“Until now.” Smith eases off the brake. “What are the odds your dad takes a swing at me the second he sees me?”
“Just pull into your driveway and stay in the van. I’ll get my bags, and if they ask any questions, I’ll tell them that the driver got confused.” I glance back at Aidan. “It’s honestly not that hard of a story to sell.”
“Great. I hide like I used to when I was a teenager sneaking out of your room. That’s your big plan?”
“Yes.” I hold my breath as we move closer to my parents’ home. “Unless you’ve got a better idea.”
“I do.”
Smith stops the van directly in front of my family. It takes them a second to register that I’m sitting in the front seat instead of the back, and it takes my parents another half second to realize that the driver looks vaguely familiar. I put on the biggest, most enthusiastic smile my mouth can muster and swing open my door to greet them.
“I made it.” I cover my head with my purse to keep the last few drops of rain from splattering across my face. “Better late than never, right? Mom? Dad? Anyone?”
Nobody has ever paid less attention to me in my life. I could light myself on fire, and I doubt that my parents would stop staring at Smith long enough to put out the flames.
“Is that Smith in the car?” Nana Rosie points with the hand that isn’t holding her usual dirty martini. “I didn’t realize he worked as a cabdriver now. I thought he made a boatload of money at that little magazine of his.”
“He’s not a cabdriver, Nana.” I loop my arm around her. “It was just a weird coincidence.”
“Well, are you going to explain this weird coincidence to us, Penelope?” my mother huffs. “Or will Smith fill us in when he fetches your bags?”
“He’s not fetching my bags, Mom,” I say.
“Is he the reason you’re late? Your sister said you were stuck in traffic. Was that a lie?” my mom asks. “Were you two canoodling?”
Ew. Really?
“Didn’t Phoebe show you the news? Everyone trying to get on the island was stuck.” I suddenly realize that Phoebe and Falon are nowhere in sight. “Where is Phoebe?”
“She’s inside with Falon and Martin.” My mother’s face falls. “Oh, poor Martin will be so upset. I can’t believe you would do this to him, Penelope, and with Smith Mackenzie of all people. You told me you were taking one of those rideshares. I didn’t realize that was some sort of code for a hookup.”
“Mom, I haven’t been flexible enough to hook up with anyone in a car since I was sixteen,” I say. “I’m a writer, not a yoga instructor.”
“You’re not being funny, Penelope. None of this is funny at all.” My mother turns to my father. “Carter, can you believe this?”
“No, I can’t,” my father says. He hands my mother their shared umbrella. “I’m going to go have a word with that jackass.”
“Dad, stop.” I tug at his arm. “This is all a misunderstanding. If we could just calm down and go inside, I could explain it to everyone.”
The van door slams shut, quieting us all instantly. Smith’s boots crunch on the gravelly road as he makes his way to the back of the van for my bag. Despite there being only a vehicle between us, Aidan’s van might as well be a mountain. We don’t move or say a word. We just wait with bated breath as Smith closes the back end of the van and then rounds the corner with my luggage and Ozzie in tow.
“Carter. Silvia. Nana Rosie.” Smith nods to each of them. “It’s nice to see all of you.”
I stand with my family in pregnant silence, waiting to see who will be the first to address Smith. It’s like being at the OK Corral if Wyatt Earp’s brothers were all over seventy and smelled vaguely of gin and Chanel No. 5. If I’m the first to break the silence, there’s bound to be an argument. My parents practically have their boxing gloves on, and I can’t start the weekend with them pissed at me for no reason. That will diminish my chances of getting their help, which is the only reason I came home in the first place.
“Smith, my darling boy, it’s so good to see you.” Nana Rosie hands me her martini as she glides across the driveway to Smith. He leans down to hug her, and she kisses both his cheeks, branding them with her signature red lipstick. “It’s been ages since we’ve seen you. How have you been?”
“I’ve been well,” Smith says. “Thank you for asking.”