Becca: Now?
Toby: Why not?
I look at the clock. A little after nine.
Becca: Where?
Toby: You know the stand on Mountain View?
Becca: Is it open yet ?
I can’t remember when they open for the season.
Toby: Opening weekend.
Becca: See you there.
I check my hair in the mirror and grab my keys. Dad’s asleep in his recliner with the TV blaring, but Mom is drinking tea and reading a book.
“Where are you off to?”
“Going to get ice cream.”
“I guess you’re feeling better?”
“Yeah. Two days of rest worked wonders. You want me to bring you back anything?”
“No. I’m calling it a night soon. Don’t stay out too late, okay? And tell Tori I say hello.”
“Night, Mom.” I give her a quick kiss and leave before she corners me in a lie.
I drive to Mountain View and pull up to the ice cream stand. It doesn’t even have a name, which I find really funny. Mom says some guy who grew up here a long time ago opened the stand and even though it’s changed owners a few times, no one bothered to name the place. That’s Lansfield for you.
Toby is sitting in his Accord with two cones in his hand. He motions for me to join him, so I walk over and get in the passenger side.
“You hungry?” I ask him.
He hands me a cone. “Vanilla and chocolate swirl with rainbow sprinkles. Did I get it right?”
I nod. “I’m impressed.”
“Don’t be. Just because we never really hung out together doesn’t mean I haven’t known you all my life.”
“Still, it’s nice that you cared enough to notice.”
“You’re starting to drip.” He points to the side of my cone, and I quickly lick the ice cream before it gets all over his car.
“Let me apologize now for getting sprinkles everywhere,” I say.
“Don’t sweat it. I’m doing the same.”
“Chocolate sprinkles, huh?”
“Stick with me and I’ll convert you. Rainbow’s got nothing on chocolate.”
I laugh. “I beg to differ. They make your tongue rainbow colors.” I stick out my tongue.
He smiles. “Touché.”
“You like that word, don’t you?”
“Maybe a little.” He laughs. “Mom swears I used to pronounce it tushy when I was little. She thought it was adorable so she didn’t bother correcting me until some little girl told her mom I said something about her ass.”
I giggle, choking on sprinkles.
“You okay?” He sits up and pats me on the back.
“Fine. Sprinkles got me.”
“Chocolate ones don’t do that.” He raises his eyebrow and licks his ice cream.
“No, only the rainbow ones are deadly.” I shake my head, feeling more at ease around him.
“I thought I was going to have to give you mouth-to-mouth.”
I wouldn’t have objected. “Better luck next time.”
“Ooh, the real Becca Daniels came out to play tonight.”
“What are you saying? You don’t like the way I normally act?”
“Not saying that at all. I’m just glad you’re loosening up around me.”
I polish off the last of the sprinkles. “It’s easier to relax when Tori isn’t down the hall.”
“I agree.”
We finish our ice cream in silence. Not awkward silence, though. It’s peaceful. We’re enjoying each other’s company.
When I finish, he cocks an eyebrow at me. “You’re not eating your cone?”
“I never do. The ice cream and sprinkles are the best part. Why fill up on a cone?”
He reaches over and takes it from me. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go running out on me.”
“I wouldn’t think of it.”
He dumps my cone, and his, in the garbage and heads back to the car. “It’s cold out there tonight.”
“It’s not even officially spring yet and you just ate ice cream.”
“Right.”
“I thought you were supposed to be some super genius.” I nudge him with my elbow.
“Certain things cloud my judgment.”
“Oh? Like?”
“Hot girls sitting in my car.”
“Are you hiding them in the back seat?” I turn around, pretending to look.
“What has gotten into you tonight?”
I have no idea. “I guess I feel like I can be myself around you now.”
“Why?”
I shrug, not feeling quite so confident anymore. “Because I know my crush isn’t so one-sided.”
“It’s definitely not.” He brushes his fingers across my cheek before cupping my face and pulling me toward him. His lips press against mine, lingering there. It’s not the heart-stopping kiss we had in his bedroom, but it still gives me chills. When he pulls away, it takes me a minute to catch my breath.
“I have to tell you something,” he says.
“No good conversation ever started with those words.”
He sighs. “Tori told me a long time ago that she doesn’t want me dating her friends.” Are we dating now? “She even made me promise.”
“Oh.” Well, that’s not good at all. Not only am I going behind her back by dating Toby, but he’s breaking his promise to her. “So, what are we supposed to do now?”
He leans forward and kisses me again, deeper this time. It’s not a solution to our problem, but for now, I push all other thoughts aside. He finally pulls away and stares into my eyes. “You know what?”
“What?”
“Rainbow sprinkles do taste better.”
Chapter Ten
Tori leans against the lockers, tilting her head back and closing her eyes.
“Sleepy this morning?”
She turns to me. “What are you so Suzie Sunshine about?”
Last night I promised myself that no matter what happens, I’m going to enjoy my time with Toby. We decided to wait and see if this turns into anything serious before we talk to Tori. If we’re crazy about each other, she’ll see that and have to approve of us dating. And if things don’t work out between Toby and me…well, I’m trying not to think of that possibility.
“I had a long, restful weekend.”
“A long, restful weekend?” She scoffs. “You’ve been spending too much time at home with your parents. You even sound like them.”
“Sorry. I’ll try to dumb it down.” I laugh, which gets me another look from Tori. “Why is it a bad thing that I’m in a good mood?”
“It’s not, but after the morning I had with Toby, I can’t take any more smiling faces.”
“What do you mean?” Was Toby acting strange this morning?
“Ugh, he woke up in this uber good mood. He even hugged me. Hugged me. I can’t remember the last time he did that without my mom telling him to. It was gross.”
“He isn’t gross.” I catch myself before I say too much. “I think it’s nice you two are getting along. I felt weird at breakfast, watching you guys fight.”
“What makes you think siblings are supposed to get along, anyway? You have nothing to base that on. You’re an only child.”
I’m not letting her ruin my mood. “Forget it, okay? Take a nap in study hall. You’ll feel better.”
“Oh look, here comes my brother and the wart that won’t go away.”
I follow her gaze. Toby is walking down the hall and Meredith has her arm looped through his, as usual. I shouldn’t be jealous. I know he doesn’t like her that way. He likes me. But I can’t help wanting to douse the girl with Compound W and then rip her hair out.