Rebel at Spruce High (Spruce Texas Romance #5) - Daryl Banner Page 0,84

I made an error in judgment,” she tells me. “What you did your first day of school, it was reckless, it was unnecessary and not a good first impression to make of yourself in a new town, and I do not condone it.” She takes a measured breath. “However, I must also consider its intent. You, in fact, were acting … nobly.”

I don’t think I’ve blinked since she started speaking. “Nobly?”

“I’m not giving you back your bike as a reward for anything. I want to be clear: I still do not agree with your behavior, whether it was noble or otherwise. But I see an improvement in you. I see you making many efforts in ways I doubt you even realize I notice. I do notice. I’m proud, for instance, that you’ve decided to get involved with a play this year. I … worried I wouldn’t get to see you perform on a stage again, not after New York.”

My eyes drop to the keys dangling between her fingers. “Don’t get too excited. I doubt the bar’s set all that high here in this town for quality of theatre.”

Inexplicably, my mother chuckles at my remark. “Well, still, it’s something I look forward to seeing. And … this Toby kid.” She clicks her tongue, then crosses her arms. “He’s a nice young man, I hear. Well-balanced. Sweet. An artist like you.”

My heart warms, hearing those things. “Yeah.”

“And I hear he’s gay as well.” She gives me a look. “Is there … something there, too?”

She and I used to be so much more open about this up in New York—until she realized most of the boys I brought home, I never seemed to bring home again. Short attention spans, remember?

I shrug. “There might be something there. Too soon to tell.”

“Well.” She shrugs exactly as I do. Where else do I get it from? “I’m glad you’ve made a friend anyway.” Then she gives me her signature look, eyebrows raised. “I still expect you to do your part moving forward, Donovan. No more mishaps like that first day, I’m warning you, no matter your intent, or the football boys, or what-have-you. We’re going to be working closely with the mayor, and it’s important that we keep up our face here.” She lifts the keys at me, like I’m a cat ready to playfully bat my paws at it. “You just keep in mind our golden rule. People—”

“—are power,” I finish, stepping off the stairs to take the keys. I weigh them in my hands thoughtfully. “Thanks,” I say down to them, not meeting her eyes.

My mother leans in, kisses the top of my head, then walks away. I listen to her heels clack along the tile until she’s also in her bedroom, and the door softly shuts behind her.

It is with great pleasure that, at eleven o’clock on the dot, my leather-jacket-clad ass is sitting in front of Biggie’s, the engine of my bike growling like a beast, sounding just as glad to be reunited with me as I am with it. And when Toby steps out of Biggie’s at last with his apron balled up in his hand and sweat staining the pits of his uniform polo, I watch his lips part with shock as he takes in the sight of my bike.

I lift my spare helmet to him. “Ready for a ride, lover boy?”

Toby gives one nervous glance back at the restaurant before, with a tittering noise of excitement, he rushes up to claim the helmet, then awkwardly fits it over his head. “Like this?” he asks, struggling with the neck strap. I take over, strapping him in with care, then take his balled-up apron from him and shove it into my top box. “You wanna go for a little joyride before we head back to your place?” I ask him, smirking mischievously. “Hell yeah,” Toby exclaims, shaking with excitement.

Toby, still absorbing his own astonishment, hops on behind me, but doesn’t seem to know where to put his feet. “Here,” I tell him, gently taking hold of his thigh, guiding his foot to the peg. “These are for your feet.”

“Oh.” He seems to have gotten ten times more nervous the moment I touch him, as if I plan to do something to him right here in front of Biggie’s Bites in view of all of Main Street. “Cool!”

I turn my head. “Now hold on to me tightly. And get close.” He scoots a little. “Closer.” His hands slip around my waist at