Page 45 of Furious
Scott’s demeanor visibly relaxes when I announce that Zara and I are a couple. Even my parents look very pleased with the news about me and Zara, when they arrive at the party. I’m sure they view dating the mayor’s stepdaughter as something beneficial for their status in town. It’s more than safe to say that I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about status.
I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t think about the obvious perks that come with being Zara’s official boyfriend, but I’m aware that my girl hasn’t made her choice yet.
Of course, I plan to be her boyfriend for as long as she will have me, but there’s a part of me that dreads the moment she chooses me. Not because I’m afraid of real commitment; the only reason why I’ve never had a girlfriend before is that I had never met anyone I wanted to be with every waking moment.
I knew that Zara could be that person for me when we met two years ago. Now that she’s back in my life, and I got to know her better, I have no doubt about that.
Sure, we’re young and we’ve only really known each other for a couple of weeks, but what did Scott say about falling for Kelly? When you know, you know.
And I fucking know. Truth be told, I might be a little obsessed with Zara.
The dinner party is boring as fuck, to the point that I almost envy Ares, who has the excuse of a super early shift to call it a night.
I bide my time until it is polite to say goodbye, and when the caterers set out a dessert buffet outside on the Pullins’ deck, I take the opportunity to leave.
“I promised Zara to take her out for a frozen custard at Creamy’s,” I say to Scott and Kelly. “Do you mind if we skip Diana’s buffet and go out for dessert?”
“Of course,” Scott slaps my back. “You guys go and have fun. Are we going to see you for family breakfast tomorrow morning?” he asks.
I accept the invitation and it just hits me how much closer I feel to Scott than to my own father. Chance and Ares might complain about Scott’s unreasonable expectations when it comes to their relationship with Zara, but they’re lucky their father cares. Scott’s expectations, misguided as they might be,come from a place of love. Sometimes I have to wonder if my parents even care about me. Their absentee parenting means more freedom, but I would take Scott’s kind of interference over their disinterest any day.
“Frozen custard sounds good,” Chance sets down a plate he’s loaded with mini desserts. “Mind if I come with?”
Case in point, my parents haven’t even noticed that I’m about to leave. My dad is busy talking to the sheriff and Mom is standing in a quiet corner of the deck, speaking on her phone.
Scott, however, shakes his head. “Read the room, Chance.” He says. “Lev wants some alone time with his girlfriend. If he wanted a third wheel, he would have invited you, don’t you think? Besides, you’ve already made yourself a plate. It would be rude to let that food go to waste.”
I stifle a laugh at my best friend’s stunned expression. “Oh, it won’t go to waste. I can quickly finish this and then go for frozen custard.”
Again, my father wouldn’t care about what I do, as long as it didn’t reflect badly on his social standing. Scott, on the other hand, worries about his son’s future.
“You would have dessert twice?” he chuckles. “You’re lucky Coach Harrison isn’t here, or I’m sure he would have something to say about your dietary choices. You have to watch your diet during the hockey season.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Chance objects. “I’m in perfect shape.”
Scott slaps his son’s back the same way he slapped mine a second ago. “You are. And you scored a great goal last week. But you have to keep up the good work. And double dessert isn’t how you do it. Come on, let your sister go out with her boyfriend and I won’t tell anyone that you’re eating your weight in chocolate.”
Chance’s shoulders slump as he follows his father to the spot where Kelly is chatting with Heather and Diane Pullin.
I know he would have been equally prepared to eat everything on his plate and then some or to skip dessert altogether for the sake of getting out of here. Especially when that would have meant spending the rest of the evening with Zara.
Maybe I’m an asshole for being happy that he had to stay behind and I get Zara all to myself.
I hold her hand all the way to my car at the end of the driveway. “You haven’t had frozen custard until you’ve had Creamy’s.” I tell her.
“Are we really going to get frozen custard?” she sounds surprised.
“Yeah. Why?”
She shrugs. “I thought it was just an excuse to get out of there and be alone.”
“I like the way you think.” I chuckle darkly, flattening her against the passenger side door with my body. “We’re alone now.”
Zara pushes against my chest with a giggle. “We are, but not alone enough. At least not for what I thought you were planning to do.”
My smile widens. “And what do you think I was planning to do?”
One of the things I love about Zara is that deep down she’s a little shy; but she covers that natural shyness with a badass attitude.
