Free Life in the No-Dating Zone by Patricia B. Tighe Page B

through the door.
    “Oh good,” Mom called from the kitchen.
    But I couldn’t see her right then. After what had just happened with Gray, I needed to be alone. “I’ll be down in a minute. Need to go to the bathroom.”
    I ran upstairs, shut the bathroom door, and locked it. Then looked at myself in the mirror. There was still a tiny bit of cinnamon roll icing by my bottom lip. I scooped water into my dry mouth, then pulled my hair into a ponytail, and took off my glasses. I washed my face completely, taking off my eye makeup and everything. When I was done, I had black under-eye mascara rings and cheeks red from scrubbing. But no amount of cleaning could take away the memory of Gray’s thumb on my lips.
    I dropped the toilet seat cover and plopped down. Why did he have to do that? I didn’t want to be aware of him as a guy, as someone I could be attracted to. I wanted to keep things on a friendship level. I’m sure he did too.
    Even though I didn’t plan to date in high school, I wasn’t so stupid to think I wouldn’t have crushes from time to time. I just wouldn’t let them go anywhere. And I definitely didn’t want to crush on a boy who was in love with one of my best friends.
    But he was cute. And smart. And funny.
    And in love with your best friend!
    Ugh . I got up and tissued off the mascara with makeup remover, then stared at my mouth. What had he seen when he touched me? Why had he left his hand there so long? I traced the path his thumb had taken with my fingertips. And even now, I still felt a tingle remembering the bit of roughness about his thumb.
    Gah . I threw away the tissue. This was stupid. Gray was my friend. He had a crush on Lindsey. He was simply helping me clean off my face. That was all. It didn’t mean anything.
    There was no way I would let it mean anything.
    I went downstairs to see if Mom needed help with Baby Jack.

Sixteen
     
    Gray
     
    The door from the garage into the kitchen banged shut and my dad’s voice rang out, “Hello, everybody!”
    “Dad, Dad!” my little brothers screamed as they came running in from the game room.
    I paused the movie. At the other end of the couch, Berger grunted. “This flick is for creepers.”
    “Yup.”
    My father walked into the den with one of my brothers clinging to each arm like happy leeches. He looked wiped. His bright blue tie hung loose around his neck and his few eye wrinkles seemed deeper than ever.
    “Hey, Dad,” I said.
    “Grayson’s watching opera,” Marcus said as though this news might get me in trouble.
    “Is he?” Dad said. “This must be stopped, I think.”
    Marcus giggled.
    “Whose turn is it today?” Travis said.
    My father ruffled the red curls Travis got from our mom. “Yours, and you know it.” Dad handed him his dark brown leather briefcase. “Carefully on the desk, remember.”
    Travis took off at a determined pace.
    Marcus jumped up and down. “What about me?”
    “Today your mission is the jacket. Can you handle such responsibility?”
    Marcus saluted. “Yes, sir.”
    Dad shrugged off his gray suit coat and passed it to him. “On the bed neatly. No throwing.”
    “Yes, sir,” Marcus said, then dashed up the stairs as fast as six-year-old legs could move.
    “He’s gonna step on it,” I said.
    Dad sank into the leather recliner. “It’s okay. The whole suit needs to go to the cleaners anyway.”
    “How’re you doing, Mr. Langley?” Berger asked.
    “Fine, Trey. A little tired. So, you boys enjoying an afternoon of opera?”
    Berger laughed.
    “We’re watching The Phantom of the Opera ,” I said.
    “Can I ask why?”
    I shifted in my seat. “Uh, there’s … ”
    My dad waited, his elbow on the arm of the chair, his head on his hand as if he was only idly curious. But I didn’t know what to say. I’d never told him about any of the girls I’d liked over the years. Never really wanted him to get involved in any way. Even last year when I’d gone out with Savannah Birmingham a couple