“Do you think your dad arranged this date between you and Xander because Xander’s dad just hit billionaire status last year?”
“What?”
“You said your dad is the one who arranged this whole thing, right?” He angled toward me on our lunch bench. “So I’m just wondering why Xander is his top pick when he’s, like, four years older than us?”
“It does seem a little strange to set up a high school senior with a college senior,” I allowed.
Hunter nodded. “Especially when he’s been so against you datinganyonein the past.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. The subject of whom I was allowed to date was slightly uncomfortable since Hunter had somehow landed on my dad’s blacklist. “I guess part of me wondered about the billionaire thing when he first told me. But I would hope that my dad isn’t that shallow, you know?”
Though if he was, hopefully it was just his way of making sure I was financially secure if I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom when I was older.
“So maybe it’s just because he knows Xander a little better after working so closely with him last summer?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged.
10
HUNTER
“Are you ready for this?”Addison asked me as we walked toward our friends standing in the parking lot in their snow gear early Saturday morning.
“So ready,” I said, trying to sound enthusiastic despite my worries that today could either be really fun or really awkward.
The past week had been busy with school, advice columns, and basketball. So while I was definitely a bit anxious about balancing being a good date for Addison while juggling whatever feelings might arise while I watched Scarlett go on her date, I hoped it would be a good day.
"Hey guys," Mack greeted us when we joined the group. "We were just about to load into the vehicles, and you two are riding with me.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
“It's going to be kind of a tight fit, though. Evan and his date have asked to join us,” Mack continued. “So if you have any extra stuff, you can just put it in the back."
I hadn't brought anything besides the snow gear I was already wearing, so I just waited for Addison to tell me where to sit. We ended up climbing into the third row of seats in Mack’s gray Land Cruiser. While we buckled in, I asked, “Did you know Evan was planning to come today?"
The last thing I needed was another overprotective family member of the girl I was on a date with, watching my every move.
But Addison just said, “He asked if he and his date could join us a few days ago, since they didn't have a day date planned and wanted to try tubing."
“You don’t mind your stepbrother tagging along?” I asked, still so curious about the dynamic they had. They were literally together all the time.
“Not really.” She shrugged, her ski jacket rubbing against mine with the movement. “He’s not too bad.”
"Have your parents been married very long then?” I asked. “For some reason, I thought I heard that they had just gotten married this past summer or something like that.”
"Oh yeah,” she said. “T-they did just get married recently, but um, Evan and I have known each other since I was, like, ten. He and my brother were pretty good friends growing up.”
“Oh, that's cool." And kind of explained why they were so comfortable with each other.
There had actually been a couple of times when I’d wondered if there was something more between them than the stepbrother-and-stepsister stuff…but maybe they were comfortable being so close to each other because they had history.
Kind of like Scarlett and me.
“Speaking of my stepbrother…” Addison nodded toward the door we just climbed through.
"You guys got enough room for me back there?" Evan ducked his head inside to look at Addison and me.
"Sure," I said. Though with how big and muscular he was, it was definitely going to be a tight fit and would probably be better for him to sit in the middle row with his much more petite date than sitting by Addison.
