“What is it?”
“Work. They’re closed for the day because of the snow.”
“Yep,” Lia declared, still looking out the window. “Nothing will shut down a Texas town quicker than snow or a hurricane.”
“So, you don’t have to go to work now,” Emmaline said brightly. “You can stay.”
Now that her excuse was gone, Hayden took her time answering. “I guess.” It was that or come clean about not wanting to do the lessons anymore—and why. Plus, she figured the roads needed to melt a little before she drove all the way home in her less-than-reliable wheels.
“C’mon. I bet there’s a doughnut shop open.” Emmaline flung back her blanket and hurried to get dressed.
“Hopefully Sunrise Doughnuts—I’ll call ahead and make sure.” Lia started scrolling through her phone.
Hayden drifted to the window to look out at the world as Emmaline changed inside her closet like a sixth grader uncomfortable stripping off her clothes in front of other girls. Hayden had no such modesty, fumbling for her clothes in her backpack and getting dressed in the middle of the room. Grabbing her makeup bag, she moved into the bathroom and took a moment to stare at her reflection before finally deciding to pile her dark hair atop her head and secure it with sticks. She applied her makeup: eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara. She swiped a deep red over her lips and then nodded at her reflection, feeling better. Ready to face the world.
“Doughnut shop is open,” Lia announced in triumph, hanging up her phone as Emmaline emerged in a T-shirt and leggings.
They left her bedroom and bumped into Mrs. Martin coming up the stairs with a basket of laundry. “There’s our sleepyheads.” She looked them over with a slight frown, clearly observing they were all dressed to go out. “Where are you all going?”
“Hayden is taking us to get doughnuts. You want one, Mom? Or two?”
Mom’s frown deepened. “The roads are pretty nasty out there, Emmaline. I’m not sure I want you to leave the house today.”
“Mom,” she said.
Emmaline’s mother turned her attention to Hayden. “Do you have tire chains, Hayden?”
Tire chains? They lived in Texas. It hadn’t snowed here in years, and when it did, it hardly required chains.
“Mom.” Emmaline dragged out the single syllable.
“No, ma’am,” Hayden replied, trying to act normal in the face of parental interrogation.
“I’ll drive them, Mom. My truck has good tires.”
They all swung around, looking down at Nolan standing at the base of the stairs, one of his hands gripping the balustrade.
“Great.” Emmaline looked to her mother, evidently willing to forget she was mad at her brother in this moment. “Okay, Mom?”
Mrs. Martin bit her lip. Her dark eyes, so like Nolan’s, flitted back and forth between Emmaline and her brother, considering them both. She shifted her basket to her hip so she could hold it with one hand. With her free hand, she pointed a finger at Nolan. “Precious cargo, Nolan. Yourself included. You got me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded.
They all grabbed their coats near the door and traipsed out of the house together.
Hayden carefully trained her gaze to steer clear of Nolan, wondering at this awkwardness. When was the last time she felt this uncomfortable around a guy? Or anyone? She didn’t like it. She didn’t want it.
“Where’s Beau?” Emmaline asked as they rounded to the front of the house and walked down the icy driveway.
They all picked their steps carefully. Unlike Nolan. He strode purposefully ahead, his long legs eating up the distance to his truck with no fear of slipping, reminding Hayden that this guy was a superior athlete.
“Went home,” he replied.
Emmaline nodded and slid into the back seat. Lia joined her, leaving the front seat for Hayden. Great.
“You two should get to know each other. I bet you have more in common than you think,” Emmaline chirped from the back seat.
Earth. Open. Swallow.
Heat flushed through Hayden. She knew what Emmaline was trying to do. She was hoping Nolan would decide Hayden wasn’t a terrible influence. It wouldn’t work, of course. They’d already had a night together where they got to know each other better. Hayden had stupidly thought they could be friends then. She’d been wrong.
Nolan didn’t say anything.
Hayden sat rigidly, looking straight ahead, glad that she’d applied her makeup. She had that armor at least.
She felt Nolan turn to look at her when they stopped at a red light.
She held her breath, willing him to look away.
He was probably wondering what she was doing in his front seat and how to get rid of her. The light turned green and the stare ended.
The doughnut shop was only a few miles from the house, and, true to his word, Nolan drove carefully. The parking lot was packed though, and they had to park on the street. The Tasty Freeze might be closed, but plenty of people were comfortable driving on the nasty roads, venturing out to the few businesses bold enough to open their doors. Hayden fell in beside Emmaline as they walked, leaving Nolan to walk ahead of them.
“Man,” Lia whispered with a giggle. “Your brother’s ass in those jeans—”
“Ew. Just stop before I throw up, okay?”
Lia laughed.
Emmaline gave her friend a disgusted a look. “I’d expect that from Sanjana, but you’re usually better behaved than that.”
Lia grinned and shrugged. “Must be Hayden’s lessons. They’re helping me express myself.”
Hayden dropped her eyes to Nolan’s backside, and that annoyed her. The whole conversation annoyed her. Lia annoyed her. She didn’t like her talking about Nolan in a weirdly possessive way, and that was messed up. Get it together, Hayden.
“Oh, look, Nolan,” Lia called out and pointed to the striped Fiat in the parking lot. “Even Priscilla is here.”
“Yeah,” Nolan commented, his voice bland. He must have already noticed. Of course he had. They were a couple. They probably had a built-in radar for each other.
They hurried in from the cold and got in line at the counter, except for Nolan, who left them to join Priscilla’s table.
“Your mom didn’t say what she wanted,” Lia said as she peered around the bodies at the doughnuts on the display in the glass case.
“I’ll just pick out a variety for her.” Emmaline turned to Hayden. “What kind do you want?”
Hayden wasn’t looking at the doughnuts. She was looking to where Nolan had squeezed into the booth with Priscilla and her friends. God. She was so transparent. She needed to stop this. She didn’t obsess over guys.
Just at that moment, Priscilla looked up at her and their eyes met—her expression clearly disapproving.
“Ugh. Don’t stare at her,” Emmaline advised.
Hayden faced forward and said evenly, “She doesn’t like me.” Her mouth twisted wryly. “Don’t get me wrong. I could care less.”
Emmaline chuckled. “Obviously. Why should you? You’re way cooler than she is.”
The words pleased Hayden and she smiled genuinely at Emmaline. “Thanks.”
As they inched up in line closer to the counter, Hayden couldn’t help sliding another look behind her to the booth where Nolan sat with Priscilla. She meant what she said. She didn’t care what Priscilla thought about her. However, she was starting to care what Nolan thought.