Yeah, I was up in the library. I was holding a small meeting without Adaline to get our group on board and helping. It was a waste. Rachel didn’t bother showing. Zander was there one second, gone the next. Lucas well, hell, the dude fell asleep.
“Nothing is up with me and Frost,” I say.
I hear a small gasp behind me, and then something smacks the back of my shoulder. I turn, and there is Adaline with wide eyes and Juliet holding a shoe in one hand with her arms folded. Jared, of course, is staring at me like I half lost my mind.
I take a step toward Adaline. “I didn’t mean it like that, Ads.”
She backs up. “Don’t come near me, Austin.”
“Adaline, seriously, we’re not dating yet. That’s what I meant.”
My shoulder gets smacked again. I turn to Juliet. “Knock that shit off!”
“Absolutely not. You hurt my friend, and I get to hurt you. Simple as that. What are you looking at Jared for? He’s not going to stop me,” Juliet snaps.
“You know what? Forget it.” I turn and start walking away from everyone. The school. Adaline. My friends. I don’t give a shit. I’m sick of trying to explain things, and it comes out wrong. I’m just flat-out done.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Adaline
A few days have passed since I overheard Austin basically say we weren’t anything. I mean, I guess his earth-shattering kisses are an everyday occurrence and mean nothing. But they don’t happen every day to me.
It’s my birthday, and I plan on spending most of it in my bed. I should work on the project, but I’ve given up on it. At this point, I don’t care if I am pulled from the advanced program. My mom will be upset with me, but so what? I don’t care.
There is a knock on my door. “Adaline, are you up?” my mom says before the covers over my head are being ripped from me.
“Yes,” I grumble.
“Well, happy birthday. You have spent most of the morning in bed. I wanted to take you out for a birthday lunch since I couldn’t get time away to take you out yesterday.”
I shuffle out of bed and make my way to my closet. “Is it a nice place, or can I just wear whatever?” I ask.
“I was hoping a nice place, but it’s your birthday. You choose.”
Choices. Ugh. “I don’t care.”
“Please, I want this to be your decision. You never seem to decide things.”
I drop down to the floor and start crying. “Oh, honey. What’s wrong?” she asks as she drops beside me and hugs me.
“I don’t want to choose a place to eat. I don’t even want to choose a college. I’m scared I’ll pick the wrong thing. I’m always picking the wrong things,” I cry out.
“Oh, Addy. No. I’m sorry you feel so pressured. That wasn’t my intention. I just always want what is best for you.” She rubs my back, and as soothing as it is, her words are doing a better job. “I didn’t want you to have a dream school in mind like Sophie did but just put it off until the last minute. Only to have your heart crushed because you were waitlisted or something. I wanted you to be able to have the best chances possible.”
“What if I don’t want to go?” I look over at her, tears blurring my vision. “What if I want to take a year and explore the world?”
“Is that what you want to do?”
I nod. “I just … I wanna see things before I’m stuck behind books, lectures, and have to do a bunch of assignments.”
She takes a deep breath. “Okay. So do you know what you want to eat?”
I laugh and wipe away stray tears. “Yeah. Chinese.”
“All right. Go get ready, nice clothes, and I’ll meet you downstairs.
Once she leaves, I enter my bathroom and take a shower. As I’m brushing my teeth, I hear a tapping followed by “Shit!” I step out of my bathroom wrapped in my towel, toothbrush still in my mouth, and look over at my balcony.
Austin is there with a wrapped box in hand.
I march right over to the door and open it. “Whaaa ooo wat?”
“Damn it! Why are you answering the door in a towel?” He guides me farther into my room and shuts the balcony door. He also draws the curtains as if someone could actually see into my window.
I walk into my bathroom, spit my toothpaste out, and then rinse. I can’t believe I answered the door looking like a foaming rabid dog. I tighten the towel around me and enter my room again. He’s sitting at my desk, gift in hand, spinning around in my chair.
“What are you doing here, Austin?”
He stops spinning and looks up at me then back at the floor. “I can’t talk to you while you’re naked, Ads. I can’t. Go put clothes on.”
“I’m not naked.”
“Under that towel you’re naked, are you not? One slip and I’ll lose my mind. Please go put some clothes on.”
The wicked part of me kicks in. “You mean like this,” I tease pretending to unravel the towel. Austin shifts the chair away so fast it almost gives me whiplash.
He faces the desk and puts his head down. “I swear you are trying to push me.”
“Maybe I am. Maybe you deserve it.” I make my way to my closet and change. Not because he asked me to but because my mom is waiting downstairs, and I need him to leave.
I throw on a skirt and a white silk button down. I clear my throat and say, “I’m done.”
He spins around and growls. “That’s worse than the towel. Are you trying to kill me over here?”
I ignore him. “Whatever. What are you doing here? I told you not to.”
He stands up and walks over to me. He drops the gift on the bed and says, “I know what you said. But when have I ever listened?”
“I can’t do this. You can’t come in here, say things like that, and then shrug it off like it’s no big deal. Just go. And please use the front door next time.” I leave him in my room. Probably not the best idea, but I needed to leave. I want him, but I can’t do these games. Not anymore.
