16.1

I’d have to address the shorts with Mom another time. “So what are you doing here?”

Mom had a seat on the recliner and we waited while she mashed all the buttons on the side and finally got the leg rest to come up. “Pam called me. We’re besties now, by the way. Boston is an absolute bear, apparently. Pam got the whole story out of him, right before she boxed his ears for being a dimwit and made him late for work.”

My heart ached just hearing his name. I hated to hear he was suffering, even though he deserved it. “Again, I ask. What are you doing here?”

Mom scoffed. “I’m here to offer you my shoulder to cry on, of course.

Or, if your date with Chad went well, we can party!”

“Date with Chad?” Ashley piped up, crossing her arms over her chest like she was hurt at my omission. “You didn’t tell me that part.”

I rolled my eyes and plopped down on the couch. “I just didn’t get to it yet.”

Ashley leaned over and sniffed my arm. “Why do you smell like hotdogs?”

My eyes went wide as I sniffed m