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“What about college?”
I shake my head. “I’m not going to college.”
“Really? I know the President at the University of San Francisco. I could probably…”
“My grades are excellent. I don’t need help getting into college. I mean that I can’t afford it. And…my family needs me right now anyway.”
I realize that’s the first time I’ve said it aloud and felt okay with it.
The toast finally pops up, and I consider adding peanut butter but, desperate to get out of there and get changed, I decide to subject myself to dry toast instead. I grab it and head upstairs, aware of his eyes on me and careful to use my inner arms to try and keep my large breasts from bouncing too much as I go.
I change into my bathing suit and throw a cover-up on top, then pack a bag with extra clothes, grab my purse, and head back downstairs just as I hear the door open. Ty is standing in the kitchen by the time I reach the first floor.
“Hey,” I say.
“What the fuck is this?” he says, gesturing towards Grant at the table.
I mouth the words I have no fucking idea.
“Hey, there,” Grant says. “I’m Grant Owens. I’m a friend of Jackie’s.”
“I know all of Jackie’s friends,” Ty replies.
“I’m a new friend; a really good one,” Grant says. “I’m actually a real estate developer. I’m in town trying to secure a permit. My investors and I are going to reinvent Lost Hollow. I bet you'll even get a Starbucks out of it when it's all said and done. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like shit,” Ty says.
Emma’s eyes go wide as saucers, and I choke on a laugh.
“Okay, I get it,” he says. “You think you need to assert your dominance around here. I’ll grow on you. I’ve already made friends with the little one.”
“Emma, get in the truck,” Ty says.
“But I don’t want—”
“I didn’t ask what you wanted to do, did I?”
She looks at me and frowns.
“Go, Emma,” I say, gesturing toward the door.
She pulls herself to her feet in trademark dramatic tween fashion and stalks toward the door. Ty holds it open and ushers us both out.
“I didn’t catch your name,” Grant says.
“Nope, you didn’t,” Ty replies as he closes the door behind him.
“What the hell was that?” he asks again once we’re inside the truck.
“I don’t know,” I tell him as he backs out of the driveway. “He’s some rich guy my mom has been flirting with at the restaurant. Apparently, she told him he could stay as long as he wanted. But…I don’t like him.”
“I thought he was nice,” Emma says. “Where are we going?”
“You’re going to my house,” Ty tells her as he pulls into his driveway, just a couple blocks over. “I’ll take her inside.”
He gets out of the truck, and Emma exits on his side. He disappears for only a few minutes before returning.
“I told my mom what was up,” he says. “She said she’d make sure she didn’t go home until your mom was there.”
