I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

In town, Josh presents Cammie with a corsage before driving her to the town’s fall harvest dance. Intrigued, Cammie follows him inside, where she quickly realizes her etiquette lessons have not prepared her for small-town celebrations. Before she can worry too much, Josh’s parents rush toward them. His mom catches Cammie in a hug, something “the Gallagher Academy had totally not prepared me for” (199). After a bunch more hugs, some awkward questions, and a lot of talk from Josh’s dad about how Josh will inherit the family pharmacy, Josh manages to pull Cammie away from his parents.

Rather than go chat with his friends, Josh brings Cammie out onto the dance floor. He doesn’t really seem to like the other kids or the idea of inheriting the pharmacy, and Cammie wonders if maybe she might “not be the only one in deep cover” (203). As they dance, Cammie notices her mom dancing with Mr. Solomon, and she heads for a shadowy corner of the room, feeling like the world has been pulled out from under her. Josh goes to get drinks, and Cammie is lifted into the rafters.