Dusk (Young Adult Paranormal Romance) by Amy Durham

asked with an almost-grin and questioning eyes. “Do you still not want company?”
    “I always want your company,” I whispered, mustering what I could of a smile. “Come on in.”
    His eyes narrowed. “Your mom going to be okay with that?”
    I shrugged. At this point, I didn’t care whether she was or not. But, I wanted Adrian’s first impression on Mom to be a good one. “As long as she finds us fully clothed somewhere other than the bedroom, it’ll be fine.”
    He stepped up onto the porch, snaking an arm around my waist and pulling me close enough to press a brief kiss to my forehead. “The kitchen table it is then.”
    And despite everything that had happened, my insides swooned.
    *     *     *
    Homework took a bit longer than usual, because I had to catch up on everything, but Adrian and I managed to work through it all and get Pre-Calculus finished just as Mom came in the door. Adrian’s normally calm expression tensed up, nervousness showing in his eyes.
    “You wanted to meet my mom,” I said, nudging him with my elbow.
    “Zoe?” Mom called from the living room.
    “Kitchen,” I replied.
    “Zoe, we’re going to have to –” She stopped midsentence, stepping into the kitchen and finding Adrian with me.
    “Mom, this is Adrian Shaw, Ms. Turner’s nephew. He came by to bring my assignments to me.”
    “Oh.” She dropped her keys on the counter, the metal clanking together as she sat her purse beside them. “That was very nice of you.”
    “Nice to meet you Mrs. Gray.” Adrian stood, shaking my mom’s hand like a perfect gentleman. The look on her face told me she was impressed.
    “Zoe told me you’ve been helping her with Pre-Calculus.”
    Adrian nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “He’s a math genius, Mom,” I said, startled by the chipper ring to my voice. But then again, Adrian tended to bring that out in me.
    Mom’s eyes cut toward me, surprise on her face. I knew she still wanted to talk about the big who-my-dad-banged-on-the-side revelation, but she must’ve decided it could wait. Thank God.
    “Adrian, can you stay for dinner?” Mom asked, heading for the refrigerator.
    Adrian looked at me, gauging my reaction to the invitation. If it would put off the inevitable share-your-feelings session with my mom, I was all for it. Besides, I liked having him around.
    I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders.
    “Thanks Mrs. Gray. That would be great.”
    *     *     *
    After dinner, we ended up back at the creek bank. Adrian’s impeccable manners and genuine demeanor had won Mom over enough that she didn’t object, despite that fact that I still didn’t exactly have social privileges.
    We didn’t talk as we spread the blanket he’d pulled from the saddlebag out on the grass, directly beneath a huge oak tree that was probably older than the town.
    The worn, rust-colored wool was soft against my legs as we sat. Adrian leaned against the tree trunk, and I leaned against Adrian with his arm around me. The water in the creek trickled sparsely. I imagined once the semi-drought we’d been experiencing ended, the rush of water would be brisk.
    Adrian turned his face toward my ear and I felt the warm rush of his breath as he whispered, “Wanna talk?”
    Laying my head on his shoulder, I was silent for a long moment. Long enough that he must’ve thought I didn’t want to talk.
    “It’s okay if you don’t want to.”
    “I just don’t know what to say,” I said, searching for words to convey my feelings and coming up rather empty. “It’s so surreal, you know? That scene in the lobby this morning, it was like adding insult to injury.”
    “It was lousy, that’s for sure.” His arm tightened around my side, and for the first time since the explosion about Courtney’s mom, I felt not only the companionship of Adrian’s presence, but also the warmth and soothing comfort I’d come to associate with him. “I wish I’d been there.”
    “I don’t know why it makes a