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He pulls the covers over me and sits next to me on the bed. “You frustrate the hell out of me.”
“Why?”
“You know why,” he says, staring at me, looking as frustrated as he sounds.
I look away. “Yeah, I know we’ve been acting like we’re dating, but we’re not. Kissing someone doesn’t mean you’re dating them.”
“We did more than kiss.”
It’s true. We did, but I didn’t intend for that to happen. We were watching TV under piles of blankets and our hands ended up in places they shouldn’t be.
I look back at him. “We didn’t have sex.”
“We did more than friends do.”
He waits for me to say something, but I don’t. I don’t want to make him promises I can’t keep.
“I’m not going back to this, Nova.”
“Back to what?”
“Doing stuff with you when we’re not actually dating. The rules haven’t changed. You want to do stuff? We have to date.”
“You and your rules,” I say, sounding annoyed.
“Was dating me really that bad? Because I seem to remember you liking it.”
“I did. And I’d date you again if my life wasn’t such a mess.”
“You don’t have to have everything figured out to be with me.” He leans down and kisses me. It’s just a short kiss, but enough to get my body fired up, wanting more. “Think about it.”
Easton gets up and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.
Why doesn’t he understand that he and I would never work? Living in his house, in his world, for just a couple days, is enough to confirm that. I’m completely out of place here. I don’t belong in this world. I don’t even understand it, especially Easton’s mom. I don’t understand why she’s being so nice to me and why she’s letting me stay.
I don’t trust her. I want to believe she really is nice and actually wants to help me, but if that’s true and it’s not just an act, then why did she work so hard to keep me out of Easton’s life the past 12 years?
19
Nova
The next morning,I wake up at nine. I was hoping to see Easton before he left for school, but he’s already gone. When I get upstairs, I hear Penelope in the kitchen, talking to someone.
“Yes, I know, but it’s only for a few months.” I walk into the kitchen and see Penelope standing in front of the sink, the phone to her ear. “Well, if you think of anyone, let me know.” She sets the phone down.
“Were you talking about me?” I ask, my heart pounding, wondering if she was telling people about me without my permission.
She turns to me, startled. “I didn’t know you were up. Would you like some breakfast?”
I race up to her. “That call you were on. Was it about me?”
She sighs. “Yes, but I didn’t mention you by name. I just said one of Easton’s friends needed a place to stay for a few months.”
“Mrs. Voss, I know you’re only trying to help, but I wish you hadn’t done that. Whoever you were talking to is going to know you were talking about me. I’m the only friend Easton has who isn’t rich and doesn’t have a family. It’s not too hard to figure out.” I turn and walk away from her, panicking that someone’s going to show up at the door and take me.
“Nova, she doesn’t live here. She’s an old friend of mine who lives an hour away. She knows nothing about you other than that you’re Easton’s friend and need a place to live for a few months.”
“That’s all you told her?” I ask, gazing out the window at the snow-covered yard. It stopped snowing, but there’s at least a foot of snow on the ground.
