Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,69
granddaughter.”
His mom, who has beautiful, thick eyebrows just like her son, looks a little uncomfortable in the setting, but she smiles at me and shakes my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Evie. Your grandmother is wonderful.”
“Thank you,” I say.
Milo’s dad has a bald head and a thick goatee. “Let me ask you something, Evie, do you think it’s too loud in here? I said that to Milo, and he thinks I’m overreacting.”
Milo sighs, smiling. “Dad, come on.”
“I’m just asking a question,” he says, looking at me like he genuinely wants to know my opinion.
“It is a little loud,” I say honestly, laughing. Beside me, Milo makes a noise of protest. “But I think that’s just the nature of these shows.”
Just as I say that, of course, the next band walks onto the stage and the crowd starts shouting again. Milo’s mom actually jumps.
“I think we’d better go,” she says, kissing Milo on the cheek. “You did good tonight, and I know you don’t want to hear it, but take a look at the CUNY schedule I sent you, okay? Humor your mother.”
“I will, Mom, I promise,” he says, hugging her. His dad gives him a hearty pat on the back, and then they gingerly maneuver their way to the door.
“They’re going to pray for me at church tomorrow,” Milo says.
I watch as his mom clutches her purse to her chest and his dad holds the door open for her. I think about my own parents and their sullen expressions during our last breakfast together. “You’re lucky to have them.”
He stares at me for a moment, once again trying to look deeper into what it is that I’m not saying. “Yeah, you’re right.”
We walk toward the back of the bar and sit down at an empty table. Now that we’re alone, I say to Milo, “I’m pretty sure I saw Gigi at Bryant Park today.”
His eyes go wide. “Really?”
Quickly, I explain James Jenkins’s random visit and how we ended up at Bryant Park.
“I can’t believe the one time I wasn’t there, James Jenkins decided to show up,” he says. “So what are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to go back home and hope that she’s there,” I say.
I can’t think of the alternative, that she’ll never show up and miss the ceremony entirely. That she won’t sit in for a meeting with James and I’ll lose out on my role in his movie, the only chance I have to make a comeback. That I’ll have to explain all this to Kerri and to my parents.
Then we’re interrupted when the rest of the boys appear.
“Adam wants us to come to the office tomorrow and play for the rest of the Vivid team,” Raf says, practically bouncing up and down on his toes. “He likes us so much he wants us to come in on a Sunday! Can you believe that?”
I nod. “Yeah, I can. You guys were great.”
They all beam at me. Milo softly taps my arm. “I saw what you did,” he whispers in my ear. “You stalled him. Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” I whisper back. And really, it wasn’t. After how he’s helped me try to look for Gigi, it’s really the least I could have done.
“Party at our apartment right now,” Raf says. “We’re going to invite everyone. Let’s tell the masses.”
“The masses,” Ben repeats, rolling his eyes, but doesn’t argue, following Raf into the crowd. Vinny goes off to find Michelle.
“Are you coming with us?” Milo asks. Did he scoot closer to me? His face is, like, right here.
“No,” I say, gulping. “I should get back to Gigi’s.”
Raf pops up at the table again, flushed and excited. Ben, Vinny, and Michelle flank him.
“It’s official,” he says to Milo and me. “Everyone’s coming back to the apartment.”
Milo raises an eyebrow. “Everyone?”
“Well, a few people, if you want to be technical, but whatever. It’s going to be a party. Let’s go.”
“You sure you’re not coming?” Milo asks, looking at me.
“Yeah.” But I’m really not sure.
“Aww, come on,” Raf says. “Adam wouldn’t have stayed if it weren’t for you, Evie. You have to come. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“For the first time, I actually agree with Raf,” Vinny says, smiling at me.
Ben says, “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t want to party either, but I’m still going. Well, I guess I have to because I live there, but you know what I mean.”
“Join us! Join us! Join us!” Raf begins to chant, and they