I grab my purse from the rack and meet my mom in the kitchen.
She looks over at me from the breakfast nook. “Ready?”
“Yep.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Austin
I don’t know if I’m flattered or pissed. I mean, she just left me in her room. I go over to her desk and grab a piece of paper from her drawer. Then I write a note to her. Once I’m finished I place it by the box and leave her room.
After I climb down the tree leading to her balcony, I get into my car and drive over to the shop. I’m glad my mom didn’t need it today. Otherwise, my little trip to Adaline’s house would never have happened.
I still can’t believe she greeted me in nothing but a towel and a flipping toothbrush in her mouth. God, the ideas that flowed through my head were going to drive me nuts. I mean, everything about her drives me nuts, but that right there? That was blue balls’ central territory.
Harvey was awesome enough to give me today off after I explained to him about our class project. So he agreed to let me work Monday through Friday and give me the next three Saturdays off. I didn’t want that much time off, but hey, this project obviously isn’t going to do itself.
I drive over to Rachel’s house and ring the doorbell. Her father answers. “We don’t want whatever you’re selling.”
“I’m here to see Rachel, sir.”
He glares at me. “Rachel! You better not be dating this boy that’s at the door!”
I should say I am dating her, and we’re going to run away together, just to give this dude hives. I don’t. I can’t have Rachel overhearing this and something terrible happening. Like her take me seriously, or Adaline find out, and I never hear the end of it.
Rachel comes to the door, rubbing her eyes, hair all crazy. “What? Austin, dude … ” she yawns. “What time is it?”
“It’s freaking noon, Rach. Look, I need help. Go get dressed, and I’ll get us coffee on the way.”
She peers out the door and spots my car. “I’m driving. I’m not getting in
that thing you call a car.”
“Whatever.”
I lock it, and she laughs. “No one is going to steal that thing.”
She lets me inside and tells me to wait in the living room. I do, for a whole hour. Did she fall and hit her head? Hell if I know. Her father comes into the room and says, “Is she getting changed?”
I nod.
“How long have you been here?”
“An hour,” I answer.
He snorts. “Yeah, you’ll probably be here for another one. What are your intentions with my daughter if I may ask?”
I shrug. “I was just getting her to help on the school project we have.”
He takes a seat near me and flips through different stations until he lands on the stock market. “School project, you say? Rachel hasn’t mentioned any projects aside from decorating prom.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes. Of course, she wouldn’t. Rachel loves anything that puts the attention on her. Since this school project doesn’t do that, she doesn’t care about showing up.
He sighs. “I’m sorry for snapping earlier. She brought some riffraff home the other night covered in tattoos and piercings. She knows I can’t have that going on with my campaign running. My competition would have a field day.”
I shrug again. “It’s no big deal. We’re going to be doing some drilling and hammering, so I wasn’t going to wear nice clothes for that.”
“Nope. Don’t need to ruin good clothes. So what is the project?”
“We’re building a library nook in the park and calling it Bookworm Station.”
He turns from the TV and smiles at me. “That’s really interesting. Do you have all the materials for this?”
“Nope. We have to go pick up supplies. See if anyone wants to donate lumber and whatever.”
He shakes his head. “No. If they don’t donate, let me handle it. Just keep me informed on when it’s done.”
“Oh, okay.” I don’t think we’re supposed to use our project as a campaign piece but whatever. He wants to supply the materials, that’s good enough for me.
Rachel finally enters. “We’re out. Be back later,” she says.
“Use the card I gave you to get the supplies, Rachel,” her dad says.
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah. Okay.”
She pulls me from the seat and leads me to the garage. She walks over to her black Mustang and says, “Get in.”
Rachel drives us all over town. Not one of them is the lumber store.
“We need to go to the lumber yard. Now.”
“Fine. What has your boxers in a twist?”
I scowl. “I want to get this class shit done, so I can go back to other things.”
She laughs. “Honestly, I don’t know why you’re so worried. Frosty Queen said she was doing it all the other day.”
“Don’t call her that. Ever. And she isn’t doing shit. We’re all doing this no matter what.”
“What is with you lately?” She whips us around a bend so fast I almost lose my balance.
“Could you take it easy? Jesus, I don’t want to die on the way there.”
She slows down a tad. “There. You happy?”
“Very.” I shake my head.
“You know, avoiding the question about Frost doesn’t mean I forgot. You like her, huh? She’s the reason you agreed to go with me to the dance, isn’t she?”
I scrub a hand over my face. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
“Don’t. I wanted to make someone jealous, too, but it backfired.”
I laugh. “Who?”
She pulls us into Lumberjacks and says, “I’m not saying.”
We walk into the store, and I say, “We’re going to need a truck if we’re getting the lumber today.”
“Call Jared or Tyler. I’m sure one of them can help,” Rachel says as she grabs a cart.
I can’t call my friends. This needs to be all of us helping. I call Zander.
“Bro … it’s not past three,” he says.
