AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yep.”
“Why are we at your mom and dad’s house?” I hang my head back and groan. “Grady, you know your dad hates me.” He has always hated me, and I’ve never known why.
He scoffs. “He doesn’t hate you.”
“Oh, I can assure you that he does.”
He cuts off the engine and turns to look at me. “What makes you think that?”
I drop my voice down to a lower register so it’ll sound like his dad. “She’s no good for you, son. She’ll ruin your life. You’ll never be a success with her as a weight around your ankle.” I take a breath. “Come on, Grady,” I coax. “You know it’s true. He hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you.”
“Then what changed? You tell me that, Grady. What changed?”
He takes my hand in his. “Did you know that my dad’s dad didn’t approve of my mom back when they met? My dad picked her anyway.”
I glare at him. “What makes you think that?”
“He told me.” He reaches out a finger and tweaks my nose. “We had a long talk about it yesterday. He even gave me tips for how to woo you.” He chuckles. “How am I doing?”
“Have you wooed me yet? If you have, I didn’t notice.”
He laughs out loud. “If you ever stop busting my balls, I’ll think you hate me.”
“If you make me go in there with your father, I’m going to hate you today. Let’s just go home, Grady.” But a knock on my window makes me nearly jump out of my skin. I turn to find Grady’s dad, Mr. Parker, standing at my window with his hands wrapped around his face so he can see through the glass.
“You going to get out, or should I get in there with you?” he calls through the glass.
“I’m going to kill you,” I mutter to Grady. “Hi, Mr. Parker!” I say with a little wave.
He tries to open my door, but it’s locked. He jiggles the handle. “Unlock the door, Grady,” he calls out.
“Don’t unlock the door, Grady,” I mutter to him.
Pop. The lock pops open.
“I hate you so much, Grady Parker,” I say as my door opens.
“You coming in or just going to sit there all day?” Mr. Parker asks.
“Sit here all day,” I reply sweetly.
Mr. Parker laughs. He looks around me at Grady. “She is a piece of work, isn’t she?”
Grady nods. “Yes, sir, she is.”
“Yoohoo!” I hear someone yell from the porch. I look up to find Mrs. Parker standing on the front steps waving at us. “Come on in. I have sweet tea and cookies!” She turns and goes back inside.
“Did you hear that?” Mr. Parker says to me. “Sweet tea and cookies. Maybe it’ll sweeten you up some.”
“Doubt it,” I mutter.
“Go on in, Dad,” Grady says. “We’ll be there in a minute.”
Mr. Parker taps the door frame of the car and glares at me. “You got two minutes, and then I’m coming back and hauling her in over my shoulder if I have to.” He looks at Grady. “She reminds me of your mother a little. A whole lot of piss and vinegar mixed with sass.”
Then he turns and walks into the house. I watch him the whole way.
