Under the Same Stars(24)

His name was out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Neil, right?” I said, trying to keep my tone light but not too light. Everyone knew any airiness in my voice was code for sarcasm. “Isn’t it Neil, Katie?”

There was a beat of silence, and then—miraculously—she spoke! “Yes, it’s Neil.”

“Oh, Katie, hello!” Da exclaimed warmly, but Dad covered his mouth to keep from laughing. “We didn’t know Austin had you on speaker!”

“He does,” she confirmed, and that was literally it. She sounded like she was too busy searching for split ends to really talk to us.

I shifted in the back seat, uncomfortable and a little upset. Things between Katie and me…well, I guess they hadn’t really improved. Her enthusiasm for Ready-Set-Date wasn’t translating to real life.

Austin didn’t seem to notice her disinterest. “So, Mads,” he said, “what time is Reese’s cousin swinging by to get you later?”

“He isn’t,” Dad said before I could. “They’re ‘meeting up.’”

“Mmm,” Austin said, the flip of his blinker audible. “Well, that is sort of how things are done now, Dad. Amanda has been going out with this Neil guy for”—he dropped off to consult with Katie (why couldn’t she just participate in the conversation?!)—“three months, and he never picks her up. They always rendezvous.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Da said.

“Not to mention, a waste of gas,” Dad joked.

Austin chuckled. “Last time I checked, Dad, you weren’t exactly the paragon of environmental sustainability,” he said. “Does Da still double-check that you recycle correctly?”

I groaned. Dad’s recycling was never going to be up to par, but in his defense, Da had an absurdly specific system. “Can we go back to talking about me, please?” I asked, ever the melodramatic me-me-me little sister.

“Of course,” Austin said. “Because Dad and Da should be meeting your date, Mads. I get the whole not-picking-you-up thing, but—”

“Well, what do you want them to do?” I asked. “Davis said our group got the last table at Ember & Ash tonight, so it’s not like they can crash our dinner with their own reservation.”

“You never know,” Dad said dryly. “Rose ?lvarez and I text regularly now.”

I threw him the sharpest of dagger eyes. “I will murder you.”

“Hey, I have an idea!” Austin exclaimed, and I swear it was one second later that his idea chimed like an email in my head. Why don’t you come to the Gallants’ house? Mads can get ready there, ask Davis for a last-minute ride, no big deal, and then you can meet him before spending the evening with us!

Because my parents liked Marc and Stacy Gallant. The only issue was that neither couple could fully commit to getting to know the other better. “He’s a huge sports guy and she has impeccable taste,” Dad said after having dinner at their house for the very first time. “They’re nice people.”

That dinner had been four years ago. The Gallants were still just “nice people.”

Austin, you’re a genius, I thought. I’ll go out with Davis, and Dad and Da will have a great time with you guys—

“What was that idea, kid?” Dad asked. “You mumbled. We couldn’t quite hear you.”

The balloon of hope in my chest deflated when we heard unintelligible whispers. Katie had also read Austin’s mind, but unlike me, she wasn’t on board. My stomach soured; now that they were engaged, it felt like Katie was yanking my brother away from us instead of gently tugging.

“Oh…well…” Austin said, obviously trying to pull something out of his ass. “Just that Mads could probably ask Davis for a last-minute ride. He likes you, sis. He won’t say no.”

“Thanks,” I said, irked. “But I’d like to have my own car, so I can come home when I want. I’ll introduce him to Dad and Da if it goes well.”

Then I leaned forward and disconnected the call.

Neither of my parents said anything.

“We know Davis is a great kid,” Dad said. “I had lunch with Jim Dougherty on Tuesday. He wants to downsize to a townhouse.”

“And let me guess,” I said. “Jim Dougherty is what? Their next-door neighbor?”

“Three houses down, actually,” he replied.

“What are the freaking odds,” I muttered.

“The point of preferring Davis to pick you up is not so we can turn into intimidating dads and ask about his intentions,” Dad said. “We trust you.”

“I know you do,” I said, sighing. “What is the point?”

“For you to be wooed, Madeline,” Da said. “The point is for you to be wooed.”

***

I napped the rest of the way home (something told me freshly charged batteries were best for the dance floor) but woke up to a text from Austin: Hey, sorry about earlier. I know you knew what I was going to propose (because you’re a certified genius)…but so did Kates…and I had to go with her this time. Tonight is supposed to be about Amanda introducing Neil to their parents. She didn’t want hosting our family to steal her sister’s thunder. I hope you get that.

Yeah, no worries, I said. Have fun tonight.