The Libby Garrett Intervention (Science Squad #2)

by Kelly Oram

  “We’d love to hear it,” Mrs. Garrett said. “If you feel like sharing.”

  Libby debated a moment, then grinned. “If you want to hear the story, then we’ll tell you. Over dinner. Someplace nice. Your treat.”

  When Sean smiled again and quickly said deal, Libby groaned. I didn’t understand her disgust until she said, “Ah, man. You were going to do that anyway!”

  Sean’s devious grin made me smile. Libby was right; her father loved to drive her crazy. It was strange to watch the family interaction, but fascinating at the same time. I’d never really had a father, and I may as well have not had a mother. I was a little envious, but relieved that, at the very least, Libby had great parents who obviously loved her. I was glad she had that.

  The judges announced the scores after that, and Libby was right; her dad placed in the top three. He came in second after Scott Stevens, and Libby couldn’t have been more proud of him.

  Dinner turned into a celebration, and we ended up going to a restaurant so nice Libby was surprised they’d been able to get a table. Her dad confessed that he’d made the reservation weeks before, when he entered the competition.

  I’d never been to a place that needed reservations. I’d never even been to a place that gave you menus. Kate and I considered fine dining ordering something that wasn’t on the dollar menu. “Are we dressed okay for this?” I muttered to Libby as some guy in a tux held the front door open for the four of us.

  “Don’t worry. I guarantee you my dad is in jeans and a T-shirt under his coat.”

  Libby’s answer and her easy smile helped a little, but I still wasn’t entirely convinced. “I’m wearing short sleeves. People aren’t going to be offended by my tattoos, are they?” I didn’t mention that I was mostly worried about her parents.

  “So what if they are?” Libby asked. “I think they’re hot. Besides, my dad has a couple, too. Mom has one too, but you won’t see hers.”

  I stumbled to a stop. Libby thought my tattoos were hot? The thought made my stomach flip. I hadn’t known she appreciated body art. It was just one more thing to add to my list of reasons why Libby was perfect for me. And both Sean and Makayla had tattoos? I’d never dated a girl whose parents had ink. That was so cool.

  As we were shown to a table that was lit with actual candles, I was so nervous my palms were sweating, and I couldn’t hold still. I’d always been nervous to meet parents, but I’d never wanted them to like me as much as I prayed I could make a good impression on Sean and Makayla Garrett. Libby nudged me in the side with her elbow as we reached the table. “Relax, Coffee Man.”

  That was not going to happen. Especially not when we all sat down at the table and her parents both stared at me, waiting for some kind of explanation. Their curiosity was unsettling, as was their surprise when I held out Libby’s chair for her.

  I knew Owen had never taken the time to meet Libby’s parents, but this almost felt like they’d never been introduced to anyone Libby had dated. Then again, maybe she hadn’t dated anyone besides Owen. Maybe this was a first for her parents. I wasn’t sure if that worked for or against me. Maybe they didn’t have any previous Mr. Wonderfuls to compare me to, but if I was the first, they were bound to be extra cautious.

  Mrs. Garrett decided to be the first to break the awkward silence, once we’d given our orders to the waiter. “So, Adam, do you know Libby from school?”

  School was the last subject I ever wanted to talk about with Libby’s parents, much less five seconds after we met. “Uh, no. I work with Avery.”

  Makayla nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. You don’t seem like you’re in high school. How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  I gulped. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? “Nineteen.”

  She seemed surprised. “Hmm. You seem older.”

  Next to me, Libby snorted. “He’s an old soul—nineteen on the outside, fifty on the inside.”

  Great. I don’t know why I was so worried about making a good impression with Libby’s parents when I couldn’t even make a decent one with her.

  Mrs. Garrett continued with her enthused interrogation. “Libby’s never mentioned you before. How long have you guys known each other? How did you get together? And what happened to Owen? As far as I know, Libby was still dating him last night.”

  “Uh…” I had no idea where to start.

  Mrs. Garrett laughed. “Sorry. Too many questions. I’m just dying to hear this story.”

