Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
AUDREY
After a long day of non-emergencies that her bosses acted like were the end of the world, Audrey could’ve used a drink.
Instead, she had to settle for her mother’s delicious lasagna for comfort food, but she was more than happy to do so.
She could feel the tension melt away as she ate her second slice, tuning out whatever Nathan was jabbering on about in favour of daydreaming about returning to her current read when it was socially acceptable to leave the table.
It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate having Nathan here for dinner, as he didn’t join them often, but she was this close to a frustration headache, and she wanted to avoid one at all costs.
Finishing her last bite, she was about to stand and clear her plate when Nathan switched to a subject she was much more interested in.
“She’s going to learn to drive.” Nathan was seemingly recounting a conversation he had with his best friend recently.
“Really? Brianna Robinson driving? I’ll be,” their mother said, shaking her head.
“Well, she said she will once I find her a teacher,” Nathan clarified.
“I can teach her.” The words were out of Audrey’s mouth before she could stop them.
“You are going to teach someone else to drive?” The incredulity in Nathan’s voice would normally be annoying, but combining that with the look in her parents’ eyes, and it made the question feel downright offensive.
“I’m not that bad of a driver, am I?” Audrey panicked.
The table burst out into laughter.
“It’s not that, honey.” Her mother was playing the peacemaker, as always. “It’s just that I don’t think I remember you ever volunteering for something. You’ve been pretty set in your ways lately.”
That was probably a nice way to say she had been holed up in her room except for the rare appearance to hang out with her friends.
It was hard to find the motivation to do something when her work revolved around her computer and phone.
She was chronically online, which made her work life better and her social life worse.
It was why, as her friends lovingly reminded her, she needed to “touch grass” sometimes. Or often.
That was part of the reason she was determined to get back into reading physical books again, and she explained that to her mother as the rest of her family nodded.
“It could be good for you,” her father finally agreed.
“Cool; I’ll ask Brianna if she’s okay with it. It could be fun, my two girls hanging out together,” Nathan said.
“Sure.” Audrey aimed for calm and collected.
But inside, she was screaming a little. There was no way Nathan knew about her crush on Brianna all those years ago, and though she had long thought she was over it, it was clear a tiny part of her was bursting with excitement at the thought of having a legitimate reason to see Brianna.