“I have to change and brush my teeth and fix my hair!” She pushes me out of the room with Toby and shuts the door.
“Well, that’s interesting,” Toby says.
“What?”
“She practically threw you into my arms.”
Oh, I wish. I smile and rock on my feet, not sure what to do with myself. “Don’t you have to call Ryder?”
“He’s already on his way.”
I laugh. “You knew she’d say yes.”
“Of course. She’s my twin.”
“So what’s this all about?”
He pulls me down the hall and into his room. My heart hammers, wondering if he’s going to kiss me again. “I don’t want Tori to hear us.”
“Oh.” My whole body deflates.
“I thought if we all hang out, she’d open up to the idea of you and me hanging out.”
Makes sense. I nod.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“Nothing. It’s a good plan.”
“Glad you think so.” He smiles and steps toward me. “Can I just say one thing?”
Uh-oh. “Sure.”
“The next time you stay over, make sure you bring your own pajamas. It’s so weird looking at you in my sister’s clothing.”
I laugh. “Got it.”
Guess that means no stolen kisses tonight.
Chapter Eight
Ryder is a total popcorn hog, but Tori doesn’t seem to care. She’s staring at him like a lovesick puppy. Luckily, that means she hasn’t even acknowledged Toby and me. He managed to get himself a spot next to me at the head of the bed, while Ryder and Tori sit on the pillows on the floor. It really does feel like we’re on a double date, only Toby hasn’t even tried to touch me. I sneak glances at him, but he’s totally into the movie.
“Oh man, we’re out of popcorn,” Ryder says, holding up the empty bowl.
Tori hits pause on the movie and grabs Ryder’s arm. “Come on. You can help me make more.” There is nothing subtle about the look in her eye or the way she’s rubbing his arm. The girl has no shame. I kind of envy her for that.
“Be right back,” Ryder says, wagging his eyebrows at Toby.
“Does that bother you?” I motion to them as they head downstairs. “Your best friend with your sister?”
“Should it?” He cocks his head at me, and I get what he’s saying. I’m Tori’s best friend and he’s her brother.
“Is that why you did this? Do you think setting them up will make it easier for—?” I stop, realizing I just implied he and I are trying to get together. We’ve only kissed once. How could I jump to that conclusion so quickly?
He smiles. “You need to relax, Becca.”
No chance of that. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—” He reaches for my hand, and I shut up.
“I’m not going to lie to you. I have no idea if this is going to work. I’m just trying to find ways around Tori getting mad at you.”
I nod. No girl wants to hear the words “I have no idea if this is going to work” from the guy she wants to date.
He squeezes my hand. “I want it to work though, and I’ll keep trying until I find something that does.”
Much better. I catch myself staring at his lips, wanting to feel them against mine. But can I really go there again before we figure out what to do about Tori? I look away. “So, do you like the movie?”
“It’s a little predictable. I mean, killer moves to town, people show up missing, and then bodies are found. Everyone but the main character is chopped to little pieces. Been there, done that.”
“Oh? You’ve done that?” I laugh.
“Well, no, I haven’t done that. You know what I mean.” He bumps his shoulder into mine.
“What the hell?” Tori comes back into the room, holding a full bowl of popcorn.
Toby discreetly removes his hand from mine. “Where’s Ryder? Did you scare him off?”
She glares at him. “He’s in the bathroom, genius.” She looks at me. “Is he bothering you?”
“No. We were just talking.”
“Why?” she asks, as if it’s the craziest thing in the world.
“Did you expect us to sit here and stare at the walls until you two got back?” Toby asks. “I mean, it’s not like we were groping each other, which I’m guessing I can’t say the same for you and Ryder.”
She pats her hair down. “That’s none of your business.”
Oh my God! She hooked up with Ryder already. I give her a knowing smile, and she winks at me. It’s a little disturbing that she and Toby both do the whole winking thing, but I shrug it off.
