It’s funny how much I was dreading this, but just like being at Amber in general, Jackson made it a lot easier.
A little while later, he stands, gesturing toward the person at the counter. “They said it’s ready.”
We get my keys and hop back into the car. I’m not sure what happens now. “Do you want me to drive you home or—”
“Are we near your place? I could get an EasyRide from there.”
“Okay, yeah.”
Do I invite him inside my house? It’s not like he expects to spend more time together today. Or does he? I can’t glean much from our conversation on the way there, since we’re just small-talking about the weather.
As soon as we pull up to my driveway, I notice my mom and dad getting out of their car, home from wherever they went this morning.
“Shit.” I tap my fingers on the steering wheel, pondering how to navigate this.
“What’s wrong?” Jackson asks. “That’s your parents?”
I have no idea how my parents are going to react to Jackson being here. I don’t want to introduce him to them. “Yeah, but you don’t have to—”
Jackson has already stepped out of the car, and my dad greets him with a handshake. How the heck did he get over there so fast?! They’re fully doing introductions now while I’m still glued to the driver’s seat.It’s okay, it’s okay. Right, it’s— Who am I kidding?I haul myself out of the car. Shit. This day is slipping away from me, fast.
“We were at the 5K,” Jackson is saying when I catch up to him.
“Well, come on in. I’ll make some brunch,” my mom offers, immediately more friendly to Jackson than she ever was to Cody.Not that I’m dating Jackson or anything like that.
“He was just leaving,” I say, to surprised looks from everyone. I stare daggers at my parents, then turn and try to give a reassuring glance to Jackson. It’s not that Idon’twant him here. It’s just strange how my parents are being so friendly and inviting. It’s uncomfortable because I know they’re putting on an act for him. I’m not used to seeing them this way.
“It’s all right,” Jackson says congenially. “My EasyRide should be arriving any moment now.” He lies so smoothly to diffuse the tension I created.
“Well, it was nice meeting you,” my mom says.
“Yes,” my dad adds. “You’re welcome here anytime.”
“Great to meet you, as well,” Jackson says.
“Glad we all got to know each other,” I quip toward them while ushering Jackson to the end of the driveway.
Looking bewildered by the exchange, Jackson says, “Sorry, I figured I should just—”
“No, it’s just things have been rocky with them lately, and it all caught me off guard.”
“We’re okay, right?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Really, it’s just they’re so…” I turn around to make sure my parents have gone inside, but I decide against getting into the details now. “Anyway, I’m sorry.”
Jackson gets out his phone to actually order the EasyRide now. “There’s one a couple minutes away.”
“I’ll wait with you.” I shift onto my toes, then back down to my heels, regretting my actions a little bit. Would it have beenthatbad to let him talk to my parents? Now that he’s leaving, I realize how much I want to spend more time with him. “It was great running into you today.”
Jackson squints, like he can’t totally figure me out. “Literally. Good thing I ran fast enough to catch you before you started walking the course.”
“I’m glad you did.”
He’s about to say something else when his phone lights up with an alert. “A minute away.”
“I’ll see you Monday?”
“At lunch,” he affirms.
