slippers, and crazy beauty mask, I didn’t let her squirm too long, afraid my mother’s shock would wear off and she would embarrass me.
“We were just leaving, Mum.”
“Oh, don’t let me chase you out.”
“N-no, that’s okay,” Layne stammered. “It’s getting late. I have to get home.”
“Well, do come back again,” my mother implored, smiling at me like I’d just announced our engagement.
“Oh, I hope to.” Layne’s face turned pink again. “To rehearse, I mean. That’s what we were doing, just now. We were just rehearsing for the competition.”
I snorted and Layne looked to me for help, but I only grinned, stuffing my hands in my pockets as I watched her change colors like a stoplight. I knew what she wanted, but she was much too adorable to rescue at the moment.
“Oh. Well, very good,” my mother said. “I trust rehearsing is going well, then?”
“Very well,” I said, winking at Layne who looked like she must be overheating in her jacket and scarf. “Night, Mum.”
“It’s not funny, Wyatt,” Layne scolded as we drove away from my house.
But I couldn’t help myself. I howled with laughter every time I envisioned my mother’s face.
“That was humiliating,” Layne muttered.
“I don’t know who looked more embarrassed. You or my mother.”
“Me!” Layne groaned. “And you were no help! Your mom probably thinks we were in your room hooking up.”
That only made me laugh harder.
Layne put her head in her hands, and I did my best to stave off my hysterics. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, I promise.”
She glared at me. “It kinda feels like you are.”
“No, it’s just my mother is always telling me to have people over and the one time I finally do . . . she looks like that!” I fell to pieces again, trying to catch my breath as a fresh wave of laughter overtook me. “It just proves she never thought I’d do it.”
Now even Layne was laughing. “You really don’t have friends over, do you?”
“Never,” I said, through more hysterical laughter. “But maybe I should if this is the result!”
“Well, next time, you should probably let your parents know you’re having me over.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” I teased.
“My mom would kill me if I just invited random people over whenever I wanted.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“So, you tell her every time you invite someone over?”
“Yeah. Lola’s pretty much the only one who ever comes over. And it’s not like I could hide someone in my house anyway. It’s not quite the sprawling mansion you live in.”
“Huh,” I said, considering this. “Is that why you were so miffed when I showed up at your house the other morning?”
“One of many reasons,” she teased.
“Well, you’d better get used to it, partner. For the next two weeks I’m your chauffer.”
She laughed. “Well, then you’d better follow proper protocol.”
“Which is?”
“Call before you show up and if you invite me over, let your parents know.”
I gave her a salute. “Next time I promise to announce all arrivals with the proper fanfare.”
She rolled her eyes. “A text message works fine.”
We rode in comfortable silence for a bit when Layne surprised me with a question. “So, you really don’t ever invite friends to your house?”
“What friends?” I asked.
She quirked an eyebrow. “Wyatt, you have friends. You’re one of the most popular guys in our class.”
“Popularity and friendship don’t mean the same thing.”
“What about the guys on your baseball team?”
“What about them?”
“They’re not your friends?”
“They’re my teammates,” I clarified.
“Okay, then girlfriends?”
“Do I have girlfriends I’m unaware of?”
She crossed her arms. “You have a reputation, you know?”
“So, I’ve heard.” I sighed. “Yes, I’ve dated my fair share of girls at Northwood, but I’ve never had a girlfriend.”
“Why not?”
I didn’t particularly like where this line of questioning was going, but for some reason, I didn’t want to lie to Layne. She’d made it past my defenses, and I guess that earned her the truth, no matter how uncomfortable. “Same reason I don’t invite people to my home, I suppose.”
“Which is?”
I exhaled slowly, mulling my words over. “I guess . . .” I started. “I guess, I don’t want people to judge me by where I come from.”
“I get that,” she said quietly.
I nodded, knowing she did, but I still felt the need to make her understand. “It’s like people see my house and get this idea in their head about me. And once they do, I know I’ll never change it no matter what I do. And that’s not fair. It takes away my impact.”