Somewhere in the Middle (7 page)

The Thorsen house was located on a much nicer street than the Sayers
house was. And it was way bigger. Made of brick and rock, it had two
stories, a sloping front lawn, and a wide front porch with a swing just
visible in what light spilled from the windows. I could also see evidence
of a privacy fence in back.

Battling second thoughts--a phone call might've been wiser--I turned
the car into the drive and only then noticed Roone standing on the
shadowy porch. His walking down the steps drew my eye to him. I killed my
engine, gathered up the papers, and got out of the car just as he reached
me in the driveway.

Was he surprised I was there? I could've sworn he wasn't. "You really
are psychic."

"Told you."

"I thought you were kidding."

Roone burst out laughing. "I was...am. I came outside when I heard your
car."

My jaw dropped.

"The roar is pretty unmistakable."

"And way too loud, apparently. I hope I didn't wake up the whole
neighborhood."

"No worries. What's up?"

"I finished the paper." I showed him the freshly-typed pages.

"Cool. Dad and Jon are inside." Roone stayed by me as I headed up the
walk and then offered me his arm when we got to the stairs.

"Do you do that because I'm a klutz or because you have perfect
manners?"

"What's a klutz?"

I sighed. "You don't have to help me, okay? I've been doing stairs
since I was two."

"Sorry. Old habit." Opening the front door, he ushered me inside.
"Dad! Everly's here with your paper."

I heard the footrest of a recliner slam down. Bo Thorsen appeared in
the wide opening of what looked to be a den, tucked at the back of the
house. As he walked down the hall toward us, another guy stepped into
view behind him.

"Everly, this is my brother Jon," said Roone.

"Wow." I couldn't drag my gaze from Jon, who was even taller than his
brother. Why, he had to be six-five, and oh the muscles on him. Though I
wasn't hung up on body shapes as a rule, it was getting harder and harder
not to be impressed. Didn't help that he wore clothing that fit,
accentuating his huge shoulders and bulging biceps. "They really grow
them big in NowhereNear."

"Where?" asked Thorsen, who'd just reached us.

"Where you lived before here according to Roone." I waited for the
smile that would tell me he got the joke. I also waited for one of them
to supply the name of their former hometown. I got nothing, which made me
feel like a fool. So I thrust the papers at Thorsen. "All done."

He smiled widely as he took them. "That was so quick."

"It was interesting stuff. I'm going to do just what my brother's
doing--major in physics and astronomy when I start UA Tuscaloosa next
year." The guys exchanged glances, but no one said anything, a silence
that quickly became weird. "Do you want to look it over before I go? Just
in case there's something glaringly wrong."

"Of course I'll read it. Jon, why don't you take Everly to the den?
Roone, you should get her something to drink." With his hand gripping
Roone's forearm, he turned away and vanished into what I assumed was the
kitchen, dragging his youngest son behind him.

I followed Jon into the den, which had paneled walls and gorgeous
leather furniture. The décor was all male, but oddly sterile. I saw
no family photos on the walls or even on the various tables. The
bookshelves were empty, too. They did have a huge TV, and Jon led me to a
couch across from it. I saw he and his dad had been watching
Forrest
Gump
. "Have a seat. I'll be right back."

"Thanks." I sat in the middle. Just then, raised voices made me glance
toward an open door that might've led to the kitchen. I felt a stab of
chagrin that I'd come over unannounced even though I couldn't connect an
argument between father and son to
my
bad manners.

"Would you just lighten up?" That was Roone.

"I see the attraction. She's irresistible." That was Thorsen. "But
this can go nowhere, and her knowledge of physics is dangerous."

"I explained this to you. I specifically told you what we were
doing."

"And I had doubts then, which are even bigger now. Be careful, son.
We're not going to be here long, and I'd hate for her to get hurt. "

"Everly?"

I started at the sound of Jon's voice so close by and realized he'd
sat down beside me. Noting my distraction, he apparently guessed the
reason for it and hopped right up to quietly close the door in question.
I could no longer hear Roone or his dad.

"I just asked why you're going to UA Tuscaloosa instead of UA
Huntington."

