Be the Girl(18)

“Can AJ come?”

Mark shrugs, glancing at me. “Sure, if that’s what—”

“She’s coming to Zach’s with me,” Emmett cuts in.

“Hold on. I didn’t approve that,” Mom says.

“Mom.” I stare at her, trying to convey with my eyes how badly I want to go. If I miss out on a night with Emmett, I will never forgive her.

“Maybe you should spend some time with Cassie tonight,” she says softly.

“It’s just a small group of kids from school, Mrs. Jones,” Emmett offers in a cordial tone.

“Call me Debra, please.” Her lips purse as she studies my pleading eyes. “Is this a gathering that would be suitable for my fifteen-year-old daughter?”

“Almost sixteen,” I clarify through gritted teeth, my cheeks burning.

“No drinking,” Emmett promises.

She gives him a flat look. “I’m not na?ve.”

He holds his hands in the air. “I have a game tomorrow so I’m driving and coming home by midnight.”

I can see the struggle within Mom’s eyes.

“If there’s one thing my son takes seriously, it’s being well rested for his games,” Heather adds, and I silently thank her for the motherly seal of approval.

Mom takes a deep breath. “Fine. As long as she’s with you and you’re home by eleven.”

“Mom!”

“Eleven is fine.” Emmett smirks. “I can use the extra sleep.”

I let out a long, shaky breath, struggling to keep my excitement at bay.

That’s when I notice Cassie is staring at her plate with a crestfallen face. Heather’s hand is smoothing over her back in a comforting manner, her pained eyes flickering to Mark.

What must it be like for Cassie, to be told she can’t go to a party, but meanwhile I’m going with her brother? I’m technically only three months older than she is. How many times has she been told no to going out like other teenagers do?

Guilt for choosing the party with Emmett over a movie with her overwhelms me.

I think fast. “Hey, Cassie, do you want to go to the movies tomorrow afternoon to see that one you mentioned?”

Her eyes widen and then light up, the party at Zach’s temporarily forgotten. “Teen Queen? I really want to see that.”

I know. She’s only mentioned it every day this week. “Do you want to go with me?” I have no idea what it’s about, but I saw the name on the marquee as Mom and I passed the theater today and I thought of Cassie.

She looks to Heather, a strange—almost terrified—expression on her face. “Can I go?” she whispers.

Heather’s shoulders sag with relief. “Of course. That sounds like a great idea.” She flashes an appreciative smile at me. “I can drop you two off.”

“Alone? You mean, just AJ and me?”

“Yes.”

Cassie, already beaming, lets out an excited squeal that earns Uncle Merv’s grimace. “Oh Lord,” he grumbles.

I can’t help but laugh as I meet Emmett’s gaze.

To find his soft smile as he regards me.





The engine of Emmett’s SUV is already running when I rush across the lawn, five minutes late, adjusting the collar of the navy-blue boatneck shirt I threw on.

“Hurry up, before Cassie and my dad get home.” His wary eyes are on the street as I slide into the passenger seat.

“I thought she was okay with this?” I fasten my seat belt, discreetly inhaling the clean scent of his cologne. Emmett has changed too, into a pair of dark-wash jeans and a charcoal-gray T-shirt that clings to his torso without being too tight.

“She is, but if she sees us leaving, she’ll forget how excited she is about tomorrow and focus on what she’s missing tonight. And then she’ll cry that she’s being left out and I’ll feel like an asshole.” His voice sounds heavy as he puts the car in drive. “That was nice of you, by the way, offering to take her to the movies.”

I shrug. “I don’t have any plans tomorrow.”

His mouth curves with a secretive smile.

“What?”

“Nothing, just … you’ve never watched a movie with Cassie before.”

“Why? What happens?” I ask warily.

“Nothing bad.” He laughs. “You’ll see.”

I’m distracted from pushing for more information by my mom’s silhouette in my bedroom window, watching us drive away. My guess is she’ll be hunting for my journal as soon as we’ve rounded the corner. I don’t think she’ll find it. I tucked it under a loose floorboard I found under the desk while I was dragging furniture around to paint the walls. It’s a pain to fetch, but it was the best hiding spot I could find.

“Kind of surprised your mom didn’t change her mind about letting you out.” Emmett makes a right turn at the end of our street.

“Oh, she did. That’s why I was late. I had to pry the shackles from my ankles. Thank God for that hacksaw Uncle Merv keeps by the door.”

Emmett chuckles.

“Seriously though, he keeps a hacksaw behind the front door.” Mom questioned him about it the other day. He said it’s to trim all the damn branches.

“She seems a little overprotective.”