Confused. Court and I have talked a lot since he got the invite, but we're no closer to figuring out why she invited me to come along, too.
Nervous. Despite living in the same small town, I've hardly ever seen the woman. She's a recluse and, from what I can gather, doesn't keep in contact with many people. Apart from Grandpa Arnie's funeral, I honestly can't remember the last time I saw her.
And there's also this other feeling that I can't find a proper word for other thanunresolved. I know that's not technically a feeling, but it describes how things are between her and me. She and I have never spoken about 'the thing that happened,' and because of that, I haven't had any closure with her the way I have with Dad.
So much time has passed that it's like an old wound. Many years ago, it was a deep, painful cut, now it's just a small scab. Should I just leave it all in the past and pretend like it never happened?
Maybe if it was actually in the past, I could do that.
But it's not.
She's pregnant with my dad's kidright freaking now.
I lean forward, elbows on the wheel, and let out a yawn. I'm coming off a double shift. "I swear my life was quiet and boring until you moved back. Now it's like Days of our Fucking Lives with fake marriages, epic rivalries, and crazy moms."
Court chuckles, unbuckling his seat belt. "Wait. Who's the epic rivalry?"
"You and Zane," I say, turning to face him. "He told me over dinner the other night he had feelings for me, and he thinks that's part of the reason why you and he had a bumpy start."
"I still don't get it."
"He thinks there's something more between us than just friendship," I explain. "He was jealous of you."
Court scratches the side of his neck. "Oh."
I feel and probably look like the walking dead. Court looks like he just stepped off the runway with Cyrus and decided to wear the ensemble of an off-white chunky knit sweater, dark jeans, and plaid blanket scarf out in public.
"Don't worry. I set him straight. Told him people around here love nothing more than to gossip, and that despite getting married, we really are just besties."
"Yeah. Look, about that. There's something?—"
"Holy shit," I cut him off.
"What?"
I point to the house.
Court's mom is waiting for us at the front door.
Why did I waste the precious seconds we had talking about Zane when I should have used that time to get Court to help me deal with the fire alarm of panic going off inside me?
His head swivels between me and his mother a few times, and then his hand lands on my back. "We haven't seen each other the past two days, so I haven't had the chance to ask you how you're feeling." I turn to him, and my face must say it all because he starts rubbing his hand up and down my back. "It'll be fine," he assures me even though I suspect he's freaking out, too, and is simply doing a better job of hiding it.
"Why did she invite me?"
"I don't know, Buzz. But last time I checked, she didn't have the power to issue execution orders, so it will be fine," he repeats, a little more forcefully this time.
"What if shehasacquired powers and you're just not aware of them?"
"In that case, it'll have to be a double execution because I'll be right by your side."
"You promise?"
He grins, his jade-green eyes sparkling with sincerity. "Swear on my life."
"No leaving the room to take a call. No toilet breaks," I insist, trying to head off any situation that might leave me alone with her.
"I'm switching my phone off right now." He pulls his phone out and turns it off. "And I'm good toilet-wise." When I lift a brow, he adds, "Okay, okay. And if I have to go, I'll risk overstretching my bladder to hold it in."
