“She does, doesn’t she?” Liv says from the front seat, the laughter in her eyes evident even through the rearview mirror. “That’s what happens when you don’t let your friends help you and then you’re forced to stay up all night fixing things that could’ve been taken care of with a simple phone call.”

I’d like to amend my previous statement. I’d much rather have friends who not only know how to lie, but do so often.

“Yup.” Vonnie cosigns for Liv. “Listen to Miss Liv, this is good advice.”

The car really isn’t moving that fast. I’m sure I wouldn’t get too hurt if I just jumped out.

“Hardy har har.” I roll my eyes, not setting the best example for the impressionable eyes next to me. “You guys are so funny.”

“Sarcasm is also a terrible defense mechanism,” Marie, who I wasn’t even annoyed with, pipes up from the row behind me.

But before I can say something snarky to her, Vonnie turns down the radio and starts to go over the plan for today again. “Alright boys, when we get to the stadium, you’ll take Miss Liv and Miss Marie to the box. If I find out from either of them that you gave them a hard time, you won’t have electronics for a month, and that includes Christmas, got me?”

“Yes, Mom,” all three boys say in perfect synchronization. Even they know Santa’s got no pull on Vonnie. Smart kids.

“Are you sure they’ll let us in the tunnel?” I ask Vonnie. The confidence I had last night has withered away and melted into a rock in the pit of my stomach.

“I already told you yes. They love me here.” She slows down, waving at the police officers guarding the players’ lot. “Plus, I give them really good Christmas presents every year, they won’t want to put those in jeopardy.”

“Okay. Good. Yes.” I’ve forgotten how to form sentences and I’m not even in the stadium yet. I hope this doesn’t turn into a disaster. I really need this to work.

I spent so much time trying to hate Quinton that even when he managed to slide past my defenses, I still couldn’t admit just how much he meant to me. It took him walking away and me really thinking about just how much he has been there for me to realize that the butterflies I felt every time he walked in the room, and the pressure in my chest every time he left, was love. I was just so convinced he would leave like everyone else seemed to, that I pushed him away. A self-fulfilling prophecy, as Greer not so helpfully informed me.

“Ready?” Vonnie asks as she pulls her gigantic SUV into the narrow parking spot surrounded by luxury cars.