How to Hook a Bookworm (How To #3)

  “What time is it?” I ask once I’ve knotted the end of my hair together. The movie looks like it’s been over for a while.

  “Uh…” He reaches over the mattress behind me to his phone on the nightstand. The front of his shirt drags up, and I catch those rocky stomach muscles I got to feel for the afternoon.

  “About eight. You don’t need to get running, do you?”

  I shake my head, but I do need to make a call.

  “Where’s your bathroom again?”

  He points lazily to the door, then turns his wrist to the right.

  I lean over and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be right back.”

  His carpet is so soft, I feel like I’m walking on marshmallows to the guest toilet. As quiet as I can, I shut the door and lock it, then pull my phone out to cover my butt for the night.

  It rings twice before Sierra picks up. “Heyo!”

  I roll my eyes and sit on the porcelain toilet seat. “Hey. I’m gonna be a bit longer. Probably see you around midnight if that’s okay.”

  “You’re still with Jay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How long are those movies?” She laughs, and I feel an explosion that balloons my stomach. Right, the movies.

  “Um, I don’t know.”

  Something slams shut on her side of the phone, and Sierra goes perky-voice in my ear. “You’re totally making out, aren’t you?”

  Ugh. “Maybe.”

  “Omigosh, does this mean you guys are…?”

  I have to think about it, because I think we are together now. That’s what “official” means, right?

  “Yes?”

  “You’re not sure?”

  “No, I am. I’m just kind of not thinking straight. My head’s all over.”

  “Yeah.” Her tone lowers. “You still haven’t told me why my place is your place this weekend.”

  “Yeah.” And I won’t because she’ll run straight to Levi. I won’t tell him about Mom not because she asked me not to, but because it’ll crush him. I think it’ll crush him worse than it crushed me. I bet Sierra’s told him already how off I’ve been.

  Crap.

  “You didn’t tell Levi about me being at Jay’s today, did you?”

  She stays quiet, and I can picture her cheeks ballooning.

  “Sierra…”

  A loud whoosh of air fuzzes my phone.

  “I tell Levi everything.”

  Chapter 12

  Maybe sign-twirling is in my future.

  The bell clanks against the glass as I open the door to Nut World, application in hand. I texted Adam late last night to see if he’d be okay with me applying at his job. I thought he’d be wordier, but he just said, “That’s fine.” Maybe it was because I texted him way past his bed time.

  He’s working today, but I didn’t see him out on the curb. He must’ve just gotten done with his shift.

  “Hey, sweetie,” a cute old woman behind the counter says, organizing a case of pistachios. “I’m so sorry, I’m just getting these done then I’ll get you your nuts.”

  A smile twitches on my lips as I step up to the display case. “Actually I’m here to turn this in.”

  I slide the application across the glass, and she adjusts her glasses and taps a pink nail on the paper.

  “Let me take a look at this, here,” she says with a smile, then holds the application inches from her nose.

  Forcing myself not to pop my gum, I let my eyes wander over the nuts in the cases. It smells really sweet in here—like caramel and cinnamon. I wonder if I start working here if I’ll permanently smell of the place like Adam does. Not a bad side effect, in my opinion.

  “Oh my beautiful Brea!” Peggy Pelegrino says as she pops out from the back. Her hair cap protector looks like it’s sliding off her salt and pepper hair as she scrambles around the counter to me. She plants a wet kiss on my cheek, and I wait till she’s turned around to lift my shoulder and rub the lipstick off. “Are you here to see our head squirrel? He’s just changing in the back. Poor thing got so red when I walked in on him in his boxer shorts. Aletha, we need to put a lock on that door.”

  The cute white-haired lady chuckles and sets my application back down on the counter. “He tells you he’s changing every time he goes in there. You just want a good look at the cute boy.”

  Mrs. Pelegrino laughs, her nose pinching a bit as she turns back to me. “It’s beyond me why that boy doesn’t have a girl. Have you seen him in his boxer shorts, dear? He’s got a fine little caboose.”