  “Me too,” Sean added. He grinned at Libby and said, “The food has been ordered, so spill it. Dinner for dirt. That was the deal. And don’t leave out the juicy details. I can still stick you with the bill.”

  “Mom? Dad? The truth is, I’m a junkie and Owen is my scrumptious, irresistible, dangerous, harmful, highly addictive crack. Adam’s going to help me get over him.”

  Libby looked at me and smirked, as if she knew she was about to pound the nail in my coffin. I sighed inwardly. For a couple seconds, it had seemed like Libby’s parents might not hate me. I would have liked to live the fantasy a few more minutes before Libby brought up the sponsor thing. But at least Libby was willing to explain it herself.

  “It was Avery’s idea,” she continued. “Remember how she did the seven stages of grief thing last year? Now she’s experimenting with me. She’s put me on a twelve-step program—Owen Anonymous. The Coffee Man here has agreed to be my mentor.”

  If I could have crawled beneath the table right then, I would have. Libby’s parents sat stunned and speechless, glancing back and forth between Libby and me. “Wait,” Sean said. “So you’ve broken up with Owen, and you’re using the twelve-step program to get over him? Are you serious?”

  I wasn’t sure who the question was directed at, but I decided to answer. “Yes, we are, Mr. Garrett. And I hope that the two of you will support Libby on this, because she could use it.”

  There was another long silence, and then Makayla let out a breath. “Well.” And another series of blinking. “Libby, please don’t take this the wrong way, but thank heavens!” My eyes widened, and I quickly tried to smooth my face out. Makayla’s head was shaking. “I have never liked the idea of you dating that boy. He hasn’t been a good influence on you at all.”

  To my surprise, Libby didn’t argue, even though I could tell she wanted to. She glared at me as if she knew exactly what I was thinking, and a tiny smile crept over my face. Makayla pulled us from our moment. “Libby, it’s wonderful that you’re finally letting go of Owen, but be careful that you don’t turn around and jump right into another relationship.”

  Makayla’s eyes flicked to me so fast that I didn’t think she meant to look at me. But it made it very clear she was worried about Libby dating me. Libby caught the look too and was horrified by her mom’s disapproval, but I wasn’t surprised. I’d known it was only a matter of time. Parents never wanted me dating their daughters. Honestly, I couldn’t blame them. I wouldn’t want Kate dating some high school dropout with a dead-end life ahead of him, either.

  “Mom!” Libby gasped. “That is so rude!”

  Libby’s mom glanced back and forth between us and flinched. “Oh, no!” she said. “I didn’t mean to suggest that Adam was bad for you. I just meant that maybe you guys shouldn’t start dating so quickly. You have time. Be friends for a while. Make sure you’re ready for a new relationship before you two start something.”

  “Oh my heck, Mom!” Libby hissed. “We aren’t dating. Adam is my sponsor.”

  I suppressed a sigh. This was not going well at all.

  Sean leaned forward, pointing a skeptical finger back and forth between Libby and me. “Are you sure you guys aren’t dating? Because I totally got that vibe.”

  My face heated up to what I’m sure was a very embarrassing pink. “Um, no, Mr. Garrett. It’s not like that with us.”

  Sean sat back slowly, watching me with a frown on his face, as if he wasn’t sure he believed me. At least, that’s what I assumed the frown meant. Becau
se there’s no way he was disappointed that I wasn’t dating his daughter.

  Feeling the weight of his gaze, I decided to just be blunt and lay everything out for him. Normally I might have tried a little harder to impress a girl’s parents, but this wasn’t about me. I was here for Libby, and she needed the support of her parents. She needed them to understand what was going on. “You don’t have to worry about me, Mr. Garrett. I don’t have any romantic intentions toward your daughter. First of all, I don’t think she likes me all that much, and considering the job she’s asked me to take on, I don’t see that changing anytime soon. And second, your wife was right.”

  I moved my eyes to Makayla and tried to smile. “I understand this process better than you might think. I’m trying to help Libby get out of a harmful relationship. I know she’s going to be very vulnerable for a while. I promise you, neither of us wants or needs to get involved in some kind of rebound relationship.”