“You got a truck or someone who will let us borrow a truck?”
“Where am I going?”
“Lumberjacks. Thirty minutes.”
“Fine.”
Maybe if I’m lucky, we can get this done today.
Chapter Forty
Adaline
After lunch, my mom drives us back to our house. I go up to my room hoping that Austin is no longer there.
He isn’t. His gift is, along with a note. I set them aside because I can’t look at this right now.
I change into some crap clothes and head into my garage where I have all the parts to make the book nooks. My dad helped me saw the pieces last night after dinner. All I need to do is put it together, stain it, and set it up in the park.
I’m interrupted by my best friend. “Happy Birthday!” she says in an excited, almost-like scream in her voice.
I turn from my wooden pieces and nod. “Hey.”
She drops her gift and frowns. “Oh man, you’re not even dressed. You didn’t forget, did you? Whoa.”
“As you can see, I’m sort of trying to get this done. My mom wants to take us to Paris on spring break. I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to take this with me on the plane.”
She raises a brow. “Seriously? No. You aren’t doing this by yourself. God, so help me, I can’t believe I am saying this. I’ll help you, but only because I totally love you as a friend, and it’s your birthday. Give me three minutes. I’m going to change into some crap clothes from your stash.”
“Bottom drawer in the closet has all my paint wear. Thanks a lot, Juls.”
She leaves the garage, and I continue to nail the pieces. Juliet is taking forever. Heck, I might be finished by the time she returns. I hear a hard pounding on my garage door. I push the button. As the door is rising, I notice three sets of shoes.
Tyler walks in, looks around my little studio and says, “Happy birthday, Addy. I heard you needed these muscles.”
“Uh, what are you doing here?” I ask. I look over at Layla, and she is just shaking her head.
She playfully slaps Tyler’s arm and says, “Stop that. You’re being goofy.”
Jared steps into my studio and takes the hammer and nails from me. “We’re told you need help. And since you need an extra set of hands, Juliet can film all of us helping from the forearms down.”
Layla rolls her eyes. “In that whole roundabout way, we’re here to help you cheat.”
“Oh,” I say and laugh. “You guys rock. Thanks.”
“It was Juliet’s idea, which is totally unlike my sister,” Layla says with a smirk.
“I know. All these bad influences are finally rubbing off on the girl. Hey, that means you’re next, buddy,” Tyler jokes as he points to Jared.
Juliet walks into the garage in my paint bibs and shirt. “Wow, you look amazing,” Jared says.
If they start making out, I’m taking this wood and running.
Tyler bumps into my art easel, and my sketchbook falls off. He goes to pick it up, and I hurl toward him. I’m too late. He swoops it up and laughs, “Oh, wow. This is like a spitting image of Reed, isn’t it?” He shows the room and my cheeks burn.
“Wow. Austin told us you were good, Addy, but damn,” Jared says as he drops the hammer and nails on the table and grabs the sketchbook from Tyler. He goes through the pages.
“Thanks. Wait, Austin talked about my art?” I ask.
He nods. “Yeah. A few times.”
I have no idea how I feel about that information. I mean, I like it, I also don’t. I need to forget about Austin. These types of things are not helping. Next year we will be seniors and then off to God knows where. A relationship with a boy who is so hot and cold all the time is the last thing I need to add to my already full plate.
“Give us direction, Addy,” Juliet says. “Let’s get this built so we can go bowling.”
Here goes nothing, I hope I can pull this off.
Chapter Forty-One
A
ustin
Rachel films us gathering the material. We swap her phone between all of us, and then I say, “Adaline is at the garage prepping the layouts while we get the materials.”
I make a point to include Adaline in each bit. Zander and Lucas are barely any help, but we make sure to include them. After our trip to the hardware store, we head over to the park.
“What the hell is this?” Rachel asks as she points to a big book nook.
I look around the area and curse. Adaline must be behind this. Damn it!
I’m pissed. I dial her number, but it goes directly to voicemail.
“What the hell is this? I told you to wait. Call me,” I snap off, then I end the call.
“I thought you told me she needed help!” Rachel yells. “This looks finished to me, and I just wasted a Saturday for what?”
“You didn’t waste anything. We’re going to change things up. We’ll make it an entertainment center. Adaline is always complaining about how you can never show off your work in the city. Not without being called a vandal and whatever. So we’re going to make it. Right here by the book nook,” I say.
Hopefully, this will be my forgiveness gift to her too.
“Hey, are you coming out bowling tonight?” Jared asks.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I say into my phone.
“You need to.”
“Fine. What time?”
“Seven.”
I agree and hang up the phone. I glance at the clock in the kitchen. It’s 6:20 right now. I trudge my way to the bathroom and grab a quick shower. After I get dressed, I do the essentials: deodorant, spray, and put some product in my hair. I can’t go out looking like a total bum even if I feel like one.
I go to grab the keys, but they aren’t on the counter where I left them. “Mom?”
“Austin?”
“Do you have the keys?”
Right Girl Wrong Timing (Offsides Book 3) Page 14