  I slowly shake my head, because even though Adam and I have been close friends for a few years, no… I haven’t seen his “caboose.”

  “Peggy,” Aletha says, pulling her glasses off her nose, “he could be your grandson, you wrinkled prune. Great-grandson, even.”

  “I ain’t dead yet.”

  Aletha shakes her head, and then pushes her glasses back on so she can keep reading my application. Peggy hobbles over to her.

  “What’s this?”

  I pop my gum and internally smack myself because that’s so not professional. “It’s my—”

  “Oh, this handwriting is so loopy,” Aletha says, and Peggy nods with her. “It’s pretty, but I can’t make out half of this.”

  A pit starts to grow in my stomach. I guess I filled it out in a hurry, but I was antsy to get it in their hands. Maybe I should’ve typed it up or something.

  “Mary!” both ladies shout, and I jump backward into a cardboard display of a squirrel eating an acorn. Another older woman pads out into the room, sugar dotting her cheek. She adjusts her protection cap over her mostly red hair. Her roots scream it’s time for another salon stop.

  “Can you read this? Your eyes haven’t been shot to hell yet, have they?”

  Mary squints at the paper, and I feel like maybe I should do an oral interview instead. “What is this? What’s she selling?” Her eyes widen when she looks at me. “Are you selling those girl cookies? Oh! Maybe you can bring some of our nut samples to your head baker. Just imagine, ladies. Our fresh nuts in boxed cookies.”

  Aletha sets the application back on the counter, and they all sigh at the ceiling. I can’t help the tiny laugh that escapes my lips.

  “Um, it’s a job application, actually.”

  “Oh, good for you, honey. Responsibility is a good thing to learn young.” Mary smiles and wipes at the sugar on her face. “Do you need a good reference from a small business like ours to sell those cookies? Aletha, hand me a pen.”

  “No, I—”

  “Tell them when you turn this in, darling, that our nuts are discounted for bulk orders. Best nuts in the business, I tell you. Now, show me where to put my name in here.”

  “Actually, it’s for—”

  “Oh my, Mary…” Aletha says, pointing to Mary’s chest. “You have nuts in your bosom.”

  Mary drops the pen in her hand and swipes at her have-to-be triple Ds.

  “They’re always getting stuck in here.” She looks up at me as she digs around in her bra. “Nuts just love to pop between these overgrown melons.”

  I bite on my lips to keep from laughing so hard I snort.

  “Go wash your hands before you start cooking.” Peggy gently pushes Mary toward the back, right into Adam who’s walking out with his big squirrel costume in his arms.

  “Oh, sorry, sweetie.” She squeezes past him, fingers still digging nuts from her cleavage. Adam’s ears are up in smoke. “Will you help those two get this adorable girl to sell our nuts in her cookies? I’ve got to get these almonds out of my breasts.”

  Adam cocks an eyebrow in my direction, and I really can’t help the laughter that bubbles from my throat.

  “What’s going on?” he asks, a light smile on his face. His ears return to their normal color.

  Peggy grabs the application from Aletha and yanks Adam over to her so hard his glasses almost topple from his face.

  “Will you read this, hun? Beautiful Brea dropped it off, and we don’t know where to
sign.”

  Adam fixes his glasses and takes one glance at the paper, then at me, then at Peggy.

  “Pegs, this is a job application.”

  “Yes, we know. We just don’t know where to sign for our reference.”

  His brows pull together, and he looks back at me. I hold my hands up and shake my head because I can’t exactly pinpoint when the confusion started.

  Adam lets out a small laugh and looks at Peggy. “No, Brea wants a job here. This is her application.”

  Aletha cocks her head at me, a sad and genuine expression in her eyes. “But what about the cookies, dear?”

  ***

  Adam’s dad is just waking up when we walk in his house. His red hair sticks up in the back, and he runs into the walls as he makes his way to the kitchen. I guess he hasn’t put his contacts in yet.

  “Good afternoon, kids.” He yawns.

