Page 31 of The Apple Tree

Oh my god …

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAKA KHAN, “I FEEL FOR YOU”

Eve

“Eve?You’re going to be late. What are you doing?” Mom called upstairs the next morning.

Gabby was an easy sell to watch Josh. My parents didn’t think twice about my plans to go out with friends. But before any of that could happen, I had motel rooms to clean and babysitting to do while Kyle coached.

However, my infatuation with Coach Collins grew exponentially overnight, and I couldn’t show up to his place looking like the previous day’s version of myself. I needed to curl my hair, lotion my legs (in case he wanted to touch them again), and wear something nice.

“Why is your hair down? And why are you wearing that white blouse to work?” Mom quizzed me the second I stepped into the kitchen to grab a quick bowl of cereal.

I didn’t need my mom to grill me. I’d already met my quota of lies, yet she insisted I tell one more.

“I’m going to change my clothes before I go to work. Most of my work clothes have stains, and I think they smell like Pledgeeven though they’ve been washed. I’m just putting my best foot forward so Kyle trusts that I’m responsible and presentable while I babysit Josh.”

I didn’t believe my lie and never imagined my mom would.

But she did. “That’s very mature of you.” She smiled with pride.

“Thanks. I’m trying.”

“Martha Wertz, Tali Rae,andDenise Overton have all called me about Kyle,” Mom said.

“Why?” I screwed the cap back on the milk.

Mom dried her hands and grinned. “Because they are single and found out he is too.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Are you serious?”

“Why the look?” She sat next to me at the table and sipped her coffee.

“Hejustmoved in. Talk about vultures.” I shoveled cereal into my mouth so I wouldn’t be late to Kyle’s.

“Eve, they’re not stalking his place. And I’m sure he doesn’t want to stay single for the rest of his life. Josh deserves a motherly figure in his life, and Kyle deserves a wife.”

“So why did they call you? Are you supposed to be a matchmaker?”

“No. They just wanted to know if he was divorced or widowed.”

“And what did you say?” I mumbled over a mouthful of cereal while milk dribbled down my chin.

Mom frowned and handed me a napkin. “I said he’s neither.”

“What do you mean? And how do you know?”

“Your dad talked to Fred the other day. Josh’s mom wasn’t ready to be a mother, but she had him anyway.”

“And then what?”

Mom shrugged. “Fred said she left.”

“Left? When? Recently? Or when he was a baby?”

Mom shook her head. “Your dad didn’t ask. He didn’t want to pry. It’s nobody’s business.”

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