Milo slides out of the booth and pulls on his backpack. “Ask for forgiveness, not permission. Right?”
“Yeah. That’s what Kai always says.”
Milo nods. “I know. I hear him say it all the time.” Milo turns toward the door. “He’s wrong, you know.”
I frown and shake my head.
Milo waves to Aunt Maddy. “See you next time. And nice to meet you, David.”
“Bye, Milo,” Maddy says as she and David wave back. “Thanks so much for helping Jamie today. Are you alright to get home?”
Milo nods. “Kai will be driving past soon. Bye, Jamie.”
I give a mediocre wave. “See ya.”
His words tumble around my head.
Is Kai wrong? No. Kai is never wrong.
I shake out of the ludicrous thoughts and pack up my stuff so Maddy can finish mopping my station.
“So, what do you ladies want for dinner?” David asks as I help Aunt Maddy pack away the last of the supplies. “Pizza? Chinese food?”
“We had pizza on Friday night,” Aunt Maddy says, patting her stomach. “Even though I love it, my body won’t love me afterwards.”
“Oh, hush,” David says, leaning over the counter as his eyes turn to goo. “You look fantastic every day.”
Barf.
Aunt Maddy giggles. “Thanks, honey. But it’s not just how I look. It’s the feeling an hour later that doesn’t leave until the next day.”
“Okay, no problem,” David says, backing off. “We can have something else.”
I grit my teeth. I don’t like to go for something he suggests, but I can already taste the beef and broccoli in plum sauce mixed with thick rice noodles. “Umm, I’d love Chinese food.”
“Done,” David cheers. “I’ll pick it up and bring it to your place. Give you ladies some time to decompress from work and school.”
I keep my face flat even though it sounds like the ideal situation.
Maddy walks over to David and plants a kiss on his lips while flexing her fingers into his hair. “Thanks, honey,” she whispers, staying close to his mouth. “You’re a prince.”
David grins, pulling away. “Anything for you.” He flicks his eyes to me and then back to Maddy, falling deeper into lovesick puppy mode. “And your niece, of course.”
I head out the door first, followed by Maddy, who waits for David to exit before locking the front doors. I look around our area as the sky grows darker and then I double-take at a nearby bench. “Milo?”
Milo sits on the bench with his phone to his ear. He talks in a low tone to the person on the phone and then ends the call. He stands, lifting his bag from the bench. “Hi, I’m just on my way home.”
“Where’s Kai?” I ask. “I thought he’d be here by now.”
“Me too,” Milo replies. “But he’s not answering his phone. I’m heading to the bus stop.”
“The bus?” Maddy chimes in. “Your parents aren’t around?”
“Mom’s still on her way back from the city, and dad works late on Monday nights,” Milo says, hiking his bag on his shoulder. “It’s cool. There’ll be a bus coming by soon.”
“Don’t be silly,” Maddy says, beckoning him over. “Your Mom will drive past our neighborhood on her way back into town. Why don’t you come with us for Chinese food and text your mom to pick you up from our place?”
Milo’s eyes dart from Maddy, to me, and back. “Are you sure? I’m really fine to go home alone.”
