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I throw up my hands. “I’m not listening toanyof this.”
Daryl sniggers. “Never took you for a prude.”
“Yeah, dude, you’ve been to prison. You’ve heard way worse things than teens drinking and having sex. The horror!” Crispin pretends to fall back in shock.
I have no idea how we got into this conversation, but it’s making me glad I never had kids of my own. They’re brats. The lot of them. “I know it’s hard for you smart-asses to believe, but I was your age too. I know exactly what I got up to then, and now that I’m no longer your age, I can confidently say you’re too young and dumb to be doing shit like that.”
“Prude,” Erin covers with a cough.
“Can we get back to cars?”
“Once you’ve answered the question,” Crispin says.
“What question? Have I been to prison?” I wink. “I’ll never tell.”
“I bet you haven’t, and you never deny it because you want the cool points.”
Oh, to be sixteen again and think things like being locked up is cool. I don’t deny it because … it’s true. I was incarcerated. I see no reason to lie about it when I’d make the same choices if I was in that situation again, but most people don’t see it that way. There are good choices and bad ones. Apparently, breaking the law means you’ve made a bad one, and while Kilborough is good at being accepting for a lot of things, an ex-con puts that acceptance to the test.
Erin shakes her head. “You know we mean Orson. He’s really nice. We voted, and we like him.”
“Oh no …”
“What?”
“He’s got the teen stamp of approval. I’m going to have to let him go. I can’t be seen in public with someone you think iscool.”
“Don’t go that far.” She snorts. “We said we liked him. There is no way either of you could pass as cool.”
“I dunno …” Daryl says. “I think Orson’s a bit of a DILF. Have you seen his abs?”
I cringe. “Stop it. He can’t be a DILF because he’s not a dad, you’re all complete asexuals as far as I’m concerned, and also, he’s mine, so back the fuck up, Romeo.”
The three of them snicker.
“Are you going to getmarried?” Crispin teases.
I roll my eyes. “I liked you all better when you were fourteen and communicated in grunts.”
“Geez, love makes Ford cranky. I thought it was supposed to do the opposite?”
A deep scoff behind me makes my back stiffen, and Orson’s hand closes over my shoulder. “You think this is bad? You should see him when I insult Darleen.”
“Who’s Darleen?”
Orson shrugs. “If you’re not cool enough to know—”
“It’s a car, isn’t it?” Erin drones.
His eyes shoot to mine. “No, it’s a …”
“Ford names all his cars, and if you’re getting away with insulting one of them, you guys are definitely doing it.”
I swear Orson’s mouth has never dropped so fast. I’d tell him he’ll never win with these three, but no way in hell am I letting them know they’ve won.
I stand up and grab his hand, then before I steer him away, I lean back down and hiss, “You’re all the bane of my existence, and I’m going to make sure I loosen all your screws before the race.”
Apparently, I’m not as scary as the pearl-clutchers in town make out because the three of them laugh, and we walk away, followed by taunts likeI’d like to see you try, old manandget a room.
