Page 175 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
She paused to inhale more oxygen. “Who’s Consuela? She’s the cook Daddy hired. She comes three times a day and cleans up after… no, ma’am. We’re not making a mess for her. Tomorrow? Oh! The boys are going to teach me how to surf. Yes, ma’am. I’ll listen. I won’t go too far. Yes, ma’am. I know I don’t know everything. Lifeguards? Um… I think so? Yes, ma’am. Selah? He’s right here.”
“Tell her I’m asleep,” Selah mouthed, eyes closed.
Jamison covered the receiver. “She says she can hear you, and it’s rude to lie to your mother.”
“Amateur,” Ben whispered. Simone could hear a pin drop three counties over. Selah should have known to keep his mouth shut. “I thought I taught you better than that.”
“Hi, Evie!” Jamison squealed. “Oh my God, this place is so cool!”
Hearing that Evie was on the phone had Samuel going weirdly still, and Ben fought the urge to say something. He continued to hope they’d outgrow their animosity toward each other, but maybe he was asking for the impossible.
“I wish you were here,” Jamison said, still rattling off at top speed. “There are so many cute guys. If you had come and worn that hot pink bikini from last summer, they would have been all over you.”
Midway through lifting himself off the floor, Samuel face-planted into a throw pillow. “I need a beer.”
Selah patted him on the back. “I’ll get it.”
“No, I got it.” Samuel pushed up to stand. “Who wants one?”
“Me.” Ben raised a hand. “And make sure we have plenty in the fridge. I feel like we’re in for a long night of vampires and werewolves.”
The boys were halfway to the kitchen when Jamison shrieked, “You went on a date?! Three dates?!Eeek!We’ve only been gone for a week! What’s his name?!”
Since Evie never mentioned guys, Ben was intrigued and slid down the couch to learn more. Life had been tough on the kid, and he was glad to hear she was finding her footing at college.
But before he could reach Jamison, the boys were there. Flying over the back of the couch, Selah landed with a hard bounce onto the spot next to his sister. Samuel was no better. Tripping over himself, he nearly took out a lamp rushing around the edge of the couch to loom over Jamison.
“Where’d she meet him? Does he have a job? Is he ugly? I bet he’s ugly,” Samuel whispered, looking strangely blotchy. “Get his name.”
“First and last.” Selah snatched a piece of paper off the coffee table. “And the proper spelling.”
Samuel nodded solemnly. “And his date of birth. We’ll need that for a background check.”
“Social security number,” Selah added, nudging Jamison. “And his mother’s maiden name.”
Jamison scrunched her nose at theirbehavior. “His name is Brett?”
“Brett?” Samuel snarled, the rash on his neck gaining speed. “What kind of stupid name is Brett?”
“You have classes with him?” Jamison shoved Selah away when he leaned over to eavesdrop. “Oh, he’s a political science major? That sounds cool.”
“That sounds boring.” Samuel kneeled before Jamison and spoke clearly so Evie could hear him. “People who major in Political Science are losers.”
“Evie said you’re the loser,” Jamison told him. “Now go away.”
Samuel didn’t move. Neither did Selah.
“Dad!” Jamison whined. “Make them leave me alone.”
Rising from the couch, Ben stretched and made his way to the kitchen. “Come on, guys. Let’s get our drinks.”
Selah followed immediately, but Samuel took his sweet time. Popping the caps off their first round, Ben handed his middle child a beer when he finally joined them. “What’s going on with you?”
Instead of answering, Samuel chugged the entire beer.
“Nothing.”
Ben wanted to call bullshit, but Samuel had a prickly temper, much like his own, and it was best to let it go. “So, how are we getting out of Twilight?”
