“Thanks for letting me hang out,” I said.

“Thanks for ruining shellfish for me.”

“You can blame Mr. Ellison for that.” I unlocked my car and opened the door. “Tell your mom she’s still my favorite cook.”

“I think she likes feeding you. She says no one appreciates her cooking like you do.”

I laughed. “I love your mom.”

He lifted his shoulder and let it drop. “And she loves you.”

I stopped. The way he’d said it almost seemed like there was a hidden meaning behind the words, but then I realized that would’ve made no sense. I was practically family, after all. Jake even said so. I stepped forward to wrap my arms around his middle for a hug. He squeezed me tightly in return.

“Thanks again,” I said, looking up at him.

He released me before he brushed my bangs out of my eyes and smiled.

I don’t know how long we stood like that in his driveway, just inches from each other. It might have been only a few seconds, but it seemed like forever. I licked my lips and held my breath for…something.

“You’re shivering,” he said.

“I am?” The temperature was cool, but I was also wearing a thick coat.

“Turn on your heat when you get the car started,” he said, holding the door for me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, okay,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. I climbed into my car and backed out of the driveway. He was watching me when I looked up, and I waved before I pulled onto his street.

I didn’t know what I’d been expecting after he hugged me; I only knew I didn’t get it.

Chapter Eleven

Ally slid into the seat across from me at our usual lunch table a couple of days later, her eyes bright with excitement.

“Guess who has a date tomorrow,” she said. Without waiting for a response from us, she let out a shrill squeal.

“Ouch,” Jake said, his hand to his ear. “That was some serious feedback. Did you actually say something, Ally, or are you practicing your dolphin call again?”

She gave him an icy glare. “You’re so funny.”

I held up a soggy French fry as a pointer. “He is. But looks aren’t everything.” Jake narrowed his eyes at me, and I popped the fry into my mouth.

Things between Jake and me were back to normal. I still hadn’t figured out what had me all weirded out earlier that week, but it must’ve been a one-time thing because it hadn’t happened since. I’d decided the stress of seeing my dad again and dealing with keeping him out of my life was making me imagine things and freak out over stupid, nonexistent stuff.

“Nice,” Jake said, and he plucked a fry from my tray and threw it at me. “So someone finally worked up the nerve to ask Ally out,” he said with a grin. “I wonder what’s wrong with him.”

From her place beside her boyfriend, Bianca nudged my shoulder and glowered at Jake. “Ignore them,” she said to Ally. “Who’re you going out with?”

“Hunter,” she replied with a dreamy smile. “He’s so cute.”

Finn looked up from his open laptop and turned to her. “Hunter York?”

“Yes.” Ally’s eyes grew big and she latched onto his arm. “Why? Have you heard anything about him? Is he not cool?”

Ever since Bianca’s first boyfriend turned out to be uber possessive and not just the awful jerk I knew him to be, Ally had been extra cautious. She may have had her finger on the pulse of the Westgate social scene, but even she hadn’t known what a creepazoid Dante Schwartz was.

“Ease up, Katz,” Tim said. “It was an honest question.”

Bianca nodded. “Yeah. Aren’t there, like, three Hunters in the school?”

Ally released her grip on Finn’s arm. “Well, I’m not going to go out with a freshman, and no offense to your friends, but Hunter Grace is kind of like the Anti-Cute,” she said, referring to the captain of the wrestling team.

“I think his girlfriend might disagree,” Brady said from behind us. He reached over my shoulder and grabbed some fries from my tray. “Why are you talking about Grace, anyway?” he said, his mouth full.

“Katz has a date with Hunter,” Tim said.

“Grace?” He grabbed another handful.

“No,” Finn said. “York.”

Brady’s hand stopped inches from my French fries. “York?” he repeated.

Ally’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you guys so surprised? What’s wrong with him?”

I glanced at Bianca, and we both shrugged.

“Nothing,” Finn said from behind his laptop. “He’s a good guy.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ally demanded.

Bianca worked quickly to bring the topic back to Ally’s favorite subject: herself. “What are you guys doing tomorrow? Do you know?”

That did the trick. Ally shifted in her seat and leaned forward, her face beaming once again. “He’s taking me miniature golfing. Tell me that isn’t just the most adorable thing ever.”

Jake picked up his pizza slice and shuddered. Brady snickered over my shoulder. Bianca, at least, was more supportive.

“That’s so cute,” she cooed. She put her chin on Tim’s shoulder. “We should totally do that.”

Brady snorted with derision. “You hate mini golf.”

“Only because you keep yelling at me for not holding the stick right,” Bianca said with a haughty glare.

“For crying out loud,” Brady said, grabbing the last of my fries, “it’s called a putter.”

Tim put a protective arm around Bianca and said, “Leave her alone, Brady. I’ve got this.”

I snickered as Brady shook his head and left our table, probably in search of other underclassmen to torment. Tim and Bianca were an adorable couple. She’d had a crush on him practically forever, but they only started going out a few months ago. He and Brady were best friends, which probably made things a little awkward, but Brady was cool with it. Besides, Tim was awesome. He was protective of Bianca without being obsessive, eager to spend time with her but respectful of her interests, and not above hanging out with a bunch of sophomores though most of his fellow seniors would have balked at doing such a thing. Bianca was completely smitten with him, and I didn’t blame her.

Jake had a thoughtful expression on his face as he chewed. “I didn’t know you liked Hunter,” he said to Ally.

She opened a packet of dressing and drizzled half of its contents over her salad. “I don’t really know him all that well,” she admitted, “but he’s really cute.”

“You think everyone is cute,” I muttered.

“Anyway, he’s the assistant director for Chicago,” she said, spearing some greens with her fork, “so we’re spending a lot of time together.”

Jake nodded, but he remained silent.

“Hey, Ally,” Keith said from somewhere behind me, “thanks for the good word with your brother.”

She hurriedly covered her mouth with a napkin for a second before she put it back down and smiled at him. “Oh, no probs. He said you’re going to help out a couple days a week?”

He dragged a chair from a neighboring table and pulled it up to ours to sit beside her. “Yeah. He said I could store my car there, too.” Keith grinned. “I’m bringing it by tomorrow. Maybe we can hang out after.”

“Probably not,” Jake said, his mouth full of pizza. “She’s got a date with York.”

“Hunter York?” Keith sounded surprised.

“Yeah.” Ally’s eyes grew wide again. “Why? What do you know?”

“Nothing,” he replied. “He’s a good guy.”

“That’s exactly what Finn said,” she said, her brow furrowed in bewilderment.

Keith spoke slowly, as though he was carefully selecting his words. “I guess I just didn’t think you were his type.”

Finn coughed a few times and put down his bottle of water. “Sorry,” he said. “Wrong pipe.”

“What’s this car you’re storing at the garage?” I said, trying to change the subject. The guys were acting strangely, and it made me nervous.

“He bought a ’67 Barracuda,” Ally answered for Keith.

“It needs some work,” he added.