Free Believe in Us (Jett #2) by Amy Sparling

it wasn’t crap. It was art ,” she says, shoving him in the shoulder.
    He shuts off the engine and looks back at me. “It was crap,” he says with a wink. “But it was a teenager’s room, that’s for sure. You keep your room way too clean and tidy.”
    I’m not about to tell him that I keep it clean both because it was never really mine until now, and because when you don’t have many things, it’s hard to be dirty.
    Becca starts talking about paint colors and bedroom themes while we go inside our house. It feels awesome saying our house, so I do. I say it in my head all constantly now. I allow myself to think that this is my home, and my room, and my furniture.
    I let Becca throw a bunch of ideas out there, even though I don’t really care how we decorate my new official room. I’m happy just having a room. It doesn’t need a theme. As far as I’m concerned, the theme is home.
    “Alright girls,” Park says, clapping his hands together. “We have an hour and fifteen minutes . . . is that enough time to get ready or should I change the reservation?”
    I lift an eyebrow. “Get ready for what?”
    Becca’s eyes crinkle. “Oops, did I forget to tell you . . .” she says all slowly, giving me the side eye. Then she grins really wide. “We’re taking you out to celebrate becoming our kid!”
    Park throws an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “I’m very sorry your new mom is the biggest dork on earth, Keanna. I really am.”
    She blows a raspberry and flips her hair over her shoulder. “Keanna, dear. I am so very sorry that your new dad is a total dork.”
    “See?” Park says, looking at his wife like she’s a basket case. “She’s so dorky, she doesn’t even know how to identify a dork.”
    “Okay I think I can settle this,” I say. I’m still reeling over the terms ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ but I manage to keep it together. “You’re both dorks,” I say, putting my hands on my hips.
    Becca gazes up at Park with this adoring look on her face. “Well, babe, I’m happy to be whatever you are.”
    They kiss and heat rushes to my cheeks.  I hope I grow up to be just like them.
    “Okay, now we have one hour and ten minutes,” Park says, eyes wide. He looks at me. “Keanna should be fine, but Bec takes no less than a century to get her hair fixed anytime we go somewhere fancy, so she better hurry.”
    “I do not,” Becca mutters, swatting at him as she walks by. He ducks it and grins at me.
    “Wait, we’re going somewhere fancy?” I ask.
    “Of course,” Becca says, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “We’re celebrating! So dress nice.”
    “How nice? I don’t really have a lot of stuff,” I say, looking up to the ceiling as I mentally think over my wardrobe.
    “Wear that white dress,” Becca says, nodding in approval. “It’ll look great.”

Chapter 12
     

     
    While Keanna is getting officially adopted, I’m sitting around the kitchen island with my parents, snacking on chopped up carrots and broccoli with ranch dip. I’m very excited for her and it’s taking everything I have not to text her and ruin her special event with her new parents.
    “You know what would go great with this?” I ask, pointing to the carrot in my hand. “Those brownies in the pantry.”
    Mom rolls her eyes. “Only healthy snacks. We’re going out to dinner in a couple hours and you don’t want to ruin your appetite.”
    “Mom,” I say, giving her a look. “When is my appetite ever ruined? I’m always ready to eat.”
    Dad reaches for a carrot. “That may be true son, but respect your mom’s wishes.”
    “Yes sir,” I say, casting a longing glance toward the pantry.
    “Do you have a dress shirt ironed for tonight?” Mom says. She just got her nails done so she reaches for a piece of broccoli as if the polish is still wet.
    “Yeah, I think so. The blue one should be ready.”
    “Great. We’re going to a really classy place, so we all have to pretend that we’re even two percent