Sex, Not Love(54)

Izzy buried her head in her hands. “I blurted out, ‘You, you dope. I wanted to go with you.’ We were in Science Research class, and everyone had been talking because the teacher hadn’t come in yet. My back was to the door, and I didn’t see her come in right before I yelled it. I swear, the entire class shut up when I said it. Everyone heard.”

“Wow. Oh my. How did that go over?”

“A couple of people snickered. But Yakshit just stared at me. I thought I’d freaked him out. So after class, I bolted and ignored him when he tried to talk to me. I managed to keep away from him all day until after practice. He waited outside the locker room for me to come out.”

“Did you two talk?”

“He talked. I was so embarrassed that I didn’t say much.”

“And…”

“He said he would’ve rather gone to the dance with me, but he didn’t think I liked him. He thought I liked Chad Siegler.”

“Who’s that?”

“Some boring guy who plays on the basketball team. He’s basically Marcus. He’s cute, I guess. But boring as shit.”

I laughed, even though I probably should’ve corrected her language. But Izzy and I were talking about boys. Who would’ve ever thought we’d get here?

“Why did he think you liked Chad?”

“I have no idea.”

“Well, is Yakshit still going to the dance with Brittany?”

“He told me he was going to tell her he couldn’t go so we could go together. But I told him not to. I said to go with her. The dance is next week, and it’s not fair to Brittany if he dumps her to take me. It’s my own fault he’s going with her because I didn’t have the nerve to ask him.”

“That’s very considerate of you.”

She shrugged. “He said he wants to take me to the movies.”

“Did you say yes?”

“I told him to have a good time at the dance and ask me after if he still wants to.”

“Wow.”

She stared out the window in silence for a while before speaking again. “Do I have to tell Dad about him if I go to the movies?”

I knew my ex-husband. He’d be adamant that she couldn’t date until she was twenty-one. While I didn’t love the idea of her dating, she would be sixteen in two weeks, and it was going to happen whether we allowed it or not. I was basically a single mom and the only mother figure she had—except for her grandmother who treated her like she was still three years old. We were going to have to trust each other.

“That’s up to you, Izzy. But he won’t hear it from me if you decide to not share it with him. However, you and I need to talk about these things. Okay?”

When I glanced over at her, I saw she was relieved. “Okay.”

Our visit with Garrett was typical. He tried to talk to me, and I retreated to a table alone, keeping a watchful eye on the two of them while reading a book. When the visit was almost over, I went over to their table to walk out with Izzy. Neither of them looked happy. But it wasn’t the same type of upset that sometimes hits Izzy when it was time to go—that was usually sadness. Instead today, my stepdaughter had her arms crossed and looked pissed. And my ex-husband was scowling.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” She squinted at her father.

Shit. This was about me.

He gave her a stern look and a matching tone. “Give us a few minutes alone, Isabella.”

Izzy looked up to her father. I’d never seen her defiant toward him before. “No,” she spat. “I’m not going to leave you alone so you can give Nat the third degree. It’s none of your business what she does or who she spends time with.”

My eyes widened.

Garrett spoke between clenched teeth. “Go wait by the door, Isabella.”

Izzy stood, and for a second, I thought she was caving. Until she turned to face me. “You ready, Nat?”

I glanced back and forth between my ex-husband and stepdaughter, trying to figure out the right thing to do. I hated for her to leave him angry. If she regretted whatever had been said, she didn’t have tomorrow to make it all good again. It would be another month before we were back for our next visit.

Hoping I made the right decision, I looked at Garrett. “Izzy is growing up to be a pretty amazing person. She’s really matured and has come into her own lately.” My eyes caught with hers. “So while I hate you two fighting, I support her, and if she’s ready to leave, we’re going to be going now. Goodbye, Garrett. See you next month.”

Izzy gave her father one last look. “Bye, Dad.” And we walked out together.

I expected her to break down after we made our way out of the prison. But she didn’t. Izzy was quiet as we collected our things from the locker and walked to the car.