The Year of Second Chances (A Sunnyvale Novel Book 3) Read Free Page B

computer required so much lip contact.”
    “You shush.” I aim a finger at him. “If she hears you, she’ll think we were doing something dirty.” I tap the computer screen with my finger. “Pretend like you’re doing something on your computer.”
    His brow teases upward. “Something dirty, huh?” he muses, rubbing his jaw. “Just what kind of dirty stuff are you talking about? I think I might need some details, so I know what I’m in store for if your grandma starts making accusations.”
    My cheeks turn all glowy warm. “Now’s not the time to be funny.”
    He winks at me. “When it makes you blush like that, it is.”
    “Kai,” I hiss in a panic. “Pretty please, just do something on your computer.”
    Pressing back a smile, he returns his focus to the computer. “Fine, but only because you said pretty please.”
    Right as he fixes his attention back on the computer, grandma Stephy enters the room.
    “You two look suspicious,” she immediately says with her, as Kai puts it, “hawk” gaze flickering back and forth between us. “So, what have you two been up to this morning? This very early morning, I might add.”
    I give a shrug. “Nothing. We were just looking up some stuff on the computer for a school project.”
    “A school project, huh?” She steps farther into the room with her arms crossed. “Aren’t normal teenagers supposed to hate getting up this early?”
    Giving another shrug, I kick up my bare feet on the table, pretending to be all badass chill when I’m scared out of my damn mind she’s going to think I spent the night on the sofa with Kai, whip out a condom from her pocket, and give us both a safe sex lecture. “I guess we’re not normal teenagers, then, because we love getting up this early.”
    Kai shoots me a really look, and I helplessly shrug.
    “I may be old, but I’m not stupid,” she says. “I know you two are up to something, and while I’d love to stay here and watch you squirm in your britches, I’ve got a yoga class I need to get to.” She points a finger back and forth between Kai and me. “But don’t think this is over. I’m watching both of you, and trust me, I see everything, even when I’m not around.” With one final stern look, she ruffles her fingers through her hair and glances around the living room then the kitchen. “Now where did I put my car keys?”
    Okay … So much for seeing everything.
    I lower my feet to the floor, push up from the sofa, and collect the car keys from off the wall hook in the dining room. “They’re right here where they always are.”
    She takes the keys from me. “Dammit, I swear I’m starting to lose my damn mind.”
    I swallow hard as guilt knots in my stomach. This is all my fault. I’m stressing her out too much.
    “Maybe you should get more rest.”
    She waves me off, gathering up her purse from off the counter. “I’ve spent enough of my life resting. If I lose my mind, then I lose my mind, but at least I’ll be doing whatever I want up until that point.” Noticing my worry, she grows serious and puts a hand on each of my shoulders. “I want you to promise you won’t worry about me. You have enough to worry about as it is.”
    I nod, despite the guilt clogging up my throat. “I’ll try my best.”
    She draws me in for a hug. “I’ll be back by noon if you want to go out for lunch.”
    “That sounds great, but I’m going with Kai to paintball zombies.”
    “Paintball zombies?” She moves back with a questioning look on her face. “That’s a thing?”
    I shrug. “Apparently. He got me my own paintball gun and everything.”
    “Hmmm … Sounds like the perfect day for you. He must’ve put a lot of thought into it.” She glances back and forth between Kai and me, a knowing smile touching her lips. “All right, I’ll let you two off the hook for now, but only because I want you to go out and have some fun. But”—she points a finger at me—“I better not catch you two trying to get