Maureen was speaking again. “Nice to meet you, but I need to get the paint monster back to my mom before he does real damage. Graham! Get a move on, we’re going to Granny’s house.”
The other parents were straggling in to retrieve their children, and by four o’clock, my classroom was empty. I finished cleaning up and lit out for the farm. I had a date, and I needed time to prepare.
No one was home yet when I got back to the farm. Ali had put pork chops in the slow cooker for dinner, and they smelled delicious. I high-tailed it to my room, where I stripped off my teacher clothes and jumped into the bathtub.
Tonight wouldn’t be our first time having sex, but in my mind, that night in the truck on the side of the road only partly counted. We’d almost been animals that night, mad for each other, and while the intensity was still there in spades, tonight we’d have time to enjoy each other. So I wanted to be perfect. I used my favorite citrus body wash and shaved every part of my body that qualified for that attention.
I had just climbed out of the tub and wrapped myself in a towel when I heard Ali and Bridget get home. Ali stuck her head through the doorway. “Hey. Whatcha doing?”
“I ...” Licking my lips, I tried for a smile. “I have a date. So ... I was getting ready.”
Ali’s eyes wandered down my body, and she grinned. “My brother’s taking you on a date?”
“Yeah. I don’t know where or what. He just told me to meet him at the truck at eight.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Oooooh. Well, then I guess I’ll just say I won’t be waiting up.”
My face burned, and Ali laughed. “In case you’re wondering, no, I’m not going to make this any easier on you. It’s too much fun, seeing the two of you tortured with having to behave yourselves.”
“Thanks.” I tucked the edge of the towel in to the top, securing it against my chest. “I have no idea what to wear, since I don’t know what we’re doing.”
Ali came in and flopped onto the bed. “Around here, you can’t go wrong with jeans. If you’re leaving at eight, he’s not taking you into the city for a fancy dinner. There’s a movie house in Summerville, but jeans would work for that, too.”
“Good thinking.” I pulled out my favorite pair of soft and faded denim and flipped hangers in the closet, looking for a shirt. “Hey, can I ask you something?” I glanced over my shoulder.
“I’m not helping you pick out sexy underwear for tonight. Sorry, I know it’s a girlfriend thing, but when it’s for my brother to see—there’s way too much eww.”
“No, silly.” I shook my head. “I don’t need help with that.” I thought of the expression on his face whenever he lifted my shirt and saw a new bra, and I smiled. “I know what he likes.”
“Way TMI.” Ali shuddered.
“Speaking of which ... I met Maureen Evans today. She came by to pick up Graham.”
Hurt and sadness flickered over Ali’s face. “Oh.”
“I didn’t make the connection at first, but then when I told her where I was living this summer, she got the same look on her face that you have now. She said you used to be friends.”
Ali grabbed one of my pillows and turned onto her stomach. “Yeah, we were. Until her brother left town, and me, and their whole family. I think they blamed me, which was ironic, considering I was the one trying to talk him into staying.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up a painful subject.” I drew a black lace bra and a matching scrap of material that passed for panties out of my drawer and stepped into the bathroom to change, talking to her through the door.
“It’s not your fault. I was really close to all of the Evans until graduation, and then ... I wasn’t. They were like my surrogate family. Maureen was okay with me until I married Craig.”
“And none of them suspected ... ?” I pointed out toward the living room, where I could hear the TV show Bridget was watching.
“I don’t think so. No one ever said anything to me.”
“So Graham is her cousin.” I kept my voice quiet.
Ali laughed, but the sound didn’t have much humor. “Yep. Her one and only.” She shot me a meaningful look. “For now.”
I raised my hands. “Oh, no, my friend. No strings attached, remember? Summer-only deal. No babies. You’re on your own.”
“I’m not that sorry Bridge doesn’t know he’s related to her. That kid’s a piece of work.”
“Yeah, even Maureen said that. She said he’s spoiled because he’s the only grandchild.”