Call It What You Want(28)

I wish I’d split that forty bucks with Owen.

As soon as I have the thought, guilt washes over me. The money we once had was stolen. It’s not like Dad gambled it away or lost it in the stock market. I’ve taken enough, and I don’t need to buy dinner at a rinky-dink Mexican restaurant on someone else’s dime. Mom will have something on the table in an hour. A soda is fine. Hell, water is fine.

I shouldn’t regret giving Owen all of it.

If I regret anything at all, it should be the stealing.

But I don’t.

The lunch lady said I should have been more judicious with my money.

I’m still angry about that. If some kid with money came through the line and bought six orders of french fries, would she make a dig? Of course not.

But then again, some kid with money wouldn’t have been eating free cheese sandwiches all year. I still can’t decide if that matters. That’s not Owen’s fault. It’s not like he picked his mom.

Then again, it’s not like I picked my dad.

I wonder if my father made justifications like this.

“Are you okay?” Maegan says.

I run a hand through my hair, ruffling the sweat out of it. “Yeah, no. I’m fine.” I set the menu aside and take a sip of my water. At least that’s free.

She doesn’t stop studying me. “So, was that a yes or a no?”

Her sister can pummel me on the field, but Maegan is the one who can pin me down with words. She’s quieter, but that just means she spends more time thinking. I dodge her gaze. “I’m all right.”

“Dad’s buying dinner,” Samantha announces. “He gave me his credit card yesterday to fill the car up with gas, so now it’s on him.”

“You don’t have to do that.” I can’t take money from a cop. Especially a cop who was kind to me once.

“Oh, we’re doing it,” Samantha says. “I’m sick of being cooped up in the house with them. And I owe you for coming over to play. I’ve been dying just tossing a ball at the bounce-back.”

“Anytime,” I say. “I know the feeling.”

“Tomorrow?”

Maegan nearly chokes on her water. I can’t tell if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I can’t tell if I want it to be a good thing or a bad thing. I’ve completely forgotten how to be around girls. There’s no challenge when most of them are throwing themselves at you. It’s a little different when none of them will give you the time of day.

My thoughts are all over the place. Maybe I’m misreading simple courtesy for flirting. Like when she sat in the back of class, under the pretense of being fair.

Or maybe not.

Samantha is still waiting for an answer. As usual, I’ve been sitting here twisting my thoughts into knots for too long.

“I can’t ditch my mom every night,” I say. “Friday?”

“Deal.”

“As long as your dad isn’t going to be waiting on the porch with a shotgun.”

“I’ll check his schedule first,” says Maegan.

That’s reassuring.

A waiter comes to the table. He’s around our age, but I don’t know him. He looks like he’d hang with the hipster crowd, with wild orange hair and thick-rimmed glasses. His name tag reads Craig.

“Hi, again,” he says, his eyes locked on Samantha. His voice is almost breathy.

Wow. I may have forgotten how to act around girls, but I can at least keep from slobbering. This guy isn’t even subtle.

I mean, I get it, but Maegan’s sister is a little too intense for me. She’s definitely too intense for him.

Especially since she blinks at him. “Again?”

Maegan smacks her on the shoulder. “Hi, Craig.”

“Oh. Right.” Samantha folds her menu closed. “We want the guacamole. And the taco platter. And the flauta platter. And the fajitas. And the—”

“Are we expecting a crowd?” Maegan says.

“I’m hungry.” Samantha looks at me. “What do you want?”

Now that we’re talking about food, I’m starving. It’s like the mention of guacamole turned on the food receptors in my brain. “I’m fine. Nothing. I’ll eat with my mom.”

Samantha looks at Craig. “Two taco platters.” Then she turns to Maegan. “What do you want?”

“I’m pretty sure there will be enough to share.”

Craig makes a note on his pad and rushes off. But not before offering a quick smile for Samantha.

“He is so obsessed with you,” Maegan says under her breath to her sister.

“Oh my god. He is not.”

“He is,” I offer.

Both their eyes shift to me, and I almost blush. I’m still getting used to having company around me. “I’m surprised he didn’t ‘accidentally’ fall into your lap.”

Samantha’s eyes light up, but only for a moment. Then her face falls. “Too complicated. I still don’t know what to do about David.”

I hesitate. “The father?”

“Yeah.” She rubs her hands over her face. “I keep wanting to call him, but he’s blocked me. Megs says I can use her phone, but … What do you think?”

For a minute, I don’t realize she’s asking my advice. “What do I think?”