CHAPTER 15

DOUCHEBAGS

Charlie

I didn’t realize that I was going to make things even more confusing when I decided to text Brandon. All I was thinking about was the look he gave me before he walked out of the bakery, and how badly I wanted to make that look go away.

I just wanted to thank him. He had been a huge help with moving my furniture that I would have never managed to move on my own.

But then he went and opened his big mouth.

Why did I think that he actually wouldn’t bring up the kiss?

This was Brandon we were talking about. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy that backed down from anything. Let alone an embarrassing conversation about an almost kiss.

“Do you have everything you need?” My dad pushed the mashed potatoes toward me.

After the day I had, I decided to make the drive to my parents. They somehow always knew how to make me feel better. Just the smell of this house seemed to calm me.

“I think so.” I plopped a too big of helping on my plate, but I was stress eating.

“Do you need me to come move furniture or anything?” My dad patted his biceps. “I may be getting old, but there is still some muscle in there.”

“There is plenty of muscle in there.” My mom kissed his clean-shaven cheek before sitting down beside him. “If you had any more, I’d be fighting the women off even more than I do now. I only have so much time on my hands.”

My dad smiled at my mom before winking at him, and I chuckled before stuffing some food in my mouth.

“I think I have everything where it goes.”

“You moved all that furniture on your own?” My mom asked the question as if it was the worst possible thing she could imagine.

“No. Brandon came over and moved them for me.” I winced because I knew my mom would be too thrilled with that.

“Who’s Brandon?” my dad asked as he looked between my mom and me.

“He’s one of the owners,” I said simply.

“Well that was awfully nice of him,” my dad said, and I prayed my mom dropped it.

“For sure.” I nodded my head.

“He’s a handsome one, that Brandon.” My mom sighed, and I prepared myself for the interrogation.

“Are you dating him?” My dad turned his questioning eyes to me.

“Dad, when are you going to learn that just because Mom thinks a guy is handsome doesn’t mean I’m going to date him?”

“That’s true. You’d be a busy woman otherwise.”

My mom rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You two act like I’m some sort of trollop out scouting men for my daughter.”

“If the shoe fits.” I stuffed a giant fork full of mashed potatoes in my mouth.

“She likes the boy,” my mom said directly to my dad. “She was all upset over him the other day. She’s in a bit of a love triangle.”

“Mom!” I set my fork down. “I swear to God, Dad. I am in no such thing.”

I was going to kill my mom.

“Don’t put up this good girl act just because your dad is here. I tell him everything after you’re gone anyways.”

My dad laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

“Fine. I may be in a bit of a love triangle.” I groaned. “But it’s like my own little triangle that’s all in my head.” I tapped my temple with my finger.

“How is it all in your head?” My mom sounded like she might think I was crazy. If I was, I got it from her.

“I’m not sure if either one of them are actually into me.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Are you still going out with David this Saturday?”

My mom was keeping up with my dating schedule better than I was.

“We’re all going to play laser tag, but yes, David is picking me up.”

My mom was physically biting her tongue to keep herself from saying what she really wanted to say.

“Out with it.” I waved my hand.

“Watch what you wish for.” My dad chuckled but continued eating.

“It’s just…” She hesitated. “Are you sure that’s the best idea? Is Brandon going to be there?”

“Yes.” I stabbed my pork chop with my fork. “But Brandon isn’t interested in me like that.”

“How do you know that?” She didn’t believe me.

“Because.”

“Because how?”

I looked over at my dad. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have in front of him, but my mom was right. She was just going to tell him everything after.

“I tried to kiss him the other night, and he pushed me away.”

My mom sucked in a dramatic, shocked breath. “No. He did not.”

“Yes. He did.” I scooped up another heaping forkful of food and shoved it in my mouth.

“That makes no sense. Why would he ask for my advice if he was going to push you away?” She was staring down at her plate.

“I knew it was you.” I pointed my fork at her.

“Maggie, you have to quit meddling.”

“Yea, Mom. Listen to Dad.” I smirked at her.

“I wasn’t meddling. He asked me what would win over her forgiveness, so I gave him a few tips. What kind of man would go to all that trouble if he was just going to push her away?”

“The player kind.”

“He’s a player?” My dad perked up at that. “Don’t you waste your time on boys like that.”

My mom put another helping of mashed potatoes on my plate. “What happened exactly?”

Leave it to my mother to know that I was leaving out details.

“I don’t know. I went in to kiss him. He pushed me away. End of story.”

She looked so confused. “What did he say?”

“When?” I asked.

“After he pushed you away?” She was so over me being vague.

“I don’t know. I think he said something like you’re drunk.”

“Charlie Grace,” my mom screeched. “Were you drunk?”

“Define drunk?” I winked at my father, and he laughed.

“No wonder he pushed you away. What a gentleman.”

She was right of course, but it still irritated me that she was on his side. She was my mom. She was supposed to blindly support me.

“I’m with your mom on this one.” My dad pointed his fork at Mom then continued eating.

Not him too.

“You both know that you’re supposed to be on my team, right?”

“We’re on your team.” My dad patted my hand. “That’s why we don’t let you date douchebags.”