Page 88 of The Cheerleader is Off Limits

CHAPTER 20

RIVER

“How did you get rid of Mel?” I ask as I start moving down the street. While Sam seemed to have everything under control, part of me was tempted to call the cops myself to break up the party, but I remember what it was like when I was a kid, just trying to have fun. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin anyone’s future.

But at least they’d be alive to see it.

“Her sister was already on her way. I just said you were here, and she was fine with waiting.” She leans forward and squints her eyes at Sloane.

“Hi.” She waves and gives Margot a timid smile. “We met earlier.”

“Yes, the Eliza Thornberry girl.” She turns her head toward me, and in my periphery, I can see her narrowing her eyes. “Why are you picking up a student, Uncle River?” She bats her eyes at me, and I shake my head.

“Put your seat belt on.”

“This”—she points between the two of us—“looks like someone is buying my silencehard.”

I briefly adjust the rearview mirror so I can glare at her. “You don’t know anything.”

“I know a teacher should not be picking up a student from a party at twelve thirty at night. Maybe one of the boys from your team but certainly not a young woman.”

“I didn’t know who else to call.” Sloane speaks up. “I… got very drunk, and I wanted to leave, and my cousin was staying.”

“And what, you’re going to tell the school?” I ask because I never knew Margot to be a snitch.

“No, of course not. But I assume you don’t want Dad to know.” She smiles at me, and I roll my eyes.

“Fine, what do you want?”

She spins her finger around in a circle, pointing at all of us. “This to be a secret, for one. I told Dad I went to a lowkey movie night at Mel’s.”

“Anything else?”

“Please. I’m not going to blackmail you. What kind of niece do you think I am?”

“A bratty one. That’s why Isla is my favorite.”

She scoffs. “You’re not allowed to insult me while I occupy the moral high ground.”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “I met Sloane on the plane home from North Carolina.”

Margot gasps so loud she starts choking before pushing her head between the console again to look between us. “You’re the plane girl? Wait.” She snaps her head to look at Sloane. “I thought you were going to be a freshman at Towson?”

She shifts in her seat. “I lied.”

“And weren’t you twenty-one?”

“Yeah, I lied about that too.”

“Damn. How old are you actually?”

“Nineteen.”

“Jesus,” she groans. “Uncle Riv, didn’t we talk about women who weren’t my age?

“She’s notyourage,” I correct her.

“Practically.”