  Glancing next to me, I looked Libby over and sighed. Since I was on a roll, may as well just get it all out there now. “Plus, I know I’m not shining boyfriend material. I’m a high school dropout. I’ll never be much more than a manager at a coffee shop. Libby has so much potential. She deserves a lot more than I could ever offer her, and I have no desire to hold her back.”

  Maybe that was too much. Libby’s mom looked completely abashed. I couldn’t read Sean’s face, other than to know that he was surprised. Libby, though…she sat there unblinking, with her mouth hanging slightly open.

  “Sorry,” I muttered, when things got quiet. “I just—I don’t want you to worry. I want to help Libby. That’s all.”

  Now I was sure I would get the wary and disapproving looks from Sean and Makayla. I waited for their judgment, but again, it didn’t come. Instead, some of the light returned to Makayla’s eyes and she gave me a warm smile. “You seem like a good guy, Adam. Thank you for helping Libby.”

  I was stunned. Shocked more than I’d ever been in my life. I’d just admitted to being a high school dropout, and she had complimented me. She seemed genuinely sincere, too. Neither she nor Sean were judging me. In fact, as I glanced back and forth between the two of them, it seemed as if they understood me a little. Like they could relate to having a few black marks on their records.

  Seeing my shock, Makayla’s smile grew apologetic. “I’m sorry about before. I really didn’t mean to insinuate that you were bad for Libby. I was just worried because I thought you were together, and it felt like too quick of a change. I remember what it was like to be your age. Everything feels so intense when you’re young—relationships especially. It’s easy to get carried away.”

  Her voice resonated with experience. It occurred to me then that Makayla and Sean weren’t very old. I wasn’t about to ask, but considering Libby was eighteen and her parents looked to be in their mid-thirties at the oldest, Libby might have been the result of the exact type of intense relationship Makayla was talking about. And quite possibly why my being a high school dropout didn’t bring down harsh judgment from them.

  This huge weight lifted off my chest at the thought that Libby’s parents might actually give me a chance to prove I’m a good person. Not many people did. It meant a lot to me that Libby’s parents were so understanding.

  I breathed a small sigh of relief when our food showed up. Things had gone a lot better than I’d expected, but it had still been pretty intense. I could use a break before they started asking more questions about our twelve-step experiment.

  Apparently I wasn’t the only one who wanted to lighten the atmosphere. After we all dug into our meals, Sean cleared his throat and gave me a wide smile. “So, Adam, did you enjoy the competition today?”

  I was so grateful for the release of tension that I nodded a little too enthusiastically. Libby snickered. “You should have seen his face the whole time. He was like Levi at a Lord of the Rings convention.”

  I laughed at the analogy. I didn’t know the science kids very well, but I’d seen enough of Levi to know he’d be in heaven among the cape-wearing Elvish-speaking sword-fighting crowd.

  “It was amazing,” I told Sean, getting back to the conversation. “I’ve never been to anything like that before. The closest I’ve seen is the Winter Olympics on TV. Snowboarding has always been my favorite event.”

  Makayla grinned. “You like to snowboard, then?”

  “I’ve never tried it, but it looks like a hell of a ride.”

  “What?” Sean’s jaw dropped. After closing it, he frowned at me in confusion. “But you grew up in Utah?”

  “Spanish Fork, all my life.”

  “And you’ve never boarded? How is that possible?”

  I shrugged. “Could never afford it But, I like to skateboard.”

  Sean perked up at this, and I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Libby did, too. “Oh yeah?” he asked. “Are you any good?”

  I didn’t know what to say. I was probably the best of all the guys at the park, but compared to Sean Garrett? “I guess I’m decent,” I finally admitted. “I’ve never competed, but a couple of my buddies and me have a YouTube channel that’s starting to gain a little bit of a following.”

  “You do?” Libby gasped. “I want to see you skate. You’ll have to show me your videos.”

  Nice. I always knew I wasn’t on her radar, but she didn’t recognize me at all? “You have seen me skate. Many times. I’ve seen you skate, too.”

  “What?”