"Oh. Sorry. My dad is insisting on it. He thinks I need to get a life
and won't do it if I'm on a campus twenty minutes from home." Damn. Had I
really just admitted what a loser I was? I silently cursed my distraction
with Roone and his dad. "Sorry. TMI."

Jon burst out laughing. That made his blue eyes twinkle, and if I
hadn't already been half in love with Roone, I'd have flipped for his
dashing older brother on the spot.

Half in love with Roone?
Thoroughly rattled now, I fumbled for
something, anything to say. "What kind of classes are you taking?" I
pasted a smile on my face and waited.

"Computer stuff. Keyboarding for starters."

I forgot my forcibly stretched lips, which now formed an
Oh!
of
surprise all on their own. "You never took that, either?"

"Wasn't really necessary before now."

In what universe?

Biting back my questions, I glanced at the TV. "I love this movie. The
idea of one simple man being part of so many historical events is
definitely cool. Too bad it's just fiction."

"Dad's fascinated by your films."

My
films?

"He'd kill me if I knew I was telling you this, but he actually
watches 'Entertainment Tonight' religiously just to keep up with what's
happening in Hollywood."

I couldn't keep from laughing, amusement that faded when Roone strode
into the room, his face flushed and his body tense. "I forgot to ask what
you wanted to drink."

"Honestly? Nothing. I'm really not thirsty."

With a brief nod he sat on the other side of me, resulting in a
manwich so delectable that it left me a little breathless. Roone's
visible distress quickly affected my mood and got worse when his dad
joined us from the kitchen. Thorsen settled in a nearby recliner seconds
later, his attention now on the pages I'd typed.

Jon broke the awkward silence. "Got your tux, bro. Hall closet."

Roone jumped up again and motioned for me to come along, which I did.
We walked over to the closet and found a garment bag dangling from a hook
inside the door. He unzipped it and pushed aside the edges. "Is this
okay?"

"Perfect," I said, already imagining how good he'd look in it. "Dayna
wants to double tomorrow night."

"Double?"

"She and Gavin want to go with us. Not necessarily in the same car,
but just to get there together."

"I'm okay with that," Roone said with a telling glance at his father,
who gave him an approving nod.

"How much do I owe you for the typing, Everly?" Thorsen asked, adding,
"Paper's perfect by the way."

I began shaking my head. "Oh, I--"

"Will this be enough?" He walked over and handed me a crisp hundred
dollar bill.

"I couldn't possibly--"

He cut me off. "Great job. I'm sure this is fine. I really appreciate
the help."

"Anytime." I reluctantly pocketed the money. He'd definitely overpaid
me, but seemed determined, and I didn't want to be rude. "I should go.
You'll call if there are errors?"

"Of course."

Roone turned toward the door. "I'll walk you out."

Could things have been more uncomfortable? I waved to Jon and his dad
before following Roone down the hall and onto the porch. "I hope I didn't
get you in trouble with your dad."

"How could you possibly?"

I tucked my fingers into the front pockets of my jeans. "Couldn't, I
guess." Turning I started toward the steps. Roone beat me there, jumping
over them as he'd done at school and then offering me his hand.

"I've got this."

"Forgot." He tucked his hands behind his back.

I rolled my eyes. "If you don't mind, let's meet at my house tomorrow
night. Dayna wants to help me dress, and our parents will want to take
pictures. Lots and lots of pictures." I rolled my eyes so he'd know how I
felt about that.

"I don't mind."

"Your dad can come if he wants to take some, too."

"Not going to happen."

Though that was the perfect segue into questions about the argument
I'd just overheard, I didn't ask any. If anyone understood the
embarrassment of interfering fathers, I did.

* * * *

On Saturday I was a nervous wreck all day. I couldn't eat a thing,
which was very unlike me. My stomach felt as if the butterflies that
lived there had been gobbled up by pterodactyls. Luckily Dayna came over
early, which was a nice distraction, even if she did drive me nuts
applying too much makeup and then messing with my hair forever.

But when I finally looked into the mirror and saw her handiwork, I had
to admit the wait had been worthwhile. I looked amazing with my hair
pulled up in a complicated twist. Not that I was drop-dead gorgeous or
even beautiful. I was just so different tonight that anyone who saw me
would definitely do a double take once they realized who I was.

