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push you home.”
    I agreed but kept a few steps away from him, just in case. We stopped at my sidewalk.
    “Thanks again for showing me your house,” I said.
    “You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He rolled the skateboard under his foot, back and forth for a moment.
    “See you tomorrow,” I said. I didn’t want him to go but it was getting cold.
    He pushed off towards home, and I caught a glimpse of a smile.
    Once inside my house, I closed the door and stood still for a second, amazed at my own luck. He was so good looking and charming and sweet, and he was two houses away. I would see him every day. It didn’t seem possible that life would go so right. I shook off the daydreamy feelings and followed the savory scent coming from the kitchen.
    My dad was standinat the stove, frying some pork chops and stirring a pot of green beans with the other hand. He’s built like a football player with broad shoulders and big arms, strong and fairly manly in my opinion. His jaw jutted out as he concentrated.
    “Hi, Dad.”
    He looked up from the pork chops and smiled. “Hi hon. Derek said you were visiting with a boy. Anyone I know?”
    Dad was always on the alert for any boy news, presumably so he could frighten them away.
    “Not unless you’ve just met the new people down the street.”
    “Oh, right. Your mom told me about them. They’re finally moving in. I wonder what took them so long.”
    “They didn’t say,” I replied, leaning over to smell the pork chops. I gave my best imitation of a spy, “And I didn’t ask.”
    “There’s no shame in being nosy.”
    Derek wandered in, inhaling so hard I thought he was going to suck up the kitchen table. “Oh, please tell me dinner is ready. I can’t take it anymore.”
    “When your mom gets here,” Dad answered firmly. There was never any negotiating with my dad—he was as immovable as rock.
    Fortunately, we heard the car drive up and Derek started setting the table. It’s the only time he ever does any work voluntarily—when food is involved. James came in the door first, a stumble of boy, soccer ball and a sports drink.
    “I’m so hungry!”
    My mom followed him, her purse on her shoulder and her sunglasses on top of her head, sighing as she stepped inside. “Please feed that child. He’s driving me crazy.”
    Dad put the pork chops, still sizzling, on the table. I gathered up the green beans and salted them, putting them in a dish. Ice fell into glasses and silverware was thrown next to the plates and we all sat down like starving refugees.
    Mom said the prayer, much to Derek’s agony, because she doesn’t rush through it like the rest of us. After we had all filled our plates my dad asked how soccer and football were going for the boys.
    “I got a goal today,” James said.
    Dad gave him a fist bump. “Good job.”
    “I got a touchdown last Friday,” Derek offered, his mouth full.
    Mom rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, honey, we know.”
    “Just keeping the memory fresh,” he said.
    “You’re so needy,” I said
    His mouth turned in a nasty smile and I knew I was in trouble. “At least I’m not drooling over the new guy that moved in.”
    I smiled sweetly and blinked my lashes. “He has twin sisters. Very pretty.”
    That caught him off guard long enough for me to enjoy the moment before James said with disgust, “They’re like, kindergartners.”
    Derek laughed, choking on his pork chop. He was probably thrilled that he could tease me about Ren. I wasn’t too alarmed. It was only a matter of time before he met some girl who made him into an easy target, if I cared enough to tease him back. But I might be more kind about it than he was. Maybe.
    I called Katie about going to Ren’s house. She was of the opinion that he liked me, or he wouldn’t have come to see me. I wasn’t so sure. Kyle flirted with me all the time but I knew that was only for fun. Ren might be the same way.  Besides, I was the only girl he knew so far. And I