  I wanted to groan as she pulled her face into a confused frown. “Libby, we’ve been using the same skate park since we were kids.”

  “Really?” Her eyes grew so huge that I laughed. “You really use the same skate park as me?”

  “Is there more than one in Spanish Fork?”

  “And you’ve seen me there?”

  That made me smile. “It’s kind of hard not to notice the girl on the bright purple board with cat stickers plastered all over her helmet. Not to mention, the time you brought your science club to the park and taught them all a lesson about how skateboarding is as much science as art.”

  “Consecrated cat balls, you do use the same park as me!”

  I wanted to laugh again, but instead I released an over-the-top sigh. “Apparently I’m not as good a skater as I think,” I told Sean. “Clearly, I’ve failed to make an impression.”

  Libby pouted. “Hey, that’s not fair. Most of the skaters at the park are giant sphincters.”

  The flat look she shot me suggested she considered me one of those sphincters, but then she stopped frowning and took a minute to really study me. Her eyes narrowed, and she chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to place me. She really needed to stop teasing me, before I started nibbling on that lip myself.

  Damn it! I was fantasizing about her in front of her parents.

  I refused to look at her parents, but Libby didn’t notice my slip. She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts. “I’d have to see you skate to make the connection, but I bet I do know you. I don’t pay attention to people, but I watch skaters. I recognize style and movement, even if I don’t know faces.”

  That made me smile, because I knew exactly what she meant. She paid attention to the sport of it rather than just watching all the flashy tricks. I always knew she’d be that way. It was one of the things I’d always liked about her. “How come you don’t skate very often?” I asked. “You’re there a lot, but you don’t dive in with the rest of us.”

  Libby sighed. “I’m not very good at it. I do much better on a freeboard.”

  Hell yes, she did. The fact that she even knew what a freeboard was made her the coolest girl on the planet, but even more amazing was the fact that she could do it—that she loved it. I nodded my head in agreement, grinning. “I’ve seen you. You’re very impressive.”

  Libby’s jaw dropped again. “You’ve seen me freeboard?”

  Casting a quick glance at her dad, I tried not to blush. “It’s sort of a known secret in Spanish Fork that some of the local pro
snowboarders go out to the hill to freeboard in the off-season. I’ve been out a few times with my friends to watch, but I’ve never tried it. It looks awesome.”

  I turned back to Libby and said, “You’ve always been one of my favorites. You’re amazing. You tear it up as much as any of the pros. It’s always made me wonder how good you are on a snowboard. I’m guessing the apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree.”

  Libby sat there gaping at me, as if I were some kind of animal species she’d never heard of before. Her stare made me feel self-conscious so I looked away, but I only met the surprised looks of her parents.

  I tried to think back on what I said that could have stunned them all so much, but I didn’t think I’d sounded too stalkerish. I’d only meant to compliment Libby, and what I said was the truth. Libby was good enough on a freeboard that she had to know she was one of the best who rode the hill. “Anyway…” I grabbed my ice water and mumbled into the glass. “It seems like a good time.”

  Sean smiled again, but there was something knowing about it that made me nervous. “That it is,” he said. “We’ll have to get you on a board sometime.”

  Libby

  Introducing Adam to my parents was not the disaster of epic proportions I thought it would be. It started off slightly awkward, with my parents assuming we were dating, and Adam blurting out that passionate speech about being a high school dropout and not good enough to date me. He’d shocked us all with that beautiful rant, but it made me sad. He lectured me about having self-worth, but it was clear he could use a little of his own advice.

  But, despite the rocky start, my parents obviously loved him. I wasn’t surprised. They were kindred spirits with that whole black sheep thing, and they shared a love of extreme sports. Adam was intense in a way that my dad could relate to. And considering Adam was focusing that intensity on helping me, well, I think my dad was man-crushing on him by the end of the night.

  Mom was a goner, too. The woman was an EMT. She loved to take care of people, and Adam had this quality about him that was almost lost puppyish. He’d soaked up my parents’ attention as if he’d never had any before, and Mom was more than happy to dote on him. It had become embarrassing by the end of dinner.