Foolish Summer | ✔

19 • W A V E R L Y • 💞

Bryce edged his way into frame, his head blocking out Dad's face on the screen of Mom's tablet.

"I lost a tooth!" He shouted, showing off the gap where one of his bottom front teeth was missing. "Grandpa tied a string to my tooth and the door and—"

Dad quickly covered Bryce's mouth, moving him out the way. "I thought we agreed that we were gonna keep that a secret?" He laughed nervously.

Mom was unamused. "Yeah, we'll talk about that later."

I held back my own laugh at the sheepish look Dad had on his face. "Are you two still coming next week?" I asked, changing the subject to spare him.

Mom's birthday was next week and we had plans for a small family thing. Mom wasn't one for big parties. She always said that, after spending so much time planning big events, she preferred small gatherings.

Naomi and I had been scouring Pinterest for cake ideas. I always liked to surprise Mom with a homemade cake in surprising flavors. And after last year's ice cream sandwich cake disaster I wanted to nail it that year.

Dad smiled, happy for the subject change. "Yes, we'll be there."

"Does the house really have a pool?" Bryce was back in frame.

We talked to Dad and Bryce for another hour before finally ending the call. FaceTiming them always reminded me how much I missed them being around. The house seemed too quiet with just me, Mom and Naomi.

Mom's phone rang almost immediately after. I thought it was Dad calling to explain the tooth thing in private, but from the tone change Mom had when she answered I knew it was Shontell.

After Stephen showed me the story she'd started I'd been dreading facing her. How was I supposed to keep it together when all I wanted to do was call her out for what she was doing?

Then I thought about Stephen, his lips on my cheek and a bubbly feeling filled my chest. I could deal with his crazy mom if it meant feeling like that all the time.

I still hadn't given him an answer to his proposal. It had been less than twenty-four hours and he did tell me to take my time. But it felt weird making him wait for an answer to a question that was obviously yes.

"You ready to stuff two hundred wedding invites into envelopes?" Mom asked, breaking me from my thoughts. She was slipping her phone back into her pocket, finished with her call.

"Totally" I groaned.

• • •

"Shit," Naomi hissed. I looked up to find her sucking on her thumb.

"Please don't get blood on the invites," I said, glancing down at my own bandaged fingers. That was by far the worst wedding job I've had all summer.

She dropped her thumb from her mouth. "Really? I almost amputate my thumb and you're worried about the invitations?"

"If they're bloody she'll make us do them over again," I pointed out, sealing another envelope with a damp sponge.

Naomi seemed to consider that before nodding. "Good point."

I tossed her the box of Band-Aids and she fixed herself up before getting back to work.

We were in the kitchen of the rented house, thankfully. It felt weird being under the same roof as Shontell knowing that she was writing a character based on me. It felt like she was watching me even though she wasn't.

At least I hoped she wasn't.

Then there was Stephen who had done nothing but occupy my mind since last night. Luckily, putting invites into envelopes didn't require much thought because the only thing I could focus on was Stephen.

"Do you think—"

"Yes."

I blink at Naomi who was slipping an invite into an envelope. "I didn't even get the question out."

"You didn't have to because you've asked me the same question three times now," she reminded me. "And my answer will always be the same. You should go for it with Stephen. I think he's right about his mom, she won't fire anybody."

I guessed the decision had been made. I reached for my phone on the kitchen table. Naomi slapped the back of my hand. "You can call him later," she said. "I'm not getting stuck with all these invites while you go swap spit with your neighbor."

A laugh escaped my lips. "Okay, fine. I have to think about what to say anyways."

"What's to think about?" She asked, brow raised. "It's just one word: yes."

Maybe she was right. It was just one word, but it came with one very huge risk. Two, if you counted my heart.

• • •

Twenty papercuts later all 230 invitations were sealed and ready to go. Naomi went out for food, leaving me alone to call Stephen.

Or maybe a text would sound less eager?

Should I be playing hard to get and make him wait another day?

My mind buzzed with a million questions. I was stalling, I told myself. I was overthinking it. All I had to do was tell him I was in. That I wanted to see if the real thing would be as good as my daydreams.

Simple.

Easy.

Why were my palms sweating so much?

Staring down at his contact profile on my phone I took a deep breath and dialed.

He answered on the first ring, a smile in voice as he spoke. "I was wondering when you'd finally call. I was getting worried watching you mumble to yourself the past five minutes."

My head snapped up, eyes darting around to take in my surroundings. I was on the balcony, Stephen out on his in a white tee and red shorts. He waved when my gaze landed on him.

I must've wondered out there while I was trying to build up the courage to call him and, of course, he witnessed the whole process.

My cheeks were inflamed as I pushed and unruly curly from my face. "This is embarrassing."

"It was cute."

"Right," I said, biting back a smile. "And I'm sure it inflated your ego a bit."

"Oh, it definitely did." I could see his grin from where I was. "What are you doing on the fourth?"

That was it.

It was happening.

He was making plans.

Plans he wanted to include me in.

Plans for the fourth of July.

I frowned at the fact that the universe couldn't even give us this one, small thing. "Celebrating my mom's birthday."

"Oh." I was weirdly satisfied by the disappointment in his voice. "That's an all day thing? There's a party, it doesn't start until ten."

Ten? Mom's party would be over by then, but I doubted Dad would let me leave. Especially when he and Bryce were only there for two days before heading back to Grandpa Ty's cabin. Dad had been so excited to see us since they made the plans to come.

"I might be able to sneak away," I told him, hoping my parents wouldn't be too hard to convince.

I could see him nod from where I was. Then, he checked over his shoulder into his room before continuing, "I think my mom did some more writing last night."

Feelings about Shontell aside, she was an amazing writer and her stories were like a drug. "Really?" I asked, excitement growing.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I'll see what I can find and maybe we can have another reading date tonight?"

"I like that idea," I said, smiling. "I'll try to stay awake this time."