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“DuringFrozen?”
“Ha! No. That’s what I said. He proposed after the movie. It was the anniversary of their first kiss.”
“Hmm.” This news doesn’t help kill off my concerns. “So thisisabout Jill,” I say. “She and Lucy and Brooke and Emi and everyone else in your life is getting married or having babies or both, so now you finally notice me.”
Tess waits a beat, processing. Her brow furrows, then smooths out again. My pulse picks up. We’ve crossed into actual-issues territory. And the fact that she didn’t immediately brush off the implications helps me to believe her. She’s thinking this through. Answering honestly.
And I’m terrified.
“I think a part of me always noticed you,” she says. “But you were so busynotnoticing me, I didn’t want to risk putting myself out there.” Before I can tell her she’s onto something—that maybe I’ve been sailing along in the same don’t-risk-it boat—she goes on. “Let’s call that Rule Number Five, Part A,” she says. “I’ve got a Part B.”
“Okay.” I bob my head. This should be interesting.
“Promise that you’re not suddenly interested in me because Troy showed up and you got jealous.”
Oof.This oneknocks the wind out of me. “That’s … just … wow.”My jaw clenches. Relaxes. Clench. Relax.
“Frank told me about Clementine,” she admits. Her voice is soft and tentative. But whether it was a gut-punch or not, her question is valid, and I owe her an explanation.
“What went down with Troy and Clem is ancient history,” I say. “And yeah, that situation probably influenced me—I’m sure that’s what Frank told you—and he might be right. But by the time Troy showed up yesterday, I was already way interested. In you.”
Even as I say the words, I realize they’re as honest as I get. My former roommate and The Irony Chef provided some flint, but Tess is the real flame. She’s been the fire all along.
She draws in a breath, and my heart starts rattling. This is a lot, baring my truth. I’m putting myself out there, all in the open now. No turning back. I don’t even want to. “It’s all about you, Tess. It has been for a while.” She blinks. Skeptical. So I scramble to provide some evidence. “When I volunteered to help you plan the Teen Center, it was only to spend more time with you. Think about it. I’m not an architect. I’m a librarian. For theadultwing.”
A small smile plays on her lips. “You did do that.”
“And I agreed to this overnight thing when I’m already … fully exhausted.” I puff out a laugh. “But I’m okay with being tired, because I’m helping you. I get to be with you. But yeah. I barely sleep.”
“I have an idea,” she says, with a slow, tempting blink. “Let’s agree that these five ground rules are enough for now, and swear on them.”
“Okay. I swear.”
“Perfect.” She smiles. “Now you can go home and get