Page 235 of We Shouldn't Be Together
“Your mom implied she wasn’t proud of Tabitha,” I say pointedly, because it isn’t nothing.
Mrs. Jones gasps, shifting in her seat. “Umm, yes, that’s true.”
“Kai.” Dr. Jones broadens his frame at the head of the table. “When I invited you here, it didn’t mean you could butt into…”
“He told the truth,” Tabby interrupts.
Mrs. Jones smooths a hand over Tabitha’s ponytail. “She’s right. She’s beautiful and enough just the way she is. I’m sorry, Tabitha.”
Tabitha turns to her mom and pulls her into a hug. “Thank you.”
I watch Mrs. Jones’s hands rub circles on Tabitha’s back. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“Do you love me?” Corbin pipes up from across the table.
Mrs. Jones leaves the hug, laughing. “Of course, my gorgeous boy.”
Okay, I see how Tabitha can feel second-best. If I interrupted a moment between my mom and Milo, wanting attention for myself, my mom would tell me to buzz off. Mrs. Jones only enables the younger brother.
When Tabitha settles in her seat, I find her hand under the table again. “You okay?”
Her smile is small but sincere. “Yes.”
After our food arrives, Freddy lifts his chin and says, “Drew’s here.”
Over my shoulder, Drew lazily meanders toward our table. He wears a beat-up leather jacket over a faded T-shirt, and his hands are slung in the pockets of his ripped jeans.
Man, he’s wearing something Tabitha used to ridicule me for wearing.
Drew combs a hand through my hair and tussles it roughly. “Wow. The forbidden boyfriend is at the table, and he’s still alive. Impressive.”
I wince, ducking my head away from Drew’s forceful hand. “Hey.”
“Nice of you to humble us with your presence, Drew,” Dr. Jones says sarcastically.
“A guy’s gotta eat,” Drew says matter-of-factly.
Drew pulls at the empty seat next to Freddy, but stops, his nose twitching. He shakes it off, but then sniffs hard. He wipes under his nose, and then three loud sneezes whoosh out of him.
“Oh, honey,” Mrs. Jones says, watching Drew from across the table. “Your allergies?”
Drew wipes his nose and sneezes two more times before sitting.
Corbin’s blue-painted face grimaces. “Eww. Stop that.”
Drew deadpans him, holding back another sneeze. “Would if I could, little man.”
When the sneeze finally lands, Dr. Jones is quick to pull a packet of tablets from the inside pocket of his sports jacket. He hands two tablets to Drew. “Get yourself a glass of water and take these.”
Drew rolls his eyes, grabbing the pitcher of water and filling his empty glass.
“Have you been near any animals, honey?” Mrs. Jones asks Drew.
Drew plonks the near-empty glass on the table and shakes his head. “Nope.” He then looks at me. “You got any pets?”
“Uh, no,” I drawl. “Well, actually, my brother has a cat.” I lift the beanie hanging off the back of my chair. “And the cat was lying on this before I left for the game.”
Drew groans. “Great.”
