Page 54 of Whiskey & Honey
“Because it’s Ashton. You know she’ll want to know if I met anyone, who I was with last night, what I did, and so on. I can lie over text but not to her face. I thought I’d cave and tell her everything so I just said I had a headache. I never said migraine. Regardless, I just can’t see her right now. I need to practice my liar face.”
“Well, we can always tell her. I vote for that option over the liar face. I don’t want you to change your face. I’m a little partial to it.”
“No, we agreed. Friends and get to know each other and see what happens. You gave me until Christmas Break and I’m taking it.”
“Okay, well, if you change your mind let me know. Do you want to do something tonight? We’ll have to figure out what to do with my truck if we hang out in town.”
“I would like to do something. What if I meet you at your house and we leave your truck there? We could just come back here and maybe watch a movie or something.”
“I like the plan of or something.”
“Ben,” she warns.
“What? I kept my promise last night. Mouth only.”
“Good Lord. Okay, on that note I’m going to go and get some stuff done. You go spend time with your sister. I’ll meet you at your house at like eight? How’s that?”
“Sounds good. Have a good afternoon, Piper.”
“Bye, Ben.”
I set my phone down on the side table and grab my clothes before heading to shower. A very cold shower. Thoughts of Piper force me to stay under the freezing-cold water longer than normal and I’m immediately greeted with a less-than-kind Ashton when I emerge from the bathroom. I’m still ignoring her nagging when we both walk into the kitchen and I grab my truck keys.
“Where are you two off to?”
I don’t have a chance to answer my mom before Ashton goes on another tangent about my finally agreeing to take her to my house. I don’t bother interjecting that I didn’t actually agree to take her anywhere, she invited herself. My dad is sitting at the table again, but instead of reading the paper he’s working the crossword.
“Seven-letter word for bowl-shaped percussion instrument,” Dad absently shouts at us, causing a slight pause in Ashton’s rant.
“Timpani,” Ashton responds without missing a beat in her one-sided conversation with Mom.
“Excellent, honey!” Dad declares before dramatically setting his completed crossword down on the table. I, on the other hand, am staring at Ash.
“What? I know things, Ben.”
“I know you know things, Ash, but really, who even knows what timpani is?”
“Your sister, Ben. Be kind. Now since you kids won’t be home for dinner would like for me to make a few sandwiches to go?”
As I’m about to agree Ashton tells my mom that she’s ordered a pizza for us and we’ll be taking it out to my house. Apparently I’m only along for the ride in this plan of hers. I don’t even bother arguing with her at this point and grab my keys as we head out the door. This is going to be a long few hours before I meet Piper.