winks. “You’re secret is safe with me.”
“Thanks,” I say, and I genuinely mean it. “I just can’t believe she was able to run off so fast. I only looked away for a few minutes.”
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Tripp says, mussing Ainsley’s hair with his hand. “She’s fine. Besides, Ainsley’s been here before, haven’t you?”
Ainsley smiles up at Tripp and I marvel at how even a two year old is smitten with him. “Well, I better get back before Mom notices us missing.” I reach for Ainsley’s hand, but she pulls away from me.
“Here.” Tripp sweeps her up into his arms and she squeals with delight. “I’ll help you get her back.”
I want to tell him that he doesn’t need to help me. Only I do actually desire help right now. I don’t feel like chasing Ainsley through the streets, and Tripp does have a handle on things. While Tripp walks beside me holding Ainsley, her little chubby legs kicking in the air, I pull Adam by the arm. Tripp’s woodsy scent wafts under my nose, causing my heart to flip in my chest. Last year I had one class with Tripp, and I remember smelling him through the whole period, fantasizing about being in his arms. I blush at the memory, glad that Tripp can’t read my mind.
“So , you were right, you know,” Tripp says, breaking through the silence.
“About what?”
“About the dance being lame.”
I give him a sidelong glance to try to figure out if he’s messing with me. “You and Sonya looked pretty cozy from my vantage point.”
“You saw us?” He cocks an eyebrow, and I feel like an idiot.
“No, I mean…well…yeah, but only because I came outside to help Paige carry in her overnight bag when she came over.”
Tripp nods. “I bet you two had more fun than we did.”
“ I thought you liked dances.”
“I never said I liked them.” He smiles at me. We reach my house and he drops Ainsley in the grass. I release Adam’s hand , and he resumes playing with his car.
“Then why did you go?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the kids.
He shrugs. “The same reason I do most things. It’s expected.”
Before I can ask what he means by that, Mom peeks outside. I hold my breath, wondering if she noticed we were gone earlier. “Hey.” She smiles calmly, and I surmise that this is the first time she’s checked on us. Her gaze lands on Tripp, and her smile deepens. She pushes away from the door and walks toward us. “You must be Tripp.”
My cheeks warm, and I stare hard at my feet.
“And you must be Mrs. Summers.” He holds out his hand.
“It’s actually Mrs. Haywood now, but you can call me Jenny.” I cringe at how nice Mom is being. It’s obvious that she thinks there is something going on with Tripp and me. “Are you staying for dinner, Tripp?”
I shake my head furiously at her from behind Tripp’s back, but she ignores me.
“I’d love to.” Tripp grins at her.
“Great. I’ll set another place.” Mom nods and turns around.
I glare at her back as she scurries back inside. When Tripp turns to me, I shake my head. “You don’t have to stay. If you need to head home, she’ll understand.”
Tripp shrugs. “My parents are gone for the evening. A home cooked meal with your family beats a TV dinner by myself.”
My insides coil into tiny knots. Is Tripp really going to eat dinner with us? This is something I never thought would happen. I marvel about how much I’ve fantasized about this exact thing happening. However, now that it is, I just feel sick. I stare at him, trying to figure out why he’s being so nice to me.
“ Leelee!” Ainsley squeals heading in my direction. She has Adam’s toy truck in her fist, and he’s fast approaching her. I know that any minute he will tackle her to the ground and pummel her. So I scoop her up.
“Adam, you can share with your sister,” I admonish him. “You have another car.” I indicate the other one nestled in the grass.
When he runs in the direction of it, Tripp turns
“Thanks,” I say, and I genuinely mean it. “I just can’t believe she was able to run off so fast. I only looked away for a few minutes.”
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Tripp says, mussing Ainsley’s hair with his hand. “She’s fine. Besides, Ainsley’s been here before, haven’t you?”
Ainsley smiles up at Tripp and I marvel at how even a two year old is smitten with him. “Well, I better get back before Mom notices us missing.” I reach for Ainsley’s hand, but she pulls away from me.
“Here.” Tripp sweeps her up into his arms and she squeals with delight. “I’ll help you get her back.”
I want to tell him that he doesn’t need to help me. Only I do actually desire help right now. I don’t feel like chasing Ainsley through the streets, and Tripp does have a handle on things. While Tripp walks beside me holding Ainsley, her little chubby legs kicking in the air, I pull Adam by the arm. Tripp’s woodsy scent wafts under my nose, causing my heart to flip in my chest. Last year I had one class with Tripp, and I remember smelling him through the whole period, fantasizing about being in his arms. I blush at the memory, glad that Tripp can’t read my mind.
“So , you were right, you know,” Tripp says, breaking through the silence.
“About what?”
“About the dance being lame.”
I give him a sidelong glance to try to figure out if he’s messing with me. “You and Sonya looked pretty cozy from my vantage point.”
“You saw us?” He cocks an eyebrow, and I feel like an idiot.
“No, I mean…well…yeah, but only because I came outside to help Paige carry in her overnight bag when she came over.”
Tripp nods. “I bet you two had more fun than we did.”
“ I thought you liked dances.”
“I never said I liked them.” He smiles at me. We reach my house and he drops Ainsley in the grass. I release Adam’s hand , and he resumes playing with his car.
“Then why did you go?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the kids.
He shrugs. “The same reason I do most things. It’s expected.”
Before I can ask what he means by that, Mom peeks outside. I hold my breath, wondering if she noticed we were gone earlier. “Hey.” She smiles calmly, and I surmise that this is the first time she’s checked on us. Her gaze lands on Tripp, and her smile deepens. She pushes away from the door and walks toward us. “You must be Tripp.”
My cheeks warm, and I stare hard at my feet.
“And you must be Mrs. Summers.” He holds out his hand.
“It’s actually Mrs. Haywood now, but you can call me Jenny.” I cringe at how nice Mom is being. It’s obvious that she thinks there is something going on with Tripp and me. “Are you staying for dinner, Tripp?”
I shake my head furiously at her from behind Tripp’s back, but she ignores me.
“I’d love to.” Tripp grins at her.
“Great. I’ll set another place.” Mom nods and turns around.
I glare at her back as she scurries back inside. When Tripp turns to me, I shake my head. “You don’t have to stay. If you need to head home, she’ll understand.”
Tripp shrugs. “My parents are gone for the evening. A home cooked meal with your family beats a TV dinner by myself.”
My insides coil into tiny knots. Is Tripp really going to eat dinner with us? This is something I never thought would happen. I marvel about how much I’ve fantasized about this exact thing happening. However, now that it is, I just feel sick. I stare at him, trying to figure out why he’s being so nice to me.
“ Leelee!” Ainsley squeals heading in my direction. She has Adam’s toy truck in her fist, and he’s fast approaching her. I know that any minute he will tackle her to the ground and pummel her. So I scoop her up.
“Adam, you can share with your sister,” I admonish him. “You have another car.” I indicate the other one nestled in the grass.
When he runs in the direction of it, Tripp turns
Similar Books
