Measuring Up (21 page)

“But I make you smile. It’s a pretty smile. You should totally do it more often and you should totally kiss me before I pull your hair, or chase you or something. That’s what little boys like me do when they like a girl, right?”

I shake my head. “You’re a nerd.”

He leans closer. “Will the third time be the charm?”

I don’t have it in me to make him ask aga
in.
I let my mouth find h
is. My tongue sneaks out, needing
to taste Tegan. It’s so familiar, the way we move together now. The way I sense his movements and give when he wants to take, and take what he offers to me. His hand slides down, down until he’s touching my rear.
Oh my God!
I’m all sorts of dizzy, feeling little sparks igniting inside me. When his hand slides up again, I’m scared he will pull away, but instead his hand slides under the back of my shirt. We’re skin to skin, his rough fingers somehow smooth as they drift up and down my back.

I want to take him in. Every part of him. And I want to touch him too, so I do, testing the waters by letting my hand drift beneath his shirt. He’s hard where I’m soft. Firm where I’m not, but right now, all I can do is revel in the differences because they make him, him and me, me. These moments, when he’s moaning into my mouth and obviously as lost to sensation as I am, that’s all that matters. Tegan being Tegan and me being me. Together.

“We’re going to get in trouble for indecent exposure if we don’t stop,” he says against my mouth. “As good as you feel, we have to stop. I’m game with picking up where we left off later tonight.”

I groan. “We have to?”

“Pick up later?”

“No, stop.”

“Yeah. If I’m going to meet your parents, which I totally am, you know. I’ve wanted to anyway and now Mommy Dearest gave me a reason. But if we want them to like me, I probably shouldn’t get us arrested from going at it in public.” He offers his signature wink.

Going at it? Little firecrackers pop in my belly, but then I realize what he said. “You’d really suffer through a meeting with my mom for me?”

“Annabel Lee, when are you going to realize there’s not much of anything I wouldn’t do when it comes to you?”

***

My leg won’t stop bouncing up and down. I seem to have completely lost control over it. Even though I haven’t eaten all day, I’m not hungry. Tegan will be pissed if he finds out I skipped meals, but honestly, the thought of food makes me want to hurl. I’ve texted Tegan a million times to make sure he doesn’t want to back out. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings, I explained. I would understand. He started off humoring me by telling me he couldn’t wait (which, hello? Has to be a lie. Why would someone be excited to torture themselves with my family?), but by the end I only get replies like, ‘shut up’ and ‘I’m ignoring you now’.

He has no idea what he’s getting himself into. Mom is rough around the edges under normal circumstances. Add in the fact that we’ve hardly spoken since I dropped the bomb about having a boyfriend she never thought I could get and I’m a little nervous about sending him into enemy territory without any ammo.

All of this isn’t the only thing making my leg jump up and down like it’s on crack. No. My first boyfriend, the boy I’m pretty sure has kidnapped my heart is coming to meet my parents. He’s doing it for me. Because he wants to help, because he wants to know everything about me. That’s enough to make a girl go crazy on its own.

Dad comes around the corner and into the entry way that’s become my home for the past fifteen minutes just as the doorbell rings. I jump, fidgeting with my hands.

“Relax, pumpkin. You’re not going up against a firing squad here.”

Funny he seems to subconsciously realize Tegan and I will be under fire too.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“You’ll be fine.” He slides his hand down the side of my head and kisses my temple. “I’m the one who should be freaking out here. My little girl is bringing a boy home. In some ways, it’s every father’s worst nightmare, but you know what? I figure I’m pretty lucky because my little girl is an incredible young lady with a good head on her shoulders. If she likes a guy enough to bring him home, I know he has to be pretty special.”

I blink to hold back tears. “I love you, Daddy, and he is. He’s almost as special as you.”

The bell rings again. “Go on. Answer the door and stop trying to suck up.” His voice cracks and I know he realizes what I’m saying.

Shaking my hands as though I can make all the nervous energy fall out of me, I step forward and open the door. And I can hear it now, the scoffs people would let loose if they heard my thoughts because two months ago, I would have done the same thing. But seeing him there—Tegan with his blond waves, his electric smile and those eyes that always see more than I want to show —makes me forget to be nervous.

The way he steps toward me
, kissing the opposite temple than
my father just did, but in a completely different way. The way his hand lingers on my waist. It all makes me feel like I can face any army, any enemy as long as he’s by my side.

“We ready for this?” he whispers into my hair.

“We’re ready for anything.”

One quick squeeze to my waist and a kiss to my hair later, he steps away from me, holding his hand out for Dad. “Hey, Mr. Conway. I’m Tegan. It’s great to finally meet you.”

Chapter Nineteen

WITH YOU I CAN WIN ANY WAR

“So, Tegan. Annabel hasn’t taken the time to tell us how the two of you met?”

I tense at Mom’s statement. That’s such a lie. I told her about the gym and him being my trainer. It’s just her way to make it seem like I’m keeping stuff about him from her. And the way she says his name? It’s worse than how she says Em’s.

Tegan’s
sitting beside me. Close to me—
having moved the chair over. He finishes chewing, sets his fork down and replies. “I started out as her trainer at the gym. We kind of hit it off from the beginning.”

I can’t help it, I chuckle. What world is he living in?

“Okay, well maybe that’s a stretch. The first day, I’m pretty sure she wanted me to die a fiery death.”

I love that he’s being himself. He’s polite and respectful to them, but he’s also not tempering down his sense of humor…or his ego. It’s that take it or leave it attitude I wonder if I’ll ever have. “I didn’t want you to die…”

“I’m pretty sure you wanted me to die, Annabel Lee. I felt the daggers every time you looked at me.”

“Hey! That’s not fair. I wasn’t
that
bad. I just didn’t—
”

“Like me?”

