Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (comprehension books txt) 📗

“Do you still need to drive back tonight? I don’t want to keep you out too late, it’s a long drive.”

“Oh no, that’s okay. I’m cool to drive back after dinner.” Tyler assures her, squeezing me against his side. “But I am starving, do we know where we’re eating? Olivia and I could go ahead and get a table for everyone?” He offers. Damn, he’s nicer than me. I wouldn’t have thought to offer. Oops.

I tune out the conversation as Mrs. O’Brian and Tyler discuss the logistics of feeding us all and busy myself looking around for Lisa and Hannah. Irritation and jealousy are still warring with my rational mind. I have no reason to be jealous of Hannah, we don’t want the same things, ballet isn’t my life’s dream like it is hers and I have no reason not to trust Tyler. I know he’s just excited to needle Trevor about being the one who got to see her perform. But it’s making me so mad to think that Tyler suddenly sees her as something other than just background noise. Damnit, I shouldn’t have invited him to come back and watch.

I’m interrupted from my thoughts by Tyler’s arms wrapping around my waist and his lips pressing a kiss behind my ear. Hmmm, that’s better. I lean back against his solid body and sigh, just as Hannah and Lisa come around the corner, arms full of bags and costumes. Hannah’s eyes go wide at the sight of us, but she blinks and beelines to her parents. Lisa stops and stares at me for a second, head tilted, lips pressed in a thin line. I lift my shoulders in a tiny shrug, Hannah’s issues aren’t my problem. Lisa shakes her head before passing her costume bag over to Katy to hold.

Mrs. O’Brian looks over Hannah’s head at us, eyes a little sad. She jerks her head towards the parking lot, silently telling us to get going to the restaurant. “Come on babe, let’s go,” I say as I pull Tyler towards the parking lot.

“So how come your folks aren’t here?” Tyler asks as we get buckled into his SUV.

“I told them not to come today. They’ll be here tomorrow.” I explain. “It’s kind of a long and boring day,” I grin at that, elbowing him. “Anyways, the monsters would never make it through the day, and since I’m their resident babysitter, there wouldn’t be anyone to watch them while they’re here.” I will never admit this out loud, but I do kind of miss those monsters. Aiden and Marie are a pain in my ass, but they give good snuggles. “I wish my dad could have come but it’s fine. He’ll be here for the groups and the awards tomorrow.”

“Where are you sleeping?” Tyler sends a wolfish grin my way as we pull into the restaurant parking lot. “Can I crash with you?” he adds with a cartoonish eyebrow wiggle.

I laugh and slap his arm, “Yeah, no. Not gonna happen. I’m staying with the O’Brian’s. Hannah, her mom and I shared a room last night.” I stop and think for a second as Tyler parks. “Although, I bet Mr. O’Brian is staying tonight so maybe they got a second room, you can go bunk with him.” I wink and slide out of the car towards the restaurant doors. The aroma of fresh tortillas and carnitas drifts towards me, making my mouth water.

Tyler stalks after me, a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Maybe I will…maybe I want to try and sneak into your room in the middle of the night. I bet you could convince Mrs. O’Brian to bunk with her husband and leave you and Hannah the other room.” He pulls the door open for me and we head to the hostess stand. “Nine, please, we’ve got more people coming,” Tyler tells the hostess. She hurries off to get a large table set up for us.

Jealousy rages white hot through my chest. I grab Tyler’s arm and pull him to face me. I stand arms crossed, hip cocked to the side. “I don’t think so,” I say in a steely voice. “You’re kidding, right? First of all, if we got caught, we would both be in big shit. I wasn’t even supposed to have you here, you know. Ms. Parker got mad at me yesterday for being late because of you.”

“Babe…” Tyler tries to interrupt. I shut him up with a glare.

“Secondly, there is no way in hell I am sharing a room with you and Hannah. No, not going to happen.” I mean, if I was really as bitchy as I pretend to be I would sneak Tyler in and make out with him right in front of her, just to prove that for once I won. She may have the perfect family and the talent, but I got the boy. The one she’s always wanted and always been to chicken-shit to do anything but stare longingly at from across the quad. Yeah, I’ve seen the way she stares. It’s pathetic. But there’s a difference between being catty and being cruel. “You know she has a crush on you, right?”

“What?!” Shit, shit, shit, shit. I didn’t mean to tell him that. “What do you…how do you know that?”

“Well, I mean, she did back in middle school.” I backtrack. “I dunno if she still does. But whatever, that’s not the point.”

“You’re jealous.” Tyler says slowly, a smirk lifting one side of his lips higher than the other. Damn him and his sexy smirk. “Also, you knew that this whole time and you still set her up with Trevor? That’s…” he assesses me with his cool hazel eyes. “I didn’t think you had that in you, Liv.”

“Whatever, it was a middle school crush. Who cares?” I shrug, feigning nonchalance, feeling uncomfortable. Inviting Hannah along on our double date wasn’t my finest moment. “The point is, you’re going home after dinner.” I hear the door open behind me and voices drift through from