Surprisingly, I did—but I credit sharing a bed with Vanessa to that miracle.
“It was … fine,” I admit reluctantly.
“The bed was very … comfy.” Vanessa follows up behind me.
We exchange a look, both of us fighting laughter at our lack of enthusiasm. My mom doesn’t let it deter her.
“Glad to hear it.” She claps her hands with a smile. “Now eat up, there’s plenty.”
I grab the pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice and pour myself a glass and then one for Vanessa. With the glasses filled, I then pile eggs, bacon, French Toast, scones, and even a waffle onto our plates. Vanessa eyes the absurd amount of food and I shrug in response. “Try a little of everything. Constance is an amazing cook.”
She shoots a tiny smile my way, then turns her attention to my mom. “Breakfast looks amazing. Thank you.” Her eyes stray to the door, and I know she’s looking for the same thing I’ve been.
“Where’s Dad?”
“He left early for the office. There was an emergency.”
My shoulders sag with relief. Beneath the table, Vanessa’s fingers give my knee a gentle squeeze. I reach for her fingers, but she’s pulled her hand back before I can.
We’ve almost finished eating breakfast, and I’m ready to get the fuck out of here when my mom drops a bomb on me.
Setting her cup of hot tea down on the table, she laces her fingers together leveling me with a look that I know means I won’t like what she’s about to say.
“Your father and I have planned a trip to Greece over spring break. We expect both of you to come of course.” She smiles at Vanessa. “Do you have a passport, dear?”
Vanessa pauses with a bite of French toast halfway to her mouth. “Uh … yeah. I was supposed to go on a trip to England my senior year of high school. It didn’t happen, but I got the passport and everything anyway,” she rambles adorably.
“Good, that’s excellent. You’ll love Greece.”
Vanessa looks at me like she’s waiting for me to say something, maybe to argue that we won’t be going, but I can’t. It’s pointless. I know I won’t win any kind of argument, so there’s no point in starting one.
Gulping down the last of my orange juice, I mutter, “Sounds great.”
24
Vanessa
Under normal circumstances, I’d be ecstatic at the prospect of going to Greece. But visiting the beautiful historic country with Teddy’s parents? No fucking thank you.
Really, I shouldn’t complain about the free trip, and his mom isn’t all bad, but the two of us alone with his parents for our entire spring break in a whole different country sounds like a recipe for disaster. At dinner, his dad looked like he couldn’t decide who he’d rather have dead, Teddy or me.
Stepping out of the kitchen with an order, my heart skips a beat when I see Teddy sitting at his usual table. Or what had been, since he hasn’t been stopping by The Burger Palace as much.
Dropping off the meals, I check if the customers need anything else before I circle over to Teddy.
“Happy to see me?”
I realize the smile hasn’t left my face. “It’s such a nice day, that’s all.”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” he remarks sarcastically, motioning toward the rain falling outside. His own smile never falls from his face. Leaning in conspiratorially, he drops his voice, “It’s okay to admit you like me, Van. I’m very lovable. And fuckable.” Leaning back in the booth, arm draped over the back he waits for my comeback with an eagerness that should probably irk me but instead I feel in places I shouldn’t.
“Don’t make me spit in your salad, McCallister.” I narrow my eyes on the too-good-looking-for-his-own-good man in front of me.
“It’s not like we haven’t swapped spit before.”
He grins in triumph at the sight of red staining my cheeks. “Just give me your order.”
“Jude and Mascen are coming. I’ll wait for them.”
I tap my finger against my thigh. “Okay.”
I start to leave but he calls me back with a question. “When do you get off?”
“Another hour.” It’s a short day for me today, which is nice because I need the break, but on the other hand I could do with the extra tips I’ll miss out on.
“Good.” He drums his fingers on the table. “I have plans for you.”
I narrow my eyes. “I don’t like your tone.”
The smile he gives me doesn’t ease my concerns any. “You worry too much, Van. It’s going to be fine.”
Ten minutes later, the two other guys have joined him, and they speak animatedly—well Jude and Teddy do, Mascen sits beside Jude with a sullen expression like he’d rather be anywhere else. But I get the impression from Mascen that that’s just him.
“Hey, guys.” I smile and give each of them a small wave. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Sweet tea for me, darlin’.” Jude tosses me a wink and then groans, so I have a feeling Teddy has kicked him beneath the table.
“Water,” Mascen replies gruffly.
“Orange juice.”
“Orange juice?” I arch a brow at Teddy. “Seriously?”
“What can I say? It’s my fave.”
“If you know what you want to eat, I can get that in, too.”
The guys rattle off their orders, and I go back to the kitchen to put it in and grab their drinks. When I get back to the table, I find the guys arguing, not loudly or obviously to most, but maybe because I’ve gotten to know Teddy pretty well in the nearly three months we’ve been doing this, I can tell from the tense set of his shoulders and the way his lips barely move as he speaks that he’s mad about something.
“What’s going on?” I ask hesitantly, setting down the cups and eyeing the three of them as I wait for an explanation.
They all look over at me and Jude grins. “Just trying to explain to your boyfriend why a trip up to the mountains for his birthday is absolutely necessary.”
My lips downturn in concern. “You don’t want to do anything for your birthday?”
I panic, wracking my brain for when he mentioned his birthday to me. I know he told me the date, but…
“We’ve already booked the place,” Mascen says in a gruff tone. “You’re going.”
I ignore Mascen, still looking at Teddy for an explanation. “I don’t want the attention.”
“Since when?” Jude guffaws. “Your birthday has always been a huge deal.”
“That was before I fucked up.” Teddy slams a fist on the table. “Don’t you guys get that?”
Jude opens his mouth to speak, but Mascen stares him down and gets him to shut up. “It’ll be a lowkey weekend. Just me, Rory, Cole, Zoey, Jude, Cree, Murray, and of course, Vanessa.”
Jude slaps Mascen on the shoulder. “No single chicks? That’s not cool.”
“I think you can last a weekend without getting your dick wet.”
Jude grumbles something under his breath and gulps down some sweet tea.
“I’m not sure my parents will be cool with me missing our weekly dinner.” Teddy looks sick and stressed at the very thought, and my stomach dips. I hate that anything to do with his father fills him with so much dread.