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ChapterThirty-Eight
SPENCER
Our hands haven’t moved yet. How could I possibly be this excited aboutalmostholding hands with Tess? It makes no sense, but I’m beginning to think logic is a lot less fun than whatever this is.
What is this?
Oh, right. It’s a future-potential relationship. One I’ve been dreaming about longer than I realized. But first? The ground rules.
“Number one,” I say, and she cocks her head. “Stop looking so cute.”
“Ha!” She squawks. “I haven’t changed in twenty-four hours, I got zero sleep last night, and I’m a total mess.”
“Apparently, I like messes.”
“Fine,” she says. “So what’s the first rule?”
“That was it. Stop looking so cute.”
“Okay, great. I’ll work on that. Rule number two,” she says, chewing her lip. “I get to keep your sweatshirt.”
“Deal.” Not just a deal. I want her to wear it for the rest of her life. “In fact, I insist you keep it. So far so good,” I say. “Rule three? No kissing behind the dining hall. Such behavior could remind us of that which shall not be spoken of ever again.”
“Pepperoni breath?”
“Shhh!”
“Done.” Her mouth tilts at one corner, and I want to kiss that spot so much. Even behind the dining hall. Even anywhere. “I’ve got an addendum to rule number three,” she says. “No kissinganyplaceon the ranch.”
I groan. It’s like she read my mind.
“And no sneaking out of the cabins,” she adds, “or around backs of buildings or into closets or rooms or dark corners to try to be alone. Not until camp is over.”
I wince, intentionally hard, and suck in a protest breath through my teeth. “That’s a tough one,” I say, “but I reluctantly agree. Only because I respect your role as director, and I’d never compromise your reputation.”
“But you’ve already kissed me at camp.”
“Because you told me to.”
“That’s merely a technicality.” I grin. “Moving on. Rule number four. On our first dinner date, we both use chopsticks. I’ll even get you your own pair.”
“What if we want Italian?”
“Then we’ll cut the lasagna into chopstick-sized cubes.”
Her eyes sparkle. “Look at you, getting all nutty!”
“That’s me. I’m a nut. Take it or leave it.”
“Take it,” she says.
I meet her gaze and drop my grin just an inch. This next one’s actually more serious, and I hope we’re both prepared. “Rule number five. Promise me your change of heart isn’t because Jill’s about to be engaged, and Brooke just had a baby, and the rest of your friends are already married, so you’ve got FOMO, and I’m your default.”
“Jill’s already engaged,” she says.
“What? When?”
“Owen asked her Saturday night.”
