The Backup Girlfriend (Grove Valley High #2) - Emma Doherty Page 0,77
cook.”
“She should do it for a living. People would pay good money for that.”
He laughs and reaches for a textbook. “Come on. We have to do at least a little bit.”
I groan but dutifully sit up straighter and attempt to at least look like I’m listening to him and what he’s trying to show me.
After about thirty minutes and my third yawn, he finally drops his pen.
“You’re not even listening to me.”
“I am.” I pause. “Well, I’m trying to.”
He shakes his head but doesn’t really look annoyed.
“It’s your mom’s fault,” I tell him. “I can’t believe how good that food was.”
“You sound like you’ve never eaten before.”
“I haven’t eaten like that since I was a little kid and we went to my grandma’s house.”
“Your mom doesn’t cook the food from when she was younger?”
I snort. My mom doesn’t cook period. “Our housekeeper sometimes makes food for us, but mostly we eat out or get takeout.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Must be nice.”
I roll my eyes. “Go ahead and judge me.” I say it because I know he won’t, not really. He just seems to have this strange fascination with money and has to comment on it the second you mention anything even slightly related to it. “We also have a cleaner and a gardener.”
He grins at me. “Okay now you’re just showing off.”
I grin right back at him.
We stare at each other for a couple of seconds and I know it’s my turn to speak, but when I lock eyes with him like this, I completely lose my train of thought.
Right—speak! “Um…so…um where’s your dad?”
“He’s not here.”
Oh no, his dad died and I didn’t know?
“Brett, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
He looks confused for a second and then starts laughing. “Dick.” Now it’s me who’s confused. “He’s not dead, you idiot—he’s deployed.”
Oh.
Brett cracks up again at the look on my face, and I throw my pencil at him. “Shut up.”
“Your face!”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
Brett snorts and waves his hand around the room. “The military pictures around the room didn’t give it away?”
He has a very valid point there, and I feel my face blushing. Maybe it’s not so surprising that I’m failing high school after all if I can’t pick up on a few simple clues.
I clear my throat. “So your dad’s in the military?”
“Yes, Sherlock.”
Sarcastic ass.
“How long’s he been a soldier for?”
He shrugs. “Since I was four or five.”
“Really?” I don’t know why I’m so surprised; I guess I just assumed anyone in the military had been in it for years, not chosen to join after they had a family so that they would be away from them. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Sorry, it’s none of my business.”
He rolls his eyes. “Are you asking why he joined the army?”
“Well…I dunno, I’m guessing you and your mom don’t get along with your dad very well if he chose to move away and be apart from you.”
He stares at me for a second then bursts out laughing all over again.
“What?!”
“You’re really firing on all cylinders tonight aren’t you?”
“Huh?”
Brett’s smiling at me again. “He lost his job working for a security company and couldn’t find any other work. A couple of his buddies are in the military, so he signed up. He hates being away, but it’s a steady income, and he’s been in so long now that he might as well see it through.”
I blink at him. Wow. I can’t imagine how tough that must have been to sign up knowing you’d be leaving your family behind.
“Do you get along with your dad?” I ask tentatively.
“Yeah, he’s awesome.” I’m surprised by the pure conviction and lack of hesitation in his voice. “I miss him a lot. It’s worse for my mom though. She misses him like crazy.”
“She does?”
He nods. “They’re so embarrassing when they’re together. They’re always holding hands and kissing.”
“They are?!” I couldn’t be more perplexed by the thought of two parents being that crazy in love if I tried. It’s a million miles away from my own parents.
“Yeah, it’s pretty nauseating.”
“How often does he go away for?”
He shrugs. “It depends. Sometimes it’s just six months. One time when I was twelve, it was a year.”
“A year?!”
He chuckles. “Yeah.” He pauses for a moment. “That sucked. I really missed him.”
I feel like that should make me sad, but it doesn’t. I think it’s awesome that he has someone he misses so much when he’s away. He’s lucky.
“This is random,” I start, sitting up straighter and getting excited that I finally have someone to