After Ryder returns, we finish the movie and say goodnight. Tori insists on walking Ryder to the door, most likely to steal another kiss. Toby lingers in her room, his hands in his pockets. “So, I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Yeah.” Will there be a goodnight kiss for us?
He turns and walks out of the room, and my heart sinks.
***
I wake up to the smell of pancakes and bacon. Tori is still out cold, probably dreaming of Ryder, so I slip out of bed. I use the brush I always carry in my bag to tame my hair, and then I head to the bathroom. Luckily Tori’s mom has an extra toothbrush for me to use, so I brush my teeth, take one more look in the mirror to make sure I’m presentable, and head to the kitchen.
Mr. and Mrs. Michaels are seated at the dining room table, already eating.
“Good morning, Becca,” Mrs. Michaels says.
Mr. Michaels looks up from his paper and nods.
“Good morning. The food smells great.”
“Sit down. Toby made enough to feed an army.”
“Toby?” I sit down next to Mrs. Michaels and put my napkin in my lap.
“He’s our little chef.” She beams with pride.
“Who are you calling little?” Toby walks in, wearing an apron and holding a plate of pancakes.
“Nice apron.” I can’t help myself.
“You be quiet. Mom bought it for me.” He smiles as he puts the plate in front of me. “Like pancakes?”
“Who doesn’t?”
He sits next to me and pours me a glass of orange juice.
“Thanks.”
“It’s so nice to see we’re raising a gentleman,” Mrs. Michaels says, giving Toby a wink. Apparently winking is a family thing.
“Thanks again for letting me stay over last night, Mr. and Mrs. Michaels.”
“You’re welcome any time. I haven’t seen Toby and Tori watch a movie together in ages. It was a nice surprise, so thank you for that.”
“Oh, well, it was Toby’s idea.” I take a sip of my orange juice.
Mrs. Michaels leans closer to me. “He’s the well-mannered twin.”
“Yup, and I’m the devil twin,” Tori says, coming up behind us.
“No, sweetie. You’re just a little rough around the edges, but we love you just the same.”
I love how weird this family is. My parents are great, but they’re pretty much typical parents. They worry. They work. And they do everything for me. Weird is actually really refreshing.
“What’s got you so happy this morning?” Tori asks Toby as she sits down across from me.
Toby raises his glass and eyes me around it. “Nothing. Just felt like making pancakes.”
“And bacon.” Tori takes a heaping forkful of bacon and drops it onto her plate. The girl can eat like no one I’ve ever met, and she doesn’t gain an ounce. If I didn’t love her, I’d hate her for that.
“So”—Mr. Michaels puts the paper down—“what’s everyone up to today?”
“I was planning to go shopping,” Tori says, going back for another forkful of bacon.
“How much is on your credit card already?” Mr. Michaels asks.
Tori rolls her eyes. “I’ve got it under control, Dad.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her, Mr. Michaels. I have to return a top I bought but didn’t like.”
His brow wrinkles. “Why did you buy it if yo
u didn’t like it?”
“Tori made her buy it,” Toby says.
“Excuse me, but she happens to look amazing in that shirt.” Tori points her fork at me. “You are so not returning it.”
“Don’t tell her what to do,” Toby says.
Okay, maybe being an only child isn’t so bad. “Tori didn’t make me buy the shirt. I thought I wanted a change, but I—”
“Changed your mind?” Toby asks.
“Exactly. That’s all.” I look at Tori. “I’m returning the shirt.”
“Suit yourself, but I think you’re making a huge mistake.”
“How can returning a shirt be a huge mistake?” Toby asks.
I force my pancakes down as quickly as I can and stand up. “Well, I have to get going. Thanks again for having me and for the pancakes.”
“Anytime, dear,” Mrs. Michaels says.
“I’ll walk you out.” Tori gets up, but I hold a hand out to stop her.
“Finish eating. I think I can find my way out.”
