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he said.
She shifted against him, leaning closer, beginning to stroke a hand against his neck. “Does it matter?”
He caught her hand. “Yes.”
Quinn froze and looked at him. “Eighteen,” she said. “Too young for you?”
He visibly relaxed. “For a second I was worried you were going to tell me you were sixteen or something.”
A month ago, she had been sixteen. “Yeah, that would’ve been crazy.” She laughed and took another long sip of beer.
Tyler watched this, then snatched the bottle out of her hands.
He took a long drink and finished it off. “Jesus,” he muttered.
“You are sixteen.”
“Seventeen,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes and banged his head back against the chair. Several times.
o;No landscaping jobs?” said Nick.
“No jobs. I was actually planning to watch James so she could go out with her folks. We could take him with us, but I thought maybe I could get one of you to watch him . . .”
The air was practically trembling with anxiety. “You’re nervous,” said Nick.
“I’ve met her dad, but it wasn’t on the best terms.”
Meaning, the night Gabriel had been arrested for arson. Hannah’s father was the county fire marshal.
“They asked you, right? I think that’s a good sign.”
“Maybe.”
“You don’t sound happy.”
“I’ve never done the parent thing.”
“Pretend they’re new clients.”
Michael looked at him. “Yeah, okay.”
“No. Seriously. That’s what I do.” Nick never had any idea how to treat his girlfriends’ parents. He always worried they’d see right through him, and it wasn’t like he wanted to pretend to stare at his date’s boobs right in front of Mom and Dad, just to prove a point. He knew how to deal with teachers, and how to deal with landscaping customers. He treated parents the same way. They always liked him. Then again, maybe they could sense he wasn’t a threat to anyone’s virginity.
Whatever. He shrugged. “It’s worked so far.”
Michael smiled and hit him on the shoulder. “Thanks, Nick.”
He headed for the stairs. Nick watched him go, bemused. And relieved.
And a little disappointed.
“Hey,” Nick called after him.
“What?”
“I’d lose the long hair.”
