Chapter 5
“Bee? Did you pick up the bill?”
These are the first words I hear when I get home from Mike’s. I pause mid-stride, frowning, and backtrack. I put my head around the doorframe to find my mom sitting on the couch, checkbook in hand, her floral-patterned glasses falling off her nose. “What bill?” I ask.
“Didn’t Tom tell you?” she inquires without looking up.
I shake my head. “No.”
“He’s so busted,” Mama says, laughing, but I can tell she’s only half joking. “I told him to tell you to get the bill from Michael tonight. Remember the little job he did for your dad two weeks ago?”
“Oh, yeah. He can’t just mail it to you?”
“Well, he’s going to have to now. Unless you can pick it up tomorrow?”
I swallow. “Pick it up? Maybe.” I totally can, since I only work a four hour shift tomorrow, but the possibility of me making a fool of myself in front of Levi is very real. I already feel like I should be banned from spending extended periods of time with The Boy. If I can sneak in, grab the check, and get out before anyone can spot me, it will all be fine.
“Would you, please, baby?”
I swallow again—and nod. My social failures shouldn’t stop me from saving my mother from Tom’s lack of memory. “But only because Tom’s sleeping all day tomorrow. I have a few choice words for him…”
She chuckles. “Just make sure they’re nice. And Bee?” she asks as I turn again.
I smile at her over my shoulder.
She pauses over her work for a second, as if carefully choosing her words. “Do you…have any leads?”
My smile droops, because I instantly know what she’s talking about, and I don’t want to discuss it right now. “Um. No?”
Thing You Should Know About Me #601: I love a lot of things. I find genetics fascinating, and fashion trends, and gourmet cooking, and astronomy, and architecture and interior decorating and production. Which is why it is incredibly hard for me to figure out what to study and where to study. I decided shortly before graduation to take a gap year, which I think worries my mom. I’m pretty sure she imagines me homeless at twenty-five whenever this topic comes up.
“Are you doing research?” she asks.
I approach her and kiss her cheek. “Yes, of course,” I say, and instantly feel guilty for the white lie. It isn’t that I don’t want to research, I just haven’t had time these last few weeks. “I’ll have a lead soon, I’m sure.”
Possibly another white lie, but a very hopeful one.
My mom smiles. “Okay, Baby Bee.”
I smile back. “Okay. I’m going to get some sleep.”
She lets me go with another kiss and I hurry to my room. I try to shut my door behind me, but Tom appears out of nowhere and follows me in. He gives me a relieved look.
“What?” I ask as he leans against the doorframe.
“Thanks for saving my ass. I totally forgot.”
I shake my head at him. “Don’t you have to be at work?”
“I’m leaving in a few. Hey, I wanted you to know there’s a party tomorrow night at Keagan’s. You should come—it’s the first party of the summer.”
I raise both eyebrows. “Um…if I’m not too tired?”
“You can get the check from Michael, if you don’t want to go back to the shop.”
“Yeah, okay, probably.”
He stares at me.
“Okay, I’ll go.” I laugh at his look of pure excitement.
He grins. “Excellent. Maybe I can get you to play pool this time.”
“Don’t press your luck. Now get out and go to work, you turd.”
“Sleep well, Beef,” he says, kissing my forehead.
I roll my eyes at his stupid nickname for me, watching him go, and shut the door behind him. Since he sleeps most of the time I’m actually home (stupid night shift), I miss him more than I expected I would when he first got this job months ago.
I pull out my phone and text Michael to ask if he can bring the check to the party. Then I switch apps. As expected, Gretchen has messaged me, and she’s still awake—even though it’s one o’clock in the morning her time.
Bee
I’m sorry I’m late. Long day at work, and then I had to pick up my car.
Plus Tom was slow getting ready. He’s a pain in the butt, as usual.
Gretchen
Ha! But he’s a cute pain.
Bee
Ew. We are not having this conversation. I have something better for you. I met a boy today.
Gretchen
YOU MET SOMEONE? YOU. MET. SOMEONE. BERNICE, PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE A DATE.
Bee
Please! Goodness, no. He’s been working at Mike’s for a few months, apparently. I finally met him and OH MY GOD he is so attractive. Annnnnd…well, I may or may not have seen him before. When he caught me staring at him at the shop a few days ago. It was incredibly mortifying. I’m 1000% sure that he recognized me.
I describe Levi in detail, taking care to include his amazing hair and the bright sweaters and how freaking tall he is. I can practically hear Gretchen sigh in response.
Gretchen
He sounds like a dreamboat! I’ll sacrifice a goat so he’ll ask you out, like, yesterday.
Bee
A goat? Really?
Gretchen
I’M FLUENT IN GOAT SACRIFICE.
Bee
Oh my God, I’m cackling.
Gretchen
Just try to sneak a picture next time. I want to see him.
Bee
You know I suck at sneaky pictures. But I can tell you this: his name is Levi.
Gretchen
OMG. Sexy.
Bee
Of course he’s sexy. He has Douglas Booth hair.
Except….bigger and better.
In the end, there is no comparison.
Gretchen
………
…………………….
…………………………………..
Bee
What?
Gretchen
I hope you realize how many penis jokes I could make right now.
Bee
GRETCHEN!
SSSSHHHH
NO! NO PENIS JOKES!
Gretchen
Calm down, freak. I won’t….this time.
Bee
Never. Not a single penis joke ever or you’re as dead as Jay Gatsby.
I can just feel your smug grin. It’s disgusting.
Gretchen
Well, hurry up getting your claws into him.
(Oh, it’s even more smug and disgusting than you’re imagining.)
Bee
Shut up.
Hey, I have to go now. I’m falling asleep just thinking about what time I have to get up tomorrow.
And there’s a *party*.
Gretchen
Ooohhh. Tom talk you into that?
Bee
Yes. He knows how to sweet talk me into almost anything.
Gretchen
LOL! I bet he sweet talks lots of girls into lots of things.
No worries, I should sleep, too. Talk to you tomorrow, ok?
Bee
Oh, gross, thanks for that mental image.
And yes, of course. Love you. I think you’re crap.
I lock the screen and gaze at it longingly for a few seconds before setting it on the nightstand. I barely have the energy to change into my pajamas before I’m out, lost in dreamland. There are flowers, in this dreamland, and a beautiful boy named Levi wearing a bright sweater made of all different colors, all at once.
I swear he’s smirking at me.