Sex, Not Love(12)

“Are you going alone to California?”

“Of course. Who else would I go with?”

She looked away. “That guy you went out with last week.”

I stopped unloading to give her my full attention. “No. That was just a date. And I don’t think I’ll be going out with him a second time.”

Her voiced pepped up. “Because of Dad?”

“No, honey, not because of your dad. My dating choices have nothing to do with your father. Brad and I just didn’t connect.”

“He was ugly.”

I’d recently forced myself to start dating again. I didn’t have time to do it often, but when I did, I made sure not to bring them around for Izzy to meet.

My brows furrowed. “How do you know what he looked like?”

“You left your Mac open to Match.com when I borrowed it.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“He didn’t look like your type.”

Translation. He looked nothing like your father. “I’m trying to date outside my type.”

“Why would you do that?”

The truth was, I was attempting to avoid gorgeous men who swept me off my feet and out of my senses. But Izzy was smart enough to understand what I meant if I said that. And I’d vowed not to put her father down when speaking to her, no matter how tempting it often could be. Every little girl should be allowed to idolize her father and make her own decisions as she grew up. Someday Izzy might see Garrett for who he was, but I wouldn’t be the one to open her eyes.

“To be honest, I think I was too closed-minded when I was younger,” I told her. “If a boy wasn’t cool enough or good looking enough, I really didn’t give him a chance. I judged a book by its cover, so to speak. Since I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that by doing that, you miss out on some pretty amazing people. So I’ve been trying not to focus on the silly stuff I used to.”

Izzy was quiet for a moment. “My friends make fun of this boy Yakshit…well, because his name is Yak-shit, and his nose is sort of big. He moved here from India last year. He’s in my science research class, and he plays on the boy’s basketball team. But he’s nice and makes me laugh.”

Wow. I was momentarily taken aback by Izzy’s sharing of…well, anything. “Yeah. Kids can be cruel. Let’s face it, adults can be cruel, too. I’m glad you’re friends with Yakshit.”

Her eyes dropped, and I realized she was telling me more.

“Izzy, you like this boy...as a boyfriend?”

The tiny bit she’d opened up to stick her neck out slammed shut as she recoiled into her shell. “I didn’t say that.”

“It’s okay if you do. You’re almost sixteen. I liked boys at your age.”

She chanced a glance up at me. “Dad says I can’t go out with boys until I’m twenty-one.”

I reached over and squeezed her hand to catch her attention again. “I’m never going to tell you to ignore something your father says. He’s your father, and any advice he gives you is worth consideration. However, what goes on day-to-day here in our home, so long as we’re open and honest about it with each other, is between you and me. We need to trust each other with these things. Just like I told you about my date with Brad. We’re in this together, Izzy.”

She looked away, but nodded.

It was more than she normally allowed me to have from her.

“I’m going to go finish packing for Nanna’s.”

I smiled. “Okay. We’ll leave in about a half hour, and I’ll drop you on the way to the airport.”

My planned thirty-minute departure turned into an hour. Since I was running late, I said goodbye to Izzy at the door of Garrett’s mother’s house. “Be good. I’ll only be gone a few days.”

“Whatever.”

“Oh. And I joined Snapchat. Accept my friend request or follow request—whatever you do on that thing. I figured we can text and send pictures.”

Izzy looked horrified. “Please don’t do that. I’m not adding you on Snapchat.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not a place where you connect with your mom.”

With your mom. She hadn’t even realized what she’d said. And perhaps she was just generalizing, but I chose to take it as something more meaningful. I walked back to her and engulfed her in a big hug.

“I love you, Isabella.”

Her face softened for a brief moment before her teenage shield set back into place. “I’m still not adding you.”

I walked down the stoop. Garrett’s mom smiled and nodded her approval. “I’ll text you when I land.”

“You’re going to be in L.A. Text me some pictures of celebrities, or hot guys at least.”

“I only post those on Snapchat. You’ll have to follow me to see them,” I yelled as I got back into the waiting cab.

Pulling the door closed, I waved one last time and mumbled to myself, “Plus, you’re keeping away from the good-looking ones, Nat. Remember?”

Famous last words.





Chapter 7


Natalia




Flying into LAX always amused me.

Drivers in suits were two layers deep behind a gated area next to baggage claim. I read their signs as I stepped off the escalator, rolling my carry-on luggage.