All I Want(78)

Amory was listening carefully and then speaking in return, the polar opposite of the body language of her brother. Her arms waved, her face became animated, and her voice got high and excited. She was seriously adorable.

And though Parker wouldn’t like to know it, so was he. Cocking his head, he listened to everything she said without interrupting her. When she’d wound down, he spoke again and Amory clearly hung on every single word with rapt adoration.

Zoe’s heart sighed. She knew the feeling. She suspected that she’d often looked at Parker the same way. “What was the plan after getting married?” Zoe asked Henry.

“She wanted to see snow,” Henry said. “But I don’t think we have enough money to get all the way to Glacier Park.”

“Montana?” she asked, surprised.

“Yeah, they still have snow, right?” Henry asked. “I searched it on my phone and couldn’t find any other place that had snow at this time of year.” He looked uncertain. “But Montana’s pretty far from here.”

“It sure is.” Zoe whipped out her phone, sent a text, and then waited.

In the front row, Parker pulled his phone from his pocket and eyed the screen, and then craned his neck and stared at her.

She smiled.

He smiled back and shook his head, like maybe she was a complete nut. Well, that or she was annoying as shit, but she was really hoping it was the former.

Parker murmured something to Amory, who squealed so high-pitched that Zoe’s eardrums nearly burst. She was looking around to see if the windows had shattered when Amory bolted up the aisle and threw herself at Zoe.

“You would do that? Really?” Amory shrieked. She was much shorter than Parker and also a little bit wider, but they had the same irresistible smile.

Zoe hugged her back. “Yes. And hi.”

“Hi!” Amory grinned. “I’m Amory, nice to meet you, you’re the best girlfriend Parker’s ever had!”

“Uh . . .” Zoe looked over Amory’s head at Parker. “I’m not Parker’s girlfriend.”

Amory’s head came up. “But you’re a girl and you’re his friend.”

Well, when she put it like that . . .

Amory skipped over to Henry. “Guess what?”

He smiled helplessly at her, like she was the best thing he’d ever seen. “What?”

“We’re going to Glacier Park!” Amory yelled. “Where there’s snow! Parker’s girlfriend’s going to fly us! In an airplane! She’s a pilot!”

Henry slid a look at Zoe before looking back to Amory. “So we’re not getting married today?”

“Let’s do this instead!” Amory jumped up and down in excitement. “Does that work for you?”

Henry smiled sweetly at her. “Whatever works for you works for me.”

Zoe felt her heart melt.

“Can we leave now?” Amory asked. “Can we? Can we?”

“Yes,” Zoe said. “Well, as soon as I can get a flight plan filed and arrange for a rental car in Glacier Park. In under an hour, certainly.”

Parker slid an arm around Amory’s shoulders. “Yes, but—”

“Uh-oh,” Amory said, smile fading fast. “You didn’t mean it?”

“You know I always mean what I say, Am. Always.”

Amory stared at him and then slowly nodded.

“Just like when I tell you I’m going to do something, I do it,” he said.

Again she just looked at him and then nodded.

“So now I want the same from you. I want you to tell me you’re going to do something—actually two somethings—and then follow through so that I can trust you as much as you trust me.”

Again Amory gave this some thought and then nodded. “What things?”

“Call Mom and Dad,” he said. “Tell them where you are and where we’re going. That’s what a grownup does, Amory; they act responsibly.”

“Did your girlfriend have to call her mom and dad first?” Amory looked at Zoe. “Did you?”

“No,” Parker said, answering for her. “Because we’re already grownups.”

“And I’m not his girlfriend,” Zoe said again.

Amory looked at Parker. “Did you forget to ask her to be your girlfriend? You know you have to ask, right? Henry asked me a long time ago.”

“We’re talking about you,” Parker said firmly.

“It’d be more fun to talk about you,” Amory muttered.

“Be a grownup,” Parker said, ignoring her pout. “And when you start doing that, you’ll find people much more willing to trust you to live your life the way you want to.”

She blinked. “What’s the other thing I have to do?”

“Promise me that you and Henry will just enjoy being eighteen for a while. There’s no reason to rush anything. I promise to come see you more often. And when the time is right, I’ll help you guys get married, if that’s still what you want.”

Amory was still staring at him, her mouth open a little as she took it all in.

“Anything you don’t understand?” Parker asked.

“I understand,” Amory said. “But I don’t like some of it.”