She shrugs and sits back down.
I clear my plate and head upstairs to change and get my bag. This time I change in Tori’s room, folding her pajamas and leaving them on her desk chair. I grab my bag and open the door. Toby comes up the stairs and motions for me to follow him to his room. I don’t get my hopes up.
He shuts the door behind us and turns to me. “Sorry about that. Guess my plan didn’t work as well as I hoped it would.”
“Don’t worry about it. Tori’s not a morning person.”
“I was going to say she’s a cranky bitch in the morning, but we can go with ‘not a morning person.’”
“Wow, you guys are worse than usual lately. I’ve never seen you fight this much.”
“You caught us on a bad decade.” He smiles.
“So you two haven’t been close since you were seven?” I think back to what they were like at that age. I’m pretty sure they fought over little things like toys and who got control of the TV remote—typical kid stuff. Nothing like this though. What happened to them, and how didn’t I realize it had gotten this bad?
He pauses like he’s thinking about it and then nods. “Sounds about right.”
“That’s awful.”
“There’s always next decade.”
“Stop making jokes. I seriously don’t want to cause any fights between you two. You said you’re worried about my friendship with Tori, but I’m worried about your relationship with her too.”
“Trust me, if Tori and I don’t get along, you’re the last reason on a long list.”
I shake my head. “That’s just terrible.”
“Hey, she’s my sister and I love her. Don’t tell her that though, okay?”
“Maybe she’ll be nicer to you if you do tell her that.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Have you met Tori?”
I laugh. Nothing sways Tori’s opinion once it’s set. Another reason why being with him is impossible. No matter how incredible that kiss was. “Maybe this is a bad idea.”
He steps closer and tilts his head to the side. “What is?”
I motion between us. “I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s already wickedly complicated. Secret bowling outings, group dates, and tutoring sessions that end with…” My heartbeat drowns out any sound in the room.
He reaches for my face, cupping it in his hands and pulling me closer. One hand drops to my waist, brushing the tiny bit of bare skin peeking out from under my shirt. Tingles shoot through me as his face dips toward mine. My chest rises and falls with the pounding of my heart. Will every kiss with him be this intense? God, I hope so. His lips find mine. It starts out soft, like the kiss last night, but then his lips part and he deepens the kiss. My fingers weave through his messy hair, pulling him closer to me. I don’t want this to end. Please don’t let this end.
Someone knocks on the door, and we pull apart in panic. He motions for me to get behind the door, so I’ll be out of sight when he opens it. I hold my breath, praying it’s not Tori, but knowing it is. It has to be.
“What do you want?” Toby asks. Yeah, definitely Tori.
“Have you seen Becca?”
“No. She must have left.”
“Her car’s in the driveway, and no one saw her come downstairs.”
“No idea. Have you checked the bathroom?”
“The door’s open.”
“Sorry. Don’t know.” He shuts the door and I exhale.
“What am I going to do?” I whisper. “I can’t explain this—where I’ve been.” I’m in full panic mode.
“Calm down.” His fingertips brush against my cheek. “We’ll figure something out.”
“What? This is too risky. She’s going to find out and hate us both.”
His eyes meet mine. “Are you saying that kiss wasn’t worth the risk?”
Of course it was. “That kiss was amazing.”
“I agree.”
“Great. But that still leaves one question.”
“What?”
“How the hell do I get out of your room?”
Chapter Nine
“You may have to jump out the window.” My eyes widen and he stifles a laugh. “I’m kidding. I wouldn’t let you go out the window.”
“I can’t sneak out of here without her seeing me.” I can’t help thinking I’ve made a huge mistake. I’m jeopardizing my relationship with Tori. Sure Toby’s an amazing kisser, but I have no idea if he’s looking for a relationship—not that I can see how we’d have one behind closed doors.
“I’ll go find her and keep her in her room. You sneak downstairs and go toward the garage.”
