“I can stay longer,” Ronan said without looking up. “Need to catch up.”
“Bibi won’t allow it. Besides, we have that big paper due in history next week. You’ve missed a lot of class.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Okay, but you have two days to figure it out and no notes to work from.”
“What’s it to you?” Ronan asked, though his tone was more curious than defensive.
“Nothing,” I said too quickly. “But it’s a huge part of our grade. So I was thinking…” I swallowed hard.Jesus, what am I thinking?“I was thinking I could grab some dinner for us and Bibi and then maybe study a little. You can borrow my notes.”
Ronan didn’t say anything but watched me, a conflicted expression on his face.
I coughed. “Or not.”
“Okay,” he said.
“Okay?”
“I can’t fail history. Or any class. I made a promise… Anyway, yeah. Thanks.”
“Great,” I said and went back in the house, wondering who Ronan gave his promises to.
EightRonan
I followed Shiloh to the living room where she explained her dinner plans to Bibi.
“Sounds marvelous,” Bibi said. She was on the couch with a pile of yarn on her lap. Two gray cats watched me through slitted eyes. “Do you like ribs, Ronan? Tony’s makes the best plates with slaw, biscuits, and extra-crispy onion rings.”
“Sounds good,” I said. Much better than my usual frozen dinner or fast-food takeout.
“Shi, why don’t the two of you walk downtown, and you can introduce Ronan to Tony?”
“Walk?” Shiloh said, looking alarmed. “It’ll be faster if we drive. In fact, I can just hop down there and back…alone.”
“There’s no rush, dear.”
Shiloh bit her lip. “The food will get cold…”
“Nonsense. It’s a lovely night for a walk. Don’t you agree, Ronan?”
I coughed. “Sure.”
Shiloh glared at me. Wrong answer.
“If you’re into that sort of thing,” she muttered. She grabbed an oversize cardigan from a chair near the door, tied it around her waist, and kissed her great-grandmother’s cheek. “Be back soon.”
“Take your time, you two.”
We headed out, Shiloh facing forward, not looking at me. Clearly, she was regretting her casual dinner invite.
Or being alone with me.
“Shiloh, take the damn car if you want. I don’t care.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Fine,” I said, strolling with my hands in my pockets. “Uh-huh.”