Chapter Two
West
What is Vicky doing here? I walked over and peered out the living room window. She sat in her car, looking at her phone. My cell beeped, which meant she’d texted me. Great.
Your car is here. I know you’re home. Come talk to me.
“It’s Vicky, isn’t it?” Nina grinned like she knew a big secret. “Why are you hiding from your girlfriend?”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I said.
“Since when?”
“It’s been a few weeks.” Not like I was going to share the details of my dating life with her.
“I bet she’s having Valentine’s Day Dance remorse.”
“What does that mean?”
“She probably wants to go to the dance, and getting back together with you would be way easier than finding a new guy to take her.” Nina chuckled like the situation was hilarious.
“Not funny.” Vicky had seen my car. What could I do? “I’m texting that I’m having dinner with my neighbors.”
All three of us watched as Vicky looked to the right at Nina’s house and then to the left at the empty lot that separated my house from the neighbors on the other side.
“What’s everyone watching?” Jason, Nina’s brother, asked as he came into the room. Our paths had crossed at school a few times. He was a decent guy.
“Hey, West.”
“Hello,” I said. “My ex, Vicky, stopped by. I think she’s coming over here. You should ask her to the Valentine’s Dance.”
“No thanks. I like my life drama free.” He walked over to the table, filled a plate with fried rice, and leaned back against the counter. “I’ll just stay and watch the show.”
Apparently, everyone in this house was a smart-ass.
Vicky approached the front door and knocked.
“Let’s all play nice,” Nina’s mom said as she walked over to open the door. “Hello, can I help you?”
“Is West here? Can I speak to him?”
“Sure. We were just sitting down to dinner.” Her mom stepped back so Vicky could see me. “Would you like to join us for some fried rice?”
What in the hell was her mother trying to do?
“No, thanks.” Vicky gave a polite smile. “Sorry to barge in during dinner. West, can we talk?”
There was no easy way out of this, but I had no intention of entertaining Nina’s family with my life any more than I already had. “Sure. Let’s go sit on my back patio where we’ll have some privacy.” It was barely fifty degrees outside, so that should help keep the conversation short.
“Okay.”
We went out the front door and around the side of the house. I opened the gate into the backyard and headed over to sit at the umbrella table. Since I didn’t know why she was here, I waited for her to start talking.
“I know we broke up, but my mom bought a Valentine’s dress for me, and she expects me to wear it to the dance, whether I have a date or not.” Vicky ducked her head. “Going without a date would be awkward. Not like this conversation isn’t, but I was hoping we could go as friends?” She glanced up with a hopeful look on her face.
Before I could answer, another car pulled up the driveway. “It’s like Grand Central Station around here tonight.”
“Is that Cole Harris?” Vicky asked. “What’s he doing here?”
He headed toward Nina’s front door.
“And why is Nina creeping out her back door like some sort of spy?” Vicky asked.
Nina ducked low, like she didn’t want anyone inside to see her through the back window, and then ran over to join us. “I’m going to hide over here for a while, if you two don’t mind.”
“Why are you hiding from Cole?” I asked.
“My brother told him to ask me on a date.”
“You don’t want to go out with him?” Vicky said. “Why? What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing. He’s a great guy, but he’s never read Harry Potter.” Nina stated this like it was a crime against humanity.
I tilted my head and studied her.
“What?” she asked.
“I’m trying to figure out if you’re Ginny or Hermione.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re Draco,” she replied.
“There you are,” Jason called from across the backyard with Cole by his side.
“I am going to suffocate my brother in his sleep,” Nina said as she smiled and waved.
I laughed.
“I’m not joking,” she said. Cole and her brother crossed the backyard to join us. “Hey, Cole. I didn’t know you were here.”
“I stopped by because I wanted to ask you something.” The poor guy looked at the small crowd of people and seemed to reconsider his mission. “Nina, can we talk over at your house, maybe?”
“Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you.” Nina pointed at Vicky. “Do you know Vicky? She and West used to date.”
Cole nodded. “Sure. Hello, Vicky.”
Vicky smiled. “Hello.”
“The Valentine’s Dance is coming up,” Nina said, “and the last I heard you weren’t seeing anyone, so I think you and Vicky should go to the dance together.”
Cole tilted his head and looked at Nina like he didn’t quite understand the situation. “You want me to ask Vicky to the dance?”
Nina nodded like this was a fabulous idea.
She seemed to enjoy throwing people off-balance. Maybe it was time someone did it to her.
“Since Nina and I are going to the dance, it makes sense that you’d ask Vicky.”