Page 144 of Hometown Halftime

“Yeah, sounds a bit scary,” I agree. “And please promise you won’t let her touch the stuffing.”

“Don’t worry, I know that’s your favorite.” My mom chuckles before glancing toward me again. “What’s Kinsey doing for Thanksgiving?”

The question catches me off guard because hearing Kinsey’s name here, folded naturally into conversations about holidays and family, makes me think about things I shouldn’t. I shrug casually, trying very hard to act normal about the woman currently consuming most of my thoughts.

“She usually spends it with Knox and Brynn and everybody, I think.”

“Aw,” Emma says sadly. “Will you miss her?”

I nearly choke on my garlic bread while my mom hides a smile behind her wine glass and Lucy watches me with open suspicion.

“She already has plans,” I say carefully.

“So,” my mom says far too innocently, “I’m guessing you’ll probably disappear after dinner?”

I point at her. “You say that like I’m seventeen sneaking out after curfew.”

“It’s worse now because technically I can’t stop you.”

“Yeah,” I admit easily. “I’ll probably stop by over there after we eat.”

My mom makes a thoughtful sound while she stares at me, and I know that look. It’s her mom look. The one that says she already knows the information, but she’s about to make me say it out loud. Sure enough, she leans across the counter.

“Okay,” she says casually. “Give me the truth about Kinsey.”

Jackson looks up from his phone. “Oh, I want to hear this conversation.”

“Mind your own business,” I tell him.

“No chance.”

Lucy slides into the kitchen now too, sensing incoming gossip like a shark smelling blood in the water. Meanwhile, my mom waits patiently.

I drag a hand down my face before exhaling. “I really like her, Mom.”

The kitchen goes suspiciously quiet. Then Emma smiles so hard I’m genuinely concerned.

“Awwww.” Lucy coos.

“Oh my God,” I say as I throw my paper towel at her.

But my mom’s expression changes, all the teasing disappearing from her face until she looks warm and knowing.

“How much?”

I’m not sure how to explain how deep this goes now. The things I feel for Kinsey are making leaving Cedar Falls feel less exciting than it used to. Sometimes I catch myself wondering what staying would look like instead.

I stare down at the counter for a second before shrugging helplessly. “A lot.”

“Have you told her that?”

My entire body tenses, which apparently answers the question for me because Lucy groans dramatically from the doorway.

“Oh my God, he hasn’t.”

I roll my eyes. “I hate this family.”

“You’re obsessed with her,” Jackson says, genuinely horrified. “This is disgusting.”