Liars and Losers Like Us(51)
“No, it’s fine. Thanks,” I say plucking the flowers from his hand.
“They reminded me of your shoes.”
I drop my gaze and study my bare feet. “That’s cute, I mean, thanks. I love them. C’mon, let’s put these in water.”
We head to the kitchen and see a blue Post-it stuck to the table from Mom.
B–
Got called into school for mtg!!
Should be back before 12.
WE’LL DO BRUNCH.
XO Mom
“Last night was fun,” Sean says as I arrange the flowers into a vase. “I stopped by to see if you wanted to get breakfast.”
We’re interrupted by the sound of the garage door opening. A minute later, Mom appears, in a navy blue blazer and her heels already in her hand. “I’m so tired of these parents. Oh, hi.” Her eyes meet us at the table. “Good morning. I can’t believe you’re up so early.”
“Hi Miss Hughes. I mean Brenda. Good morning.” Sean gives my mom an awkward wave.
“Good morning, what are you two up to?” Mom eyes the flowers, then me. “You’re not trying to get out of going to brunch with me are you?”
Sean says, “I was just stopping by to say—”
“To say he wants to take me to brunch. So we could, uh, work on our poetry assignment together.”
Mom puckers her lips to the side. “Well, I have been up since 5:30 this morning. Had to meet with admin, and another teacher and then the parents of—well, you know, helicopter parent stuff. It’s been a long day already. I’d actually appreciate you filling in for me, Sean.”
Sean shrugs. “No problem.”
“Pretty flowers. Maybe you can make sure she gets home at a reasonable hour though. Sometime before two a.m.?”
Sean winces and adjusts the neck of his white T-shirt. “I apologize for that.”
“It’s fine, Mom. We’ll be back in a couple hours.” I tug at my sweatpants and notice my shirt is hugging me a little too close and way too sheerly. My face heats up as I cross my arms over my chest. I move my eyes from Mom to Sean. “Can you wait here while I change?”
I have no problem wearing my sweatpants and a T-shirt to grab something to eat, but I definitely need to put on a bra.
****
“If we run into Chip or Jane, I’m officially leaving this town,” I say to Sean, handing my 24/7 menu back to the waitress.
“I’m leaving this town if she forgets our order. I never trust a server when they don’t write it down.”
“I know.” I lean across the table, “Now we’re gonna have anxiety until our food comes. Will they scramble the eggs or bring ’em over easy? And if they’re scrambled are they gonna be scrambled well or runny? And if they’re scrambled well is she gonna forget the cheese? And if the cheese is there, is it gonna be Swiss instead of American?”
“Yes,” Sean smiles. “We should probably leave town right now.”
“Where would we go?” I ask, almost serious.
“I wonder how far we’d have to go to help Chip get over you?” Sean asks.
“I’m sorry about that. I’m not trying to pull you into some ABC family series called The Boy Who Wouldn’t Go Away.”
“Now that he knows we’re together, he should be fine. Guys are usually good like that.”
“Hope so, thanks again for that. Anyway.” I pluck my straw from its wrapper and drop it into my water. “Let’s talk about anything else but exes.”
“Sure.” Sean’s eyes meet mine and his gaze lowers to my chest. “How about we talk about that T-shirt you were wearing this morning. Wow.”
“Are you sexually harassing me?” I pick up my fork pointing the prongs at him.
“Yes. Yes, I am.” He snatches the fork and lays it in the middle of the table. “I might be scared of you holding a cup of coffee but I’m not worried about your forking skills.”
“Don’t remind me about the coffee. Forking skills, huh? Maybe you should be worried about my forking skills.”
“Whoa. Now who’s harassing who?” Sean leans in, squinting his eyes with a small smile. “First you wanna make out in the backseat, then that very little, very thin blue T-shirt and now you’re discussing your forking skills in a diner.”
The lilt in his voice kills me, it really does.
“I’m not, um, well … I’m … I haven’t technically …”
Sean shifts his eyes from the fork to my eyes. “Are you still talking about forks?”
I reach across and move his fork on top of the one between us. “See what these two forks are doing?” I check my peripheral vision to make sure no one is within earshot of my whisper. “I haven’t technically done that.”
“Oh that. Really? You haven’t?”
I’m not sure if he’s asking because he thinks I’m lying or that I’m some sort of freak. My face burns. My heart rate has bumped up to the fat burning zone right now. “Yeah, really.”
“Even with Chip?” Sean asks.
“Do you want me to be honest?” I fumble with my straw before taking a long sip of water.
“Uh, yes. That’s one of the things I like most about you.”