  “Morning, Dad.” Adam tosses his keys on the table by the door. “We’ll be upstairs.”

  “Keep the door open.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  I try to give Adam this attempted sexy look like we’re totally going to close the door, because that’s what I usually do when his dad tells us to be appropriate, but Adam’s not looking at me. In fact, he’s seemed a bit off all afternoon.

  I flop down on his plaid sheets when we get to his room, and he slams into his rolly desk chair. He takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes.

  “What’s up, Buttercup?” I ask him, rolling to my back and hanging my head off the edge of the bed.

  “Nothing,” he says. Or lies, because that’s total bull, but I don’t push it. “You want to go over geometry today?”

  I groan and flip to my stomach, keeping my head off the mattress. “Not exactly why I wanted to hang out, Adam.”

  “You want to look for some other jobs?” He starts clicking a pen, and I’m about to smack it from his hand. “I don’t think you’ll have to, though. Pretty sure Pegs will hire you.”

  “No, I just… I wanted to talk to you about something, but you’ve been acting really weird, and now I’m not sure if you even want me here.”

  The pen stops in his hands, and next thing I know, Adam’s face pops under mine as he lies on the floor. He gives me a light smirk and tucks his hands under his head.

  “Sorry. You have my full attention.”

  I bundle my hair up so it’s not dragging all over his face and lean on my elbow. “You have to promise not to tell a soul. Just you and me.” My voice starts to shake, and I know that if I told anyone about this, it would be him, but I’m finding it hard to make the words come out.

  “You got it.”

  He braces himself like I’m about to hit him in the face with a basketball. I don’t know what he thinks I’ll say that makes him react like that, but I bet it’s not what comes out my mouth.

  “I think my mom is a hooker.”

  Adam’s eyes pop under his glasses. A sharp inhale zaps past his lips, and he chokes on the air. He looks at me like I’m nuts, then he lightly smiles as if I’m joking, but when I frown his smile disappears, leaving him in the original state of unbelief.

  He shoots up, slamming his forehead against mine. We both groan and he mutters a “Whoops,” then sits on the bed next to me as we rub out the pain.

  “What happened?” he asks. It takes me a few seconds to register the question. Adam doesn’t always ask when things are going to shit because he understands that I don’t like talking a whole lot. But this… I didn’t want to tell a soul yet I need an outlet. I can’t keep it to myself and the words start pouring from my mouth in stuttering babbles.

  “I think I…I’m pretty sure I…caught her. There was some guy, and it smelt weird in the house, and she said she thought I was going to be with you, but that wasn’t until later. She was wearing…well, yeah…it wasn’t covering…and I thought ‘boyfriend’ but then he said something about paying for the hour…Mom was scared out of her mind. I’m still…like, did that really happen? Maybe I overreacted, but I couldn’t stay. I bolted out the door, and I’ve been at Sierra’s ever since, but I should probably go back home so Levi doesn’t…I can’t tell him. Don’t tell him, please, Adam, he’d…it would… he’d totally…I don’t want him to…even if she deserves it, he doesn’t need more stress. He’s already dealing with the bills and trying to figure out how to move out and I just—”

  Adam brings his fingers to my lips, softly touching them and my eyes lock with his.

  “Do you need a place to stay?” He gulps and drops his hand. My heart gives an unexpected extra beat. “I can cover for you with your brother.”

  He knows Sierra won’t lie to Levi. He knows I won’t be able to stay at her place forever, and he knows I don’t want to go home—that I can’t face my mom right now. And he’s willing to lie to one of his friends…for me.

  I reach out and pull him into a hug. His glasses press against my head as his arms slide around my waist. My heart’s doing extra beats all over my body. I’ve never felt top priority with anyone or in anything.

  But right now, I do.

  “Is this a yes?” he asks over my shoulder. His hand twitches on my back, and I notice it’s not just my heart that’s thumping in a bizarre pattern. “I mean, I’ll tell my dad we’ll have a house guest for a bit if I need to, but he works every night this week so…”

  I squeeze him a little tighter, and as much as I want to say yes, as much as I want to stay in the comfort of Adam’s house and with my best friend, I know I shouldn’t.

