AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She waited, but he didn’t offer anything further. “So ... were you and he—”
“Can we talk about something else?”
She flushed. “Of course.”
Becca busied herself with cleaning up their plates, though there was barely enough to warrant a clean-up effort.
“Hey.” Hunter caught her wrist and stilled her movement.
She held her breath.
“Thanks,” he said softly. “I—can’t. It’s just—”
His voice stopped, and she chanced a look up. His expression was frozen, his breathing quick and shallow.
“I can’t,” he finally said.
She nodded, then bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Hunter,” she whispered.
“Don’t be sorry.” Now she earned a shadow of a smile—but it looked like it might shatter. “Just—talk about something else.”
She struggled for something to say that wouldn’t completely derail him. “Well ... I went shopping with Quinn yesterday, and I think she could wear a bathing suit to Homecoming and cover more skin than the dress she bought.”
His smile widened—just a bit, but enough. “Quinn likes attention.”
He’d sure read her friend fast. “Yeah.” She glanced away and gave a light laugh. “Who doesn’t, right?”
“You.”
Becca swung her head back around. He’d sure read her fast.
He settled back on the blanket and rubbed Casper’s fur. “When’s Homecoming?”
“Two weeks.” Why had she brought up the dance? Now he’d think she was fishing for an invite. She kept talking, hoping she could turn his focus elsewhere. “It’s usually on a Saturday, but it’s a Friday this year, because of the budget. It was cheaper for a DJ or something. They’re doing the game on Thursday night. A lot of people are pissed.”
“Are you going?”
“To the game?” She shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Probably not. I might have to work.”
“No.” He smiled, his eyes bright. “Are you going to the dance?”
She rubbed at her neck, very aware of her pulse, of the weight of his gaze. She shrugged again and plucked some clover to start a chain. “I don’t know. Depends whether Quinn gets ‘Rafe’ to ask her.”
“You’re not going with that Chris guy?”
“No! Chris and I—we’re just—” She stopped herself. They were just what? Friends? Were they even that?
“We’re not going,” she said. “We’re not even—I mean, I never really spoke to Chris until last week.”
Hunter was watching her now. “So how’d you get mixed up in his mess?”
God, she wished she knew. If she could go back to Wednesday night, the night Tyler and Seth had been kicking his ass, she’d—
She’d do the exact same thing. Even knowing what she knew now.
“Quinn said you saved his life,” Hunter said.
Had Quinn said that? She couldn’t remember. “I was leaving school late one night. Those guys, Tyler and Seth, the ones with the gun?” When he nodded, she continued, “They were beating Chris up in the parking lot. There was no one else around, and my cell phone was dead.”