“Why the garage? I’m parked in your driveway.”
“I know. You’re going to pretend your car wouldn’t start, and you went into the garage for tools.”
“Problem. I know nothing about cars. If my car didn’t start, I’d ask your dad to look at it.”
“Okay.” He thinks for a moment. “Then say good-bye to my parents and go pretend to start your car. Then come back in and tell my dad it won’t start. He’ll go out there with you and you’ll have an alibi.”
I sigh. “This is crazy, you know. I shouldn’t need an alibi to get out of your house.”
“You don’t. You need it to get out of my room.” He smiles again.
“This isn’t funny. I should just go talk to Tori. Tell her what’s really going on.”
“I hate to be this way, but we don’t even know what’s going on. What would we tell her?”
I stare at him, wondering why he’s so against us telling her. Is he really that worried about my friendship with Tori? “You said you liked me.”
“I do.”
“Then why do you want to hide this? Is it because we don’t hang out with the same people at school?”
“What?” He shakes his head. “God, no. I don’t care about that.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t want you to be the next Allison.”
“You really think Tori would just ditch me?”
“I don’t know. You’re her best friend, and she’s older now, hopefully more mature. But she’s still Tori. She’s possessive. You see how much she doesn’t like being a twin. Sharing you with me would be too much for her.”
“I’m going to have to choose between the two of you, aren’t I?”
“No way. I won’t let it come down to that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’d lose.” He attempts a smile, but I can see he’s serious.
Why would he think I’d give him up that easily? “We’ve known each other all our lives.”
“But we’ve never really hung out. Not before recently.”
Do I tell him? Do I risk sounding like one of the psycho girls who follows him everywhere? “Maybe not, but I’ve…” I take a deep breath. “I’ve liked you for a while.”
He cocks his head. He really had no idea. Guess I’m better at bottling my feelings than I thought. Of course never reall
y being around him without Tori helped. “Look, Becca, it’s your choice. If you want to tell Tori, go ahead. But I think we should wait.”
The thought of telling her terrifies me. It could mean the end of Toby and me before we even figure out what this is between us. “Maybe you’re right. We’ll wait. For a little while.”
He nods. “Now let’s get you out of here.”
“Without flat out lying,” I add.
“And how do you plan to do that?”
I go through the layout of the house in my mind. Other than the bathroom, Tori’s room, and Toby’s room, the only room upstairs is the master bedroom. What reason could I have for being in there?
“Does your mom make her bed right away?”
“Um, I don’t know. Why?”
“What if I make your parents’ bed and leave a thank-you note behind? I doubt Tori looked for me in there.”
“Make their bed? One, that’s just weird, and two, you’ve stayed over plenty of times and you’ve never made their bed.”
“I give up.” I sit down on his bed. “I’m going to have to tell her.”
“I’ll go keep her in her room. You just walk right out the door.”
“And how do I explain where I was later when I’m at the mall with her?”
“I don’t know, but it will give you time to figure it out. The longer you stay here with your car parked in the driveway, the worse this lie is going to be.”
He’s right. This is a big mess, and I’m not going to figure it out right now. I nod. “Let’s do it.”
“Give me two minutes, and then go.”
“Thanks.”
He smiles and walks out of the room. I watch the clock, and exactly two minutes later, I slip out the front door. Mrs. Michaels is nowhere around, and Mr. Michaels is so absorbed in the news that he doesn’t even see me leave. Now I just need to come up with an excuse by the time Tori calls.
***
The only thing I can think to do is fake being sick. I text Tori and tell her I wasn’t feeling well. I was throwing up in the downstairs bathroom. She insists she checked for me there, but I tell her we must have just missed each other. So, now my shopping trip is down the tubes, and I’m stuck with this shirt I’ll never wear. Oh well. That’s the least of my problems. Being fake sick means I can’t see Toby. Not that Tori would buy me studying on a Saturday anyway.
Our Little Secret Page 6