”
“Yeah, I still don’t like him paying for everything, but I’m trying to get over it.” I push my tray away. The chocolate-milk-splattered chicken nuggets are not at all edible. “So Garret brought up the marriage topic again at dinner Sunday night.”
“What did he say?”
“I’m sure he was kidding but he talked about us having kids.”
“Kids? You’re 19.”
“I know. He wasn’t talking about having them anytime soon. He was just putting the idea out there, seeing how I’d respond.”
“And what did you say?”
“I told him I don’t want kids. And Garret knows that, so I don’t know why he even brings it up.”
“So what if he asked you?” She dips a carrot in her dressing, holding it above her plate as she waits for an answer.
“Asked me what?”
“To marry him. If he’s already thinking about kids, he obviously wants to marry you and he doesn’t seem like the type of guy who waits for what he wants. So what would you say?”
“I’d probably say no. We’re too young. People who get married this young always end up divorced.”
“My parents got married in college and they’re still together. And my dad works in Hollywood. He should be on his fourth wife by now.”
“They really got married in college?”
“Yeah. My mom was 20 and my dad was 22. They had like no money. My dad was interning at one of the movie studios, but they didn’t pay him anything. And my mom was working two jobs while going to school.”
“And they, um, seem happy together?” I hope she doesn’t think I’m being rude, but I’m wondering if her parents stay together for appearance sake, then have affairs on the side like Garret’s dad and Katherine do.
“My parents are totally in love. And they’re not afraid to be affectionate with each other in front of people. I’m telling you that now in case you meet them this summer. My dad can’t take his hands off my mom. I swear, they’re like teenagers.”
“I think that’s kind of nice they’re still into each other like that.”
“It is. I just don’t want to see it. Anyway, I’m just saying that getting married young doesn’t mean you’ll get divorced. And seeing how much Garret loves you, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Maybe if you got married it would stop the—” She gets flustered and starts picking at her salad with her fork.
“Stop the what? Harper, what were you going to say?”
She sets her fork down on her plate. “Jade, do you ever read those celebrity magazines?”
“No, but I read some when I was waiting for Frank at the doctor’s office over Christmas break. I told you how one of them had a photo of Garret and Ava. I was so pissed. I still am. That article made it sound like the two of them are a couple. I can’t believe a magazine can just make up lies like that.”
Harper quickly gets up, taking her tray with her. “Let’s go. I need to show you something.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
I followher to her room. “I’ve got class in a half hour. What is it?”
She goes to a stack of magazines on her desk, sorts through them, then hands me four of them.
“I thought you would’ve already seen those, or at least heard about them, but you didn’t say anything at lunch. They all came out last week. I got them to take over to Sean’s so I’d having something to read while he was cooking. But when I bought them I didn’t even notice what was on the covers. And then later I saw the photos and well…you’ll see.”
The first magazine has a photo of Ava along with some other girls. The cover blurb reads,Inside! Sneak Peek at the Prep School Girls’ Reunion Special.I look at the next magazine which has a small photo of Ava at the very bottom. This time it’s a close-up of her face and the words next to it read,Are the romance rumors true? Find out inside!The third magazine has just the Prep School Girls’ Reunion logo in the corner with the words,Get the latest on Ava and Garret! p. 26.The last magazine has a photo of Ava and Garret together. It looks like a high school prom photo and the headline reads,“Will they get back together?”
“These all came out last week?” I ask.
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t worry about it. By next week everyone will have forgotten all about it. And it’s not like any of that stuff is true.”
