The Apple Tree (Sunday Morning, #2) (6)

I wrinkled my nose at him. “What if your date goes better than expected? You could get home closer to ten or ten thirty, which is fine with me. Like my mom said,” I shot him a toothy grin, “I have nothing better to do.”

“You have a date?” Mom asked. “Wow. You just arrived. Can I ask with who? I know everyone in town.”

Kyle pinned me with a look that wasn’t exactly friendly. “A date. Yes. I was surprised too. After all, how could I possibly know anyone after arriving today?”

Oops.

I bit my thumbnail.

Kyle returned his attention to my mom. “It’s a blind date. Someone at the school arranged it. They heard I was new in town and single. But if it’s okay with you, I’d rather not give any more information in case it doesn’t go well.”

“Oh, of course.” Mom nodded. “I understand. Eve will be here by six. I’ll pop by, too, to ensure everything is going well.”

“No,” I blurted and quickly bit my lips together. “I’m eighteen. Stop treating me like a child. I don’t need you to babysit me while I’m babysitting. Okay?”

Mom eyed Kyle while he tried to suppress his grin.

“Eve, real grown-ups don’t have issues with other grown-ups helping them,” she said.

I couldn’t believe she was picking a fight with me in front of Kyle.

So embarrassing.

“What’s that saying?” Kyle said. “It takes a village? I’m grateful to have found a village so quickly. I’m sure Josh would love spending time with both of you.”

My eyes bugged out at him.

“We’re just as excited to have you here,” Mom said, looping her arm with mine and trying to pull me toward our house.

“I’ll meet you at home,” I said. “I want to run inside and say goodbye to Josh.”

“Okay. Bye, Kyle.”

“Later, Mrs. Jacobson.”

She shot him a grin over her shoulder. “Please, call me Janet.” It was the grin she used when the cop pulled her over.

After she was out of earshot, I stepped closer to Kyle and narrowed my eyes. “Traitor.”

“What was I supposed to do?” He brushed past me toward the house, and I followed him.

“Uh, tell her she didn’t need to check up on me. Now, I have to tell her that you no longer need a sitter.”

“That’s not true,” he said, opening the creaky screen door. “It’s been forever since I’ve been to the movies.”

“You’re stealing my night out?” I stepped inside as he held open the door.

“Stealing? Of course not. I’ll pay you.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Is that it?” Adam asked, jogging down the stairs. “I put together your bedframe, and all your guns are locked in the safe.”

“Yup. That’s it. Thanks, buddy.”

“No problem. I’ll drive the truck back.” Adam glanced at his watch. “Grab the little man, and we can get pizza after you pick me up.”

“Sounds good. We’ll head that way,” Kyle said.

“It was nice meeting you, Eve.” Adam gave me a slight nod with a smile.

“You too.”

When the door shut behind him, Kyle pulled a set of keys from his pocket. “So six tomorrow night?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “My mom said I have to stop taking apples from the orchard now that you own it, but since I’ve lost all respect for you, I’m taking the best ones and leaving you with the wormholes.”

He narrowed his eyes briefly before the corner of his mouth curled into a tiny grin. “I feel like we’ve gotten off to a bad start.” He fiddled with his keys while giving me a slow once-over.

Was he checking me out?

No.

Maybe.

Gah! I hoped so.

I cleared my throat. “And who’s fault is that?”

Kyle shook his head. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“How?”

He smirked. “You’ll see. Josh? Let’s go, buddy. We have to pick Adam up.”

“See ya, I guess,” I mumbled, pushing open the screen door. When I gazed back, Kyle was looking at my ass or my legs. Maybe both.

When our eyes locked, he winked.

He. WINKED!





CHAPTER THREE





GEORGE MICHAEL, “FAITH”





Kyle

By the time we picked up Adam from the U-Haul store and grabbed a pizza to take home, Josh was asleep.

Adam glanced in the back seat at my sleeping boy before breaching the subject that didn’t need to be discussed. “Eighteen-year-old girls look twenty-five these days,” he said.

I checked my review mirror to confirm that Josh hadn’t woken up. “I suppose,” I replied.

Through the corner of my eye, I caught Adam’s Cheshire cat grin.

He scratched his neck. “Eve is uh …”

“My brother’s best friend’s daughter. Barely out of high school. My neighbor. And ten years younger than me.”

Adam softly chuckled. “I was going to say really hot. Miles of legs. The long dark hair. The sexy grin. Dude, she smiles like she’s got a secret, and it’s hot.”