“Kristin, you want to come out with us later?” Victor asked. “We’re going out to dinner.”
“She most certainly does not,” Mom roared. “She’ll be staying in. Kristin is being punished. She lied to me, and she’s grounded.”
Andrew burst out laughing. “She’s twenty-two,” he repeated. “You can’t ground her, Carissa. You can kick her out, but grounding her doesn’t really work.” He glanced at me and winked. I felt a warm, delicious feeling spread from my lower belly to the rest of my body.
“Thanks,” I murmured under my breath.
“I’ve just about had it with you coming in here and giving my daughter dangerous ideas,” Mom said. “Your father and I are proud that you’ve managed to make it on your own, Andrew. But this isn’t the time to lecture us. Kristin is staying home today, and that’s final.”
I stood up, knocking my chair over. “Actually, guys,” I said. “I’d love to go. I finished my paper. I don’t have any more work to do until next semester.”
Mom stared at me, her jaw hanging open. “Kristin, think about what you’re doing,” she said slowly. “Think about this. Your actions have consequences. You can’t just run around with these boys, willy-nilly!”
“Or what, Mom?” I sassed, putting my hands on my hips. “You won’t let me have any dessert?”
My mom looked as angry as she had the day she’d slapped me, but she pinched her lips tightly together.
“Fine,” she said tightly. “Go out with Andrew and his ‘friend.’ Then you can see for yourself the horrors of the real world.”
“I will,” I said, smiling sweetly. “Thanks, Mom.”
Going out with Andrew and Victor was the most fun I’d had since leaving Boston. They even behaved themselves – they were still obviously vying for my affection, but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle. In fact, I actually kind of liked it.
“I’m gonna head home tonight,” Victor said. He smirked. “I’ll leave the two of you alone with your beloved parents.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “God, like you’d want to miss out on all that?”
Victor laughed. “It was good to see you, Kristin,” he said, pulling me into a tight hug. I waited for his hands to grab my ass or for a kiss, but he did neither of those things. The hug felt almost brotherly, like we’d known each other for years.
“I guess it’s just you and me,” Andrew said with a smirk as we watched Victor drive away. The outside air was chilling me to the bone, but I felt so good standing alone with Andrew that I didn’t want to face Mom and Dean…at least, not yet.
“Yeah,” I said softly, my voice echoing through the winter air. “I guess so.”
“How are you?”
I sighed. “You saw my email,” I said. “So you know.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “That bad, huh?”
I nodded.
“Well, who knows,” Andrew said. “Maybe things will get better.” He crunched over the icy snow in the driveway and held open the door for me. “After you,” he said.
I felt crushed. I’d been hoping that as soon as Victor left, Andrew would invite me back to Boston. He couldn’t expect me to stay here alone, could he? Of course he could, I thought bitterly. Why would he feel the need to help someone he barely knows? He’s probably just visiting as a courtesy – that’s all. It’s not like he really cares about me at all.
“Did you have fun?” Mom was standing in the hallway, her arms crossed over her chest. She glared at me. “I’m surprised you even came back.”
For once, I wanted to smack her.
“I had to come back,” I said stiffly. “I live here.”
“Hey, Carissa,” Andrew said. “Dinner soon?”
She glared at him. “Yes,” she snapped. “Your father and I have been waiting for almost an hour.”
As soon as she walked out of the room, I rolled my eyes.
“She’s a piece of work,” Andrew muttered under his breath as we walked into the living room. “I don’t know how you put up with her.”