Lying Out Loud(35)

Before I could change my mind, I found an envelope in Mr. Rush’s desk. I shoved the letter inside, scribbled the to and from addresses, and smacked on a stamp. I’d ask Mr. and Mrs. Rush permission to give their home number tomorrow morning. If they said no, I wouldn’t send it.

But if they said it was okay, I didn’t want any excuse not to drop the letter in the mail.

I put the envelope on the breakfast table, where I wouldn’t be able to hide from it come morning, then I ran back upstairs, buried my face in my pillows, and spent the rest of the night panicking.





I had hopes of sleeping in on the first day of Christmas break. There was no school and my bookstore shift didn’t start until the afternoon.

Amy, however, had other plans.

The guest room door burst open at eight-thirty that morning. “They got here early!” she squealed as she dashed past my bed to the window, which looked out onto the Rushes’ driveway.

“Mmmm,” I groaned, but I forced myself to sit up. Amy hadn’t been this excited about something in a while, especially not since the awkward flirting incident a few weeks ago. “Who’s here early?”

“Wesley and Bianca!” She hopped up and down as she watched a car pull up outside. She turned and made a dash for the door. “Come on!”

I dragged myself out of bed and followed her downstairs.

Very few things in life got Amy this animated. In fact, only three things: puppies, private Shakespeare recitations, and Wesley.

My feet had just touched the bottom step when the front door opened and a pack of Rushes, plus one, spilled in, along with a burst of cold December wind. Amy shrieked and threw herself at the tallest Rush, who greeted her with open arms.

When Amy detached herself from her brother, she turned and repeated the performance with the shorter, auburn-haired girl at his side.

“Hey, Amy,” Bianca said, patting her awkwardly on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you, too.”

At first glance, Bianca didn’t fit in with the Rush family. She was a good half foot shorter than even Mrs. Rush, who was the smallest member of the family. She wore tattered jeans, T-shirts, and faded red Converse, where they wore polished, expensive clothes most people in this town couldn’t afford.

At first glance, Bianca seemed … more like me.

But if you looked closer, at the way they welcomed her, at the way Wesley looked at her, it made perfect sense. Bianca was smart and funny and, from what Amy had told me, she’d played a role in bringing the family back together a few years ago, when it had all but fallen apart. And now, she was part of it.

I didn’t know her that well, but it was clear she belonged with this family.

Meanwhile, I suddenly felt like an intruder. Just some kid mooching off their generosity. Which was why I stayed put on the stairs. As glad as I was to see Wesley, I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt the family reunion happening before me.

But Wesley, who towered over everyone else in the family, only took a second to notice.

“Sonny!” he called, waving me over for a hug. “So Amy finally convinced our parents to let her keep you, huh? It’s about time.”

I laughed and accepted the quick hug. “It’s nice to see you, Wesley.”

“Is it?” he asked. “I’ve texted you a few times, but you never replied. I thought maybe you were too cool for me now.”

“Oh, I am,” I assured him. “But, also, my phone is broken. I’ve been using Amy’s.”

Which reminded me that I had a few text messages from Ryder to delete.

“It’s nice to see you again, Sonny,” Bianca said.

“You, too. How’s New York?”

“Cold.”

“Luckily, she’s got me to warm her up,” Wesley said, putting an arm around her. Bianca rolled her eyes.

“Well, I hate to cut this short,” Mr. Rush said, glancing at his watch. “But I’m sure Bianca’s father will be eager to see her. We can’t hog all her time.”

“I’ll take her home,” Wesley said, grabbing a set from the hook by the door. The keys to his beloved Porsche.

He hadn’t taken it with him to New York. I guess there wasn’t much of a need for it there. But he was clearly excited to get behind the wheel now that he was home.

“Come back over soon,” Amy said. “We have to catch up.”

“Obviously,” Bianca said.

And as quickly as they’d arrived, Wesley and Bianca swept back out the door, while Amy, her parents, and I migrated to the kitchen for breakfast.

“I’m so glad they’re home,” Amy was saying as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. “It’s nice to have the whole family together again.”

“It is,” Mrs. Rush agreed.

A knot twisted in my stomach, and I found myself blinking back sudden tears. I cleared my throat.

“Um, Mr. Rush? Has there been any mail for me?”


Mr. Rush had just filled a mug with coffee. He looked at me over the rim, his eyes knowing. He’d been the one to put my letter in the mail, so he knew exactly why I was asking.

“No, Sonny,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you expecting something?” Amy asked.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, the ache in my chest growing as I watched the Rushes bustle around the kitchen, laughing as they bumped into each other and tripped over one another’s feet. “But I probably shouldn’t be.”