Page 76 of John Wilder Gets Schooled
Cassidy and I were closer than friends—we were family—but we hadn’t had a choice. Okay, so I guessed we could have gotten married and then hated the shit out of each other like a bunch of young couples in the same situation did, but we’d been smarter than that. Smarter and so much more grown-up than we’d ever had to be before that.
Avery, though… Avery was a choice I had made. I could see a future with Avery without being boxed into one. It was difficult to explain, even in my own mind, why that felt so big. Why it felt so important. And soright.
“I’m definitely thanking the Percocet,” I said, “but I think you’re right. I would have gotten around to kissing you.”
“Good.” Avery took a sip of his coffee. “I want to take you on a date. This weekend. Miller says there’s a good Thai place in Hopewell.”
“I’ve got Gracie this weekend,” I said. “The Moores are going away for their anniversary.”
“Next weekend then,” Avery said. “This weekend we’ll go to Walmart and buy crayons.”
“Crayons.”
“I mean, I like Thai food as much as the next guy, but nothing beats a new box of Crayolas. And glitter pens. And googly eyes.”
“Did I tell you Chase found googly eyes on the ketchup? He says he didn’t drop the bottle, but Danny saw him.”
“They’re a classic for a reason,” Avery said. “So, Walmart date this weekend, and a Thai food date next weekend?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I would love that.”
Avery gave me a soft smile. “Please don’t think I’m throwing you out, but I need to get moving if I’m going to make it to school on time.”
I checked my phone. “Shit. Yeah, I gotta go. Gracie’s teacher has a real stick up his ass about being on time.”
“He sounds like he’s an excellent teacher,” Avery said, grinning.
I stood up to put our dishes in the sink. “You have no idea,” I said. “He’s a real asshole.”
When I turned around, Avery was crowding up into my space.
We kissed.
When we drew back, his eyes were bright. “Is it too soon to say I’m falling for you so bad, Johnny?”
I didn’t even hesitate. “Nope. Me too.”
He groaned. “Oh my god, get out of here before we both decide to call in sick and spend the day in bed instead!”
“Would that be so bad?”
He swatted me on the ass. “Yes! Now get out of here!”
“Fine. But I’m coming over tonight,” I said. “I have plans, and they don’t involve construction paper.”
Avery’s voice dropped, hitting that teasing, slightly bossy tone that made me go weak at the knees. “Yeah? You planning to let me teach you a thing or two, Johnny?”
Jesus. Now I really did want to call in sick and spend the day in bed. But Gracie was waiting, and so was real life. I leaned my forehead against Avery’s. “You can show me whatever you’d like tonight. But I really gotta go.”
And then I left—but not before stealing one more lingering kiss.
When I got home, Danny had already left for work, and Cash was still in bed. Gracie was eating cereal at the kitchen counter, and Chase was standing behind her with a bunch of elastics in one hand, half a messy braid in the other, and herhairbrush in his mouth.
“Daddy! Uncle Chase can’t do my hair like you do!”
“I see that,” I said and raised my eyebrows at him.
Chase dropped the brush and elastics onto the counter. “I’m out. This is too hard.”
