Prologue #2
“They actually will like that — she’ll be the holy grail to some of those guys — but that’s not what I was talking about.
” Eleanor was deadly serious. “They’re going to like that she won’t realize how pretty she is.
She’s going to be chill and easygoing. She’s going to be the girl who doesn’t just pretend to like football, but who also goes all out to win the fantasy football league.
“Aggie doesn’t know that she’s beautiful either,” Eleanor continued. “It’s very frustrating because most of us desperately have to work for it, but she rolls out of bed, ties her hair back in one of those messy knots, splashes water on her face, and calls it a day.”
Not for the first time, Huxley wondered if his mother was jealous of Aggie.
She’d never come right out and say it — jealousy was a sign of weakness to Eleanor — but there had been hints.
Once, Mick had stared at Aggie a little too long, and it set Eleanor off.
Only after Aggie and Wylie had left the dinner party, of course, but that fight had resulted in Mick sleeping in the guest room for a week.
That had been the start of his mother’s problems with his stepfather.
“I think you’re seeing things that aren’t there,” Huxley replied dryly. “None of that matters to me anyway, though. She’s really annoying.”
“She just enjoys life.” Eleanor let loose a sigh and moved away from him. “Just sit at the table with her, Huxley. It’s two hours of your life. This movie announcement is going to be a big deal. It’s going to mean huge things for our family. You can suck it up.”
That was the moment Huxley knew he’d lost. His mother hadn’t even pretended to side with him. Sometimes she manipulated him to her way of thinking. She hadn’t even tried this time.
“Fine,” he said, resigned to his fate. “I need you to know something, though.”
He must have sounded serious because Eleanor gave him her full attention for the first time in … well, in a long time.
“I’ve heard the jokes you and Aggie tell one another when you think no one is listening,” he said in a low voice. “You guys believe that Wylie and I would be an adorable couple to trot out at your stupid reader events.”
Eleanor’s cheeks turned pink. “What do you mean?” She averted her gaze.
Huxley had to hold back a sigh. His mother was a terrible liar when she was trying to pull one over on somebody she knew. She could lie to strangers just fine. If she knew the individual she was trying to manipulate, however, she had a much harder time of it.
“I’ve heard you.” There was no give to Huxley’s tone. “I don’t want to ever hear — not even a slip — that you think Wylie and I are going to end up together. I don’t want that out in the public because … just no.”
“Because she’s gawky?”
“Because she’s Wylie,” he countered. “She’s a geek, and she drives me nuts.”
“You’re going to change your mind.” Eleanor was insistent.
“I’m not.” He shook his head. “I want your word on it.”
“Fine.” Eleanor held up her hands in supplication. “I won’t even as much as hint at a relationship between you and Wylie.”
“Fine. Then I’ll sit by her for the announcement.”
Eleanor smiled and led him toward the door.
They were backstage at the convention center, and they had a private hallway that led to the stage.
When she peeked out, she found Wylie standing at the end of the hallway with one of the security guards.
The girl was indeed wearing the shirt that had offended Huxley.
“Tell me she’s not cute,” Eleanor complained, gesturing toward Wylie.
The girl’s hair was piled on top of her head to the point where Huxley was convinced birds could be living in it, and she wouldn’t notice.
She’d put on capris, but one leg was higher than the other because she hadn’t bothered to tie the string on her left leg.
Her shoes were Wonder Woman Converse, and one of her socks was up, and the other was slouchy. She didn’t notice any of it.
“Do you know what she’s doing?” Huxley challenged. “She’s been talking to that security guy for 30 minutes. She’s showing him all the Klingon she knows.” He paused for one dramatic beat. “Yes, Klingon. She’s taking a class.”
Eleanor’s lips swished. She was genuinely amused.
“A class, Mother,” Huxley said dryly. “Who takes a class in Klingon? Geeks. That’s who.”
“You’re going to regret your judgment of her,” Eleanor replied.
She held up her hands when he swung toward her.
“I’m not going to push it. I just want you to remember this moment, because one day Wylie Dixon is going to be the hottest woman on the planet — mark it down — and she’s not going to give you the time of day because you were such a little schmuck to her when she was a teenager. ”
Huxley snorted. “Maybe she’ll be able to find a guy who enjoys dressing up like a Klingon. They can dress up and hop from convention to convention.”
Eleanor made a clucking sound. “You’re so worried about what people think about you that you never see the joy in the simple things in life. I’m pretty sure I did that to you and can only hope that you loosen up as you get older.”
Huxley rolled his eyes. “Is this one of those ‘I was a poor mother’ things? Because I’m going to be honest, I don’t want to hear it. You were a good mother. That girl is just the queen of the geeks.”
“Okay.” Eleanor allowed a smirk to show through. “I’m going to remind you of this day, though. You’ve been warned.”
“Blah, blah, blah.” Huxley exhaled the sort of sigh an old man would be proud to call his own. “Can we just get this over with? There’s a new episode of True Blood tonight.”
“You mean Anna Paquin is getting naked again.”
“I watch it for the vampire lore. You know I’m interested in maybe writing that stuff one day.”
Eleanor didn’t believe him for a second. “If you say so.” She gave him a little push. “How current are you on your Klingon? Wylie looks excited.”
“Don’t push it, Mother.”
“I was just asking. Geez. Lighten up. You’re always so serious.”
“It’s better than being like her.” Huxley wrinkled his nose as Wylie did a little dance, not caring who was watching her, and then made a groaning noise. “This is going to be the longest day ever.”
Eleanor patted his shoulder. “You’ll survive.”