Page 40 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions

He…didn’t.

Instead, Alex jogged down the stairs and to my side, big chest heaving. “Here,” he said softly, handing me my backpack before surreptitiously stepping in front of it to block it from view. “I got you.”

I remained frozen, shocked. Just like at the airport, Alex had come to my rescue. I…didn’t know what to do with that.

So I did what I did best.

Ignored it.

I was careful not to jostle Neil as I pulled the first-aid kit out and quickly zipped up the bag. My heart was pounding, an unhealthy flush on my cheeks as I offered the kid’s mom the kit, and Alex stepped out of the way.

He hovered, but didn’t speak to me again—even though I could feel the weight of his gaze like a brand on my face. I looked away, unsure of what to do with the ache of gratitude that filled my heart.

Alex had saved me.

Again.

The kid blubbered as his mother murmured softly to soothe him. She was gentle as she cleaned the, frankly,tinyscrape.

“It hurts!”

“I know, bud.” Alex made a soothing sound, crouching down by the kid. Now bandaged, the child lay on the ground like a dead fish. The silence had drawn on too long, and I opened my mouth to offer the kid something—anything—to distract him, but…once again, Alex beat me to the punch.

“Wanna hit me with your baseball bat?” he asked, smiling down at his splotchy, tear-streaked, ruddy cheeks. “Would that cheer you up?”

“How many times?” Baseball-bat-kid sniffed suspiciously.

“As many times as it takes for you to forget about your knee.”

“Deal.” The kid launched to his feet, thoroughly distracted by the promise of violence. He tugged Alex away by the wrist, hunting for the inflatable bat he’d abandoned prior to his minor maiming. Alex gave me one last lingering glance over his shoulder before he turned away again.

And I genuinely did not know what to think.

Not about him, or about all of this.

Not about his apology, or the fact that he’d come to my rescue.

I simply couldn’t wait for the day to end.

After the party had wound down, and I’d helped clean up, Mom awarded me with a kiss to the cheek and the command to go rest. I didn’t argue. I was way too fucking tired to do anything other than nod and follow her upstairs.

Hours later, I lay awake on my twin bed, tucked into the same sheets I’d had in high school, freshly washed—courtesy of Mom of course. Through the window, I could see the lights on at Roderick’s house across the street. They were all still preparing for the campout the following day.

Tonight was the only night I’d be spending in Chesterton. After that, it was seven days in the wild—a fact that absolutely horrified me.

My mom was also awake. I could hear her downstairs ordering Joe and Lacey about—both of whom hadn’t said a single word when Mom had exiled me, even though it meant they had to do my work too. Maybe I’d looked as wrung out as I felt.

Either way, they’d offered me some grace.

Mom’s yells were intermittent, scattered between bouts of silence as everyone worked to pack up the food and kitchen supplies we’d need to host a large group for such a long period outdoors. Mom was in charge of the food. Not because she was officially a caterer, but because she’d insisted it was herwedding gift to Roderick to take care of him like she had when we were kids.

It was no surprise that even well past midnight, Mom was bossing our entire household around like she was their sergeant and Roderick’s wedding was war. She took her promises seriously. She always had.

I’d missed her.

I’d even missed her nosiness.

She was—incrediblynosy.

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