Page 26 of Sunday Morning

He was my boyfriend, and Kristy was the psycho stalker.

“Sorry. I figured everyone knew,” I said.

“Are you going to Michigan?”

I shook my head, and Kristy couldn’t hide her excitement. “Well, I’ll keep an eye on him for you. Do you think you’ll stay together?”

“There you are,” Matt said, hugging me from behind and burying his face into my neck.

Kristy deflated while I smirked, so she walked away.

“My mom said we’ll go to your house for a while as long as we’re home by four for my open house,” he said.

I turned in his arms. “Kristy’s going to Michigan. She said she’d keep an eye on you for me.” I batted my eyelashes.

Matt rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you’re not jealous.”

“I’m not jealous. You can do whatever you want with Kristy.”

He took a step back. “Don’t do this. Nothing is set in stone.”

“Stop. We know where this is headed.” I shot him a toothy grin.

“I don’t want to talk about it. And I don’t want to do anything with anyone else. We have all summer. You act like I’m leaving tomorrow.”

I grabbed hisgoldcords, pulled him back to me, and smiled. “Yes. We have the summer.”

“Where we can dothings?” He bit his lower lip.

Sex.

I lifted onto my toes to kiss him, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught my dad staring at us, so I pressed my lips to his cheek instead of his mouth for a quick peck.

Was it okay that we were using each other for sex? I knew God’s answer, but mine was a little more flexible.

Matt’s familyattended my open house for an hour before they had to get home for his. I planned on going there after mine ended at five.

Thirty minutes after they left, I ran inside to use the bathroom, only to find Isaac with his head in the fridge.

“The party is outside. And your family left. What are you still doing here?”

He turned, holding a jar of sliced dill pickles. “Beef burgers are a little disappointing, but I can deal with it as long as there are pickles.” He set the jar on the counter next to his paper plate piled high with food. “I’m sure it was an oversight on your mom’s part. No biggie.” Isaac opened the jar and fished a slice out with his plastic fork.

“Didn’t you ride with your parents?” I asked.

“Yes, but I wasn’t done eating, so your mom said I can ride with you when you go to Matty’s open house,” he mumbled after shoving nearly half the sandwich into his mouth. “I carried a few heavy coolers to the back of the garage for her. I think she’s starting to like me.”

Before I could respond, my mom slid open the patio door.

“Did you really say Isaac could ride with me to their house?” I blurted.

“Well, yes. Why?” She tore off a trash bag from the roll under the sink.

“I figured I was riding with you guys.”

Mom unfolded the bag and snapped it open. “I assumed you’d stay later than we will.”

“Oh.” That’s it. I had no better response. Of course, I would stay longer and therefore drive. But I couldn’t think in Isaac’s proximity because he made me nervous and other things I hadn’t yet defined.

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