  “Thanks, but I… don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  My arms want to stay around his neck, but he loosens his hold so I do the same.

  “Right.” He fixes his glasses, his face a little flushed. “Your boyfriend probably wouldn’t like that.”

  “Boyfriend?”

  His eyebrows rise. “Jay?”

  “Oh yeah.” I laugh a little. “Sorry, it’s still new and I’m not used to that word yet.”

  Adam nods, then picks at a copy of a Brandon Sanderson book sitting on the mattress. “Well, the invitation’s there if you ever need it.”

  “I know. Thanks.”

  The air feels sticky for a moment, like I’ve pressed him into some glue and I’m unsure how I did it.

  “I didn’t freak you out, did I?” I ask. “You don’t think less of me or my family or…”

  “What? No.” He stops playing with the book and scoots closer on the bed. “I’m worried about you. Usually I have some sort of answer, but… you’ve got me stumped on this one.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “I just… wish there was something I could do.”

  I smile at the defeat on his face. He’s already done it. All I needed was to talk. And I love how Adam really seems genuine about solving other people’s problems like they’re his own. I wonder if he has anyone who does that for him.

  “Well, you could help me get that job. I know I can’t make as much as a hooker, but…”

  “Hey now, we sign tossers are just as awesome as any other corner worker.”

  I laugh, reveling in the tension seeping from my stomach. I never knew that talking could be just as effective as kissing.

  Chapter 13

  I wonder if I could pull off the hobo look.

  The front porch light of my trailer is on when Adam drops me off. It lights the top of Levi’s blond head, and his knees stop bouncing when his eyes flick to mine. He shuffles to his feet and gives Adam a head nod.

  “You have minutes on your phone?” Adam asks as I unbuckle. I guess it’s really not necessary for him to walk me up tonight since my brother is right there.

  “A few.”

  “Two second call to my cell and I’ll come right back if you need, okay?”

  I nod. Not sure I’ll take him up on it since Levi’s home, but it’s good to have a backup.

  Levi waits till Adam rounds the corner before the redness in his neck consumes his entire face.

  “Wha
t happened?” he growls. I roll my eyes because he’s hardly intimidating.

  “Nothing.”

  “Then why haven’t you slept at home for the past week?”

  A sharp rusty taste builds on my tongue. My eyes scan his blue work shirt, sleeves pushed to his elbows. Tie has been loosened and his gold nametag is slightly off-center. Judging by the dark circles under his eyes he’s worked another double shift. He’s already upset with me, but a part of my heart registers his concern too. And I just can’t tell him that as hard as he’s working, it’s still not enough.

  “It hasn’t been that long,” I counter, hoping he’ll just find me guilty of being a pain in the ass. That’s better than finding out I’m actually completely torn up and livid inside over Mom. “A few days maybe. And I’m here now.”

  He sighs, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Why?”

  “Just a stupid fight with Mom. Seriously, relax. I was at Sierra’s house the whole time. It’s not like you didn’t know where I was.”

  “Yeah, and she said you didn’t show up till midnight one of those nights. And you barely spoke three sentences to her.”

  “I’m not much of a talker.”

  “What about this dude you were with? Who is he?”

  “My boyfriend.” That word still feels super weird. “Thought your girlfriend would’ve told you that too.” It comes out clipped, hurt, and like I was betrayed somehow, yet I don’t know why it comes out like that. I knew Sierra would tell Levi. They have that tell-each-other-everything relationship.

  “She’s worried.” His voice rises. “I’m worried.”

  One look at his torn face and the words almost spew out. Mom is sleeping with people for money! They build up and up and up through my throat—then just as they get to my tongue, they detour to the back of my eyes.

  “I’m fine,” I croak, like those words were plucked from the bottom of my feet, the farthest place possible from how I really feel.