Bonham (Pushing Daisies Book 3) by Heather Young-Nichols (the little red hen read aloud txt) 📗

“If you’re saying yet, that means you’re at least thinking about it.”

“I am. There’s no reason to wait. Someone once told me that if it’s something I won’t personally regret in the morning, I should do it.” Those were her words.

“Whoever said that is a fucking genius.” Delaney leaned into me with a more serious expression. “But seriously, Jurnie, have some fun, whether that includes sex or not.”

“I plan to.”

“What’s this guy’s name?”

I knew that was coming. Telling my sister could go a few ways. I could tell her and she might have no idea who Bonham was. I could tell her and she did know but wasn’t a fan. Or I could tell her, she would know who he was, and then she’d lose her mind because she loved Pushing Daisies. I had no idea. Yet pushing her off now would’ve been weird. I was going out with a guy and wouldn’t tell anyone his name? Not a good look for me.

“His name is Bonham,” I finally told her, then I waited for her reaction.

“That’s an odd name.” Her eyebrows were down and I could almost see her roll his name over in her head again and again. “I’ve only ever heard it once. Not that I’m the authority on people’s names.” Delaney walked toward the kitchen then stopped and turned back to me. Her eyes moved back and forth quickly, the way they did when someone was thinking really hard. “What’s his last name?”

Damn it. That meant she knew who Pushing Daisies were. I sighed and decided now was better since our parents weren’t home to hear any potential freak out. “Thompson.”

Yup. Her eyes slowly grew wider and her mouth fell open. “Bonham Thompson?” she confirmed. I nodded. “Bonham Thompson of Pushing Daisies. Please tell me you’re going to lose your virginity to Bonham Thompson from Pushing Daisies.”

“Stop it.” I rushed over to her. “I don’t know, OK? But that’s who came to my aid in the bookstore or rather who I forced to come to my aid in the bookstore. And who I’m going to hang out with tonight.”

“What’s he like? Their music is awesome and they’re touring with Courting Chaos, which is one of my favorite bands,” she said excitedly. I’d forgotten that little detail. “Leave it to my sister to accidentally stumble across Bonham Thompson from Pushing Daisies.”

“Listen.” I grabbed her wrists to stop them from flailing about as they were. “If you ever meet him and that is looking really unlikely right now because you’re acting like a fangirl, you can’t act like this. You’re embarrassing yourself and I swear to all that is holy if you mention my virginity, I will end you.”

Delaney laughed as she threw her arms around me to bring me into her arms. “I would never. It’s just… You’re so clueless about that kind of music, you can’t understand what a big deal this would be to most other people.”

After I pulled back, I told her, “I do understand now, but I like it the way it is now. I only found out he was in Pushing Daisies after dinner last night. He took me to the bookstore and insisted on buying me my entire stack.”

“Holy shit. He must know you really well already.”

The sound of a car pulling into the driveway averted my focus. I ran over to the front window to check and it was Bonham here to pick me up.

“I have to go,” I told her.

“Yeah, me too.” She followed me to the door.

“What are you doing?” I asked before I opened it.

“Leaving.”

“You can leave after me.”

She snorted and shook her head. “No. I can’t. I’m leaving now. I promise I won’t freak out, but you’re my sister and you’re going out with a rock star. I want to meet him super quick.”

She wasn’t going to let it go and if I didn’t hurry, he’d come to the door. I’d already told him my parents were out tonight so he could pull into the driveway and not get interrogated.

“Fine, but, Delaney, I wasn’t joking earlier.” Then I dragged my finger across my neck so she’d know what she was looking at if she did anything weird.

While she giggled, she told me, “Just go.”

I went out of the house first, with her close behind, and made it to his Jeep right at the same time he’d climbed out.

“Hey, Bonham,” I greeted when we got close enough. He moved in, slid a hand into my hair and kissed me quickly. “This is my sister, Delaney. She’s leaving now too and will do so without speaking, right?”

A smile slid across his beautiful face as he reached a hand out to my sister. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” She sounded relatively normal as their hands separated. That was good. “What are you two up to tonight?”

“Just hanging out with my family.”

Delaney covertly squeezed the back of my arm.

“Ow.” I yanked it away. “You’re going to leave a bruise.”

“Well, I’m going to go. Have fun,” she added in her singsong voice.

While Bonham climbed back inside and I went around the Jeep to get in, my sister stopped me, squeezing both of my wrists. It was all excitement, but she was going to make me look like I was into BDSM or something with all of these marks. She was disturbingly strong.

“He looks at you like you’re the only person in the world,” she whispered as if he’d hear her while he was already inside the car. “That’s a good thing, Jurnie.”

“You’re such a freak,” I whispered back, then I scurried away from her, but hearing that made my heart flutter. Once inside, as he was backing down the driveway, I told him, “Sorry about that. My sister is a big fan of Pushing Daisies and I just told her who I was going out with tonight because she insisted and she’s a freak. Please don’t hold it against me.”

“I definitely won’t. Why’s she a freak?”

“She’s all too invested in me losing