Bookish Boyfriends by Tiffany Schmidt

Author:Tiffany Schmidt [Schmidt, Tiffany]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abrams
Published: 2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00

22

After closing, I was going to do some homework (maybe), take a shower (definitely), then read a book. Though not Blake’s story, because I was taking a break from romance in both real life and in novels. I told this plan to Lilly and Rory on the drive home. “Seriously, the shower is mine, don’t fight me on it.”

“Um, have you smelled yourself?” Rory asked. “Don’t worry, we won’t.”

Before I grabbed my bathrobe and PJs, I picked out a book from the stack Hannah had loaned me. One with spaceships on the cover and no mention of lovey-doveyness on the back. I propped it on my pillow before treating myself to the longest, hottest shower our water heater would allow, using all Lilly’s fancy scrubs and lotions.

I put on my ice-cream sundae pajama pants with my “I don’t care who dies in the book as long as the dog lives” T-shirt. Next, I wrapped a towel around my hair and tied the sash on the robe Rory called “too ugly to exist.” In my opinion, it was the most comfortable piece of tie-dyed orange-and-navy chenille that had ever been stitched into a sack-like shape.

I daubed on my pee-yellow zit cream that smelled worse than stinkbugs. . . . The only thing that made it tolerable was how well it worked. Actually, I’d read that toothpaste worked too, so I used Crest on the last few troublesome spots on my forehead. Eliza would be so impressed by my experiment—or, more likely, she’d laugh. Since I already looked polka-dot ridiculous, I added some diaper cream to the faint mark Monroe had left on my neck. I wanted all traces of him gone, and Mom swore diaper cream worked on anything.

“Mom, Dad, I’m going to bed,” I called from the top of the stairs so I’d have their attention. Then I struck a dramatic, hands-up, hip-cocked, ta-da! pose at the bottom.

“Such a beauty, folks,” Dad said to an imaginary audience. “The line starts to the left.”

“I’m not sure where I’m supposed to put your good-night kiss with all these spots.” Mom chuckled, then planted one above my left eyebrow.

Dad chose my left cheek. “I’ve got barbecue sauce in the fridge that would cover up that stink and add some nice red to the collection you’ve got going on. Want me to go get it?”

“Ha. Ha.”

“Or let me grab my pen.” He yanked one out of his crossword puzzle book. “Let’s play connect the dots.”

“When you’re old and drooling, I’m not going to wipe your chin,” I threatened.

“That’s why I’ve got three of you. So I can tease one, annoy another, and still have a spare for my drool-wiping needs.”

“It’s good to know you’ve got a plan,” I said. “Good night. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sleep sweet, little dreamer,” they chorused.

“And good job in the race today,” Dad added, while Mom said, “I’m glad to see you’re taking the grounding so well.”

“Yeah, well, you know, I’m getting more mature and stuff.” I hummed and headed upstairs, thinking about the book on my bed.

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