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I didn’t tell him that we used to have money. That my mom used to love taking my friends and me to the movies and paying for the snacks. She also used to put together snack boxes and gift boxes for when Traitor 1, Traitor 2, and Traitor 3 would sleepover. And the traitors loved getting those boxes because my mom put thought into each gift for them. It was her love language, and she hadn’t been able to express it for a long time.
Scout looked my way one more time and put his phone back into his pocket.
My mom motioned for him and Cohen, and he stepped toward her.
Thank you, I mouthed.
He just shrugged and told her what he wanted. And dear Lord, my mom was checking him out. It wasn’t obvious, but she stared at him a little longer than she needed to and then swallowed. I caught a blush on her face before she shifted to Cohen’s order.
“Did I . . . ?” Theresa asked.
“You did,” Alred confirmed. “Your mom’s not dead. That’s all that means.” He whistled as we reached the front of the ticket line. My mom had given me money, and Clint had shoved some money from his mom into my hand before they veered to the concession stand.
I counted out the money he’d given me and realized why. Aunt Aileen had given me more than enough for the tickets and half the concessions. I used her money for the tickets.
“Theresa, Alred.” Warmth oozed from Kira as she stopped next to us.
Ciara, Leanne, and Gabby were with her, and there was another girl who seemed to be trying to hide behind Gabby.
“You guys are going to the movies too?” Kira asked. “Which one?”
Alred’s eyes went flat. “Girl.”
Theresa nudged him, shooting him a look. “The new Marvel one.”
Kira smiled. “Us too! We all need to sit together.” She looked beyond us. “And your cousins. And Scout—”
The girl hiding gasped, her head jerking up. “Who? What? Where?”
Gabby started laughing. “Why?”
The girl’s eyes got big. “Oh no . . .”
Theresa said, “Hi, Amalia.”
Amalia. Oh. Oh! Cohen’s sister Amalia.
“Oh. Hi, guys,” she said. “I didn’t know you’d be here–”
Cohen came storming around the group, his head cocked to the side. “What are you doing here?” He glared at his sister, who shrank back behind Gabby again. “You said you were hanging out with Gabby and friends tonight.”
“I am,” she squeaked, motioning to the ticket counter. “At the movies.”
“You didn’t say at the movies. You said at a friend’s house.”
“We were at Kira’s house and decided to come here.”
Gabby shot me a nervous look, which was warranted, but I wasn’t about to start anything. Especially not after the fiasco that happened last night.
I felt a presence behind me, and both Gabby and Amalia’s eyes lifted up, up, up. I knew who it was
“Heya, Scout,” Amalia squeaked.
He nodded. “Right.” He turned, touching my arm and pulling me away with him. Theresa and Alred followed.
Scout took me to the hallway over by the concessions, where my mom and cousins were waiting. He let go of my arm. “Got her.”
I handed out the tickets. My cousins went in first. Theresa and Alred were next.
Scout held back, watching for Cohen.
My mom tugged on my arm, motioning for me to go down the hallway a little.
“So . . .” She held on to my arm with both hands and looked at Scout. “Your aunt Aileen just texted me, and she said she’d be up for a drink.”
Oh, no, no. I knew what she was going to do. “Mom. No—”
She pointed just out the door. “There’s a cute little bar right next to this place. Apparently they have great appetizers, a happy hour right about now, and a few cute bartenders.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
I swallowed the disappointment and nodded. “I’ll come get you when we’re done?”
She squeezed my hand, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Amazing. You’re the best daughter ever. I love you, sweetie.”
“Mom.”
She turned back. “Hmm?”
“You’re going to join in with the dance party, right?”
“Of course. It’s like old times with your other friends.” She dropped her hand to mine and squeezed before leaving. She waved to Cohen, who was going into the theater with Kira and her friends.
Scout was still in the hallway waiting for me. I walked over, slowly because suddenly the movie didn’t seem so fun.
“She ditched?” Scout asked.
“Drinks next door with my aunt.”
“That’s cool. Maybe she’ll meet someone.”
I scowled. “I’d be fine with a flirtation, but meeting someone? It’s too soon.”
“Right.” He nodded. “Only the daughter can get some.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why are you an asshole and then sweet at other times?”
He shrugged. “When have I been sweet?”
I shot him a look, but grinned.
When we got in, there were two seats open behind Theresa and Alred. Kira and her group had filled the rest of the row with my cousins.
