“I’d love that.”
I tuck my phone back in my pocket, glancing up to see the end of their kiss.
Summer pulls apart, shooting her embarrassed eyes to me. “Sorry.” She brushes her fingers over her lips, and I’m secretly hoping she doesn’t do anything to ruin her bright-red lipstick that I’ve grown to love.
“You don’t have to be sorry for Caleb. He knows how we feel about each other. Why else would he agree to this?”
Why else? That is the question.
“Yeah, I’m just here to help.” Because no other reason is morally acceptable.
Summer hugs Justin before she stands and meets me by the door. I hold it open for her to pass.
“Should we take my car?” she asks.
“I don’t mind driving.”
“You two kids have fun,” Justin calls as I close the door behind us.
We walk to the Bronco, where I open the passenger door for her.
“Oh, thank you.” She’s so surprised by the action that I wonder if Justin doesn’t typically hold her door open for her. I’m starting to feel like he’s the world’s most inattentive boyfriend, and I want to smack him upside the head for it.
“It’s freezing!” she says when I get in my side of the car.
I crank up the heater. “Where’s your All-Weather Blanket when you really need it?”
“It didn’t go with my outfit, so I left it at home.”
“I like the pink and red. You look veryfun.” That’s an appropriate way to finish that sentence. It’s not at all how I want to finish it, but it’s appropriate.
“Thanks.”
“So, tell me about tonight’s tradition.”
“Well”—she twists in her seat so she’s facing me—“we take the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and make flautas with them. It’s a turkey-stuffed corn tortilla that we deep fry. You know, like a taquito.”
“I’ve had flautas before.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, do you think the Stanworth family has cornered the market on Mexican food?”
“No, I just…well…”—she fidgets with her sleeve—“when I told Justin, he acted like he’d never heard of them before, so I just assumed everyone in your family is the same.”
“I lived in Mexico for two months a couple of years ago.”
“You lived in Mexico?”
“Yeah.” I shrug.
“Why?”
“We were filming a few stunts there, so we stayed in an Airbnb right in Mexico City.”
“Who’swe?”
“My partners and film crew.”