Giving him a smile, I tease, “Shut up.”

When Mom clears her throat, I realize we kind of forgot they were here.

Tegan looks back and forth between my parents. “So yeah, we started working out together and things just took off from there. She and my mom got close. I’m pretty sure my brother likes her more than he does me, but that’s because she’s great with him. Treats him like he’s a real person, ya know?”

“Actually, I don’t. Annabel, you didn’
t tell me you’ve met his family.
”

Dad cuts in before I can reply. “Do you mind if I ask about your brother, Tegan? Annabel didn’t mention anything so I didn’t realize…”

“No problem. He’s paralyzed,” is all he says about Tim. Then he looks at Mom again. “She’s doing awesome, you know. Not that I care or anything. I don’t mean it like that, but she’s amazing. Working real hard.” It’s one of the first times I’ve seen him stumble over his words and it sort of makes me love him even more.

“That’s very nice of you to say, Tegan.” Dad gives me a wink.

“And you live where? Close by here? How old are you? I wasn’
t aware teens could be trainers.
” Mom’s interrogation continues, sneakily trying to figure out if he passes the Hillcrest elite test.

“I live down in the older part of town. Mom, my brother and I share an apartment over there. She’s a waitress a few miles from our place. I graduated this past June and I’m eighteen. Turn nineteen a few days after Annabel’s birthday.”

In a few weeks. We’ve already planned to celebrate our birthday
s
together.

“Well, that’s a pretty ambitious job for someone your age. Most kids are working at the mall.” What she’s saying sounds all nice and dandy, but I know what she’s doing. She’s looking for information. Whatever she can find to build a case.

“Mom…”

“It’s cool,” Tegan tells me. “I’ve always liked being physical. I’m considering a career that has to do with the human body so I figured it would be a great place for me to start. It only took a few classes. Plus, I’m saving for school too.” No shame. No fear. No bringing up doing it for Tim, which I know he does because he doesn’t want the pity.  Just honesty.

Dad j
umps in. “That’s very respectable
. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders, son. I’m not sure if Annabel told you, but I’m an orthopedic doctor. If you ever want to talk bones or the body, I’m always up for it.” Dad’s voice sounds way too excited. It’s
endearing, but I’m also not sure I want my boyfriend hanging out with my dad. “Annabel wants to go into medicine too.” He adds with pride.

“She told me. I bet you love that she’s following in your footsteps.”

“I do. That’s my pumpkin—
”

“Daniel,” Mom warns him. Then all her attention is on Tegan again. “I have to say, we were pretty surprised to hear about you. And then the…unconventional way you met.  Annabel’s always had such a good head on her shoulders.”

My whole body freezes. I open my mouth to speak, but Tegan cuts me off. “With all due respect, I’m not sure how her dating me means she doesn’t have a good head on her shoulders.”

Mom waves him off. “That’s not what I meant. The lying. The sneaking around, like she has something to hide. She didn’t even tell us she finally decided to try and lose weight. I have to wonder where it’s all coming from.”

Ready. Aim. Fire. I knew this would come. Knew she couldn’t stand to see me happy. What I
don’t understand is why. “Mom—”

“Well, like you said, Annabel’s a smart girl. She knows what she’s doing so if she decided to keep things fro
m you, I can only assume she had
a good reason to. And just so you know, she’s not
trying
to lose weight, she has. She is. That’s if you care enough to wonder.” Tegan shrugs.

Mom’s eyes turn to ice. “I don’t appreciate the way you’re talking to me in my own home. About my own daughter. Of course I care about her. What I have to wonder is…do you? You’ve already admitted to needing money. Is that why you latched onto her? Because you knew she had money and knew she would fall for it?”

“Paulette!”

I don’t let Dad finish. “I don’t appreciate the way
you’re
talking to my boyfriend! It’s obvious you think I’m too weak-minded to realize if someone is using me or not, and I’ve always
known you don’t think I’m good enough for someone to actually like me the way I am
—
” I’m so mad, I don’t have it in me to cry right now. I feel like I could explode.

“That’s not what I meant, Annabel. I’m trying to
—
”

“No, it
is
what you meant and I’m used to it. I don’t care, but it’s not fair to him! He’s done nothing but care about me. No matter what he’s there for me and for you to accuse him of using me for money? I knew you hated me, but.” Now the tears are coming. I hate them, want to fight them so I don’t give her the pleasure.

“Annabel that’s not...” Only she can’t finish. She’s looking at me, her eyes pleading me for something, but I can’t give her anything. Not right now.

“I love Tegan and I can never forgive you for even thinking that about him. I’m done. We’re out of here.”

Tegan stands too. “Annabel Lee, maybe you should
—
”

“No. I’m not staying. I’m not talking.” I look at Dad and he gives me a small nod. Without another word, Tegan takes my hand and we walk out. A couple minutes later we’re in his car, driving away. Neither of us talk. I don’t trust my voice. If it’s even half as broken as my heart, I know nothing that comes out will make any sense. I relive her words over and over and hear what she’s really saying. That I’m not good enough. Why would any good looking boy like me?

Tegan’s driving fast. It only takes us about fifteen minutes to get to his house. I shake my head. “I can’t be around anyone else right now.”

“I know. They’re gone for the night. Timmy had an out of town appointment with a specialist. They’re staying at a hotel.”

As if there aren’t enough emotions swirling inside me, I’m suddenly hit with more. “I am so sorry! You should have told me. We could have done this another night. I mean, not that it went well, but you shouldn’t have missed Tim’s appointment to have dinner with my family. I know you like to go.”

He reaches out and cups my cheek. “Hey, don’t do that. Not right now. I told you, I wanted to have dinne
r with your parents. I go to most of
Timmy’s appointments. It’s not going to hurt me to miss one.”