“My mom had some … issues after the divorce. So my dad had custody of me. Then my grandparents stepped in after he died because my mom was still not able to take care of me.”

Why did I lie? I didn’t know. Out of all the people I should have been honest with, Brendon was at the top. He was a Christian, which meant he would not have judged me. (Yes, I realized that thought held zero actual truth.) He wasn’t trying to date me, so I had no need to impress him. And I’d been upfront about my mom’s situation with so many other people before him. I don’t even remember making the conscious decision to lie to him. My mouth started moving, and it took a bit for my brain to process the automated lie.

“So how is it now … with your mom? Are things weird?”

“Well, that’s hard to answer. I no sooner arrived and she left for L.A. to do some salon training. She’ll be home in a few days.”

“You must be excited about that?”

Was I excited? Rory home equaled things ending with Fisher.

“Sure.” I smiled, but it barely bent my lips.

After he bought my lunch, in which I argued because it wasn’t a date, we climbed back into the car and started to pull out of the parallel parking spot and into traffic.

“Show me where you live.”

“Why?” I laughed through some uncontrolled nerves. My goal that day was to avoid going home for as long as possible.

Brendon shrugged. “Sunday afternoon drive. It’s a great neighborhood. And when you mentioned you lived close by, it piqued my curiosity.”

Scraping my teeth along my bottom lip a few times, I nodded slowly. “Okay. We can do a drive-by.”

It took less than three minutes to get to the house. I slowed down, but not much. “That’s it, right there.”

“Wow … wait … slow down. The view from the back has to be spectacular.”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

“Reese.” He laughed. “Seriously, are you not going to stop? Can I see the back of the house?”

“Not a good idea.” I slowed down a little more. Arnie’s Tahoe was gone and the garage doors were shut.

“Why? Because you don’t really live here?”

“What?” I stopped the car. “Of course I live here. You think I’m lying?”

He smirked. “There’s only one way to find out.”

“Gah. Fine!” I pulled along the side of the street and hopped out. “Let’s go in back.”

Brendon followed me around to the back of the house.

“Happy now?”

Slipping his hands into his pockets, he nodded. His blue eyes bright and the gel in his hair reflecting the sunlight. “Not unless we go inside.”

“Are you serious?”

“Are you serious?” He shot back at me.