Dayna tackled her own make-up and hair next. I sat and watched as she
meticulously turned a pretty Hispanic girl into a Latino goddess. Gavin
was going to flip. We waited until a half hour before pick-up time to put
on the dresses to avoid wrinkling them. Hers, which was in the shade of
red I'd originally wanted, made her look like a runway model. Mine
completed the illusion of a confident female about to hit the town.

If only I really were.

My knees actually wobbled as we started to the den and not just
because of my ridiculous shoes. I already wanted the night to be
over.

And then the doorbell rang. Yeah, fifteen minutes early.

"I'll get it," yelled my dad, who hadn't even seen my dress yet.

Slowly making my way to the front of the house, I kept my eye on the
door. Dad opened it wide. Roone stood there--a six-foot-whatever hunk of
handsome in a black tux that accentuated his broad shoulders and long
legs yet still camouflaged his bulk.

Click!

What a sight. Caught up in it, I snagged my heel on the Persian rug in
the foyer and went sprawling.

"Everly!" My horrified dad spun around to help, but Roone somehow got
there first and scooped me up and into his arms. Totally humiliated, I
hid my face in my hands and wouldn't lower them even when he set me in
the closest chair.

He dropped to one knee next to me. "Are you okay?"

"No."

"Did you break something?" asked Dad, squatting next to Roone.

"No."

Dad peeled my fingers from my face. "Maybe you'd better stand up to be
sure."

With my cheeks no doubt the color of the poinsettias on the side
table, I pushed the guys back and stood. "See? It's all good."

"Hm." Dad's gaze ricocheted from me to Roone. He offered him his right
hand. "Ethan Sayers."

"Roone Thorsen."

By then Mom and Eli had joined us. "What's going on?" Mom asked,
easily picking up on the tension.

"Just Everly showing off her amazing grace," Dayna told her.

"You fell?"

"Mo-
om
!" Could I be more humiliated? That would be a no.

Thank goodness the doorbell rang again and distracted everyone.

"Gavin!" Dayna turned to run to the door. Did she trip on her stupid
shoes or otherwise act the fool? Of course not. She never even
wobbled.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Mom tugged the bodice of my dress up and the
skirt down before brushing me off.

"I'm okay." I squirmed away from her needless ministrations. I'd
fallen on a clean carpet not in a mud hole and the dress had a strap. I
really was fine.

Mom, who had her back to Roone, looked me in the eye and mouthed,
"He's so hot!" She discreetly fanned her face, which made me laugh, of
course. I suddenly felt better and a little less stupid. I turned to Dad.
"So what do you think of the dress?"

"What there is of it fits really well."

"Da-
ad
!"

He hooted. "I like it. I like it. Looks nice on her, doesn't it
Roone?"

"Oh yeah."

His tone made me blush even more furiously. "Can we please leave now?"
I was so ready to go.

"Not until my parents get here," Dayna said.

Oh yeah. The photos. I tried to hide my dismay.

Roone touched my arm. "Maybe you should sit down."

"What I should do is practice walking in these shoes. Come with?"

"Sure."

"Me too?" asked my little brother, who'd been oddly quiet from the
moment I appeared in my Cinderella dress.

"Of course." I took his hand and led him out the back door onto our
deck with Roone right behind us. The chilly December air did wonders to
cool my flaming face.

"I like your dress." Count on Eli to say something sweet. "It shows a
lot of your boobs, though."

"Oh my God. Where did you hear that word?"

"You just said it to Dayna."

"Were you hiding in the hall again?" I wouldn't even look at Roone.
"Well, you're not supposed to say it in public, okay?"

Tears filled his eyes.

Of course I bent to hug him. "It's okay. You didn't know." With a sigh
and a little shiver, I walked to the side rail, making sure my heels
didn't get caught in the cracks between the cedar boards beneath our
feet. "Look at the sky tonight."

Roone and Eli joined me. Eli pointed at the stars. "There's
Hydra!"

"Good job, buddy." I tousled his hair, as pleased he'd been listening
when I pointed out the winter constellations as I was surprised he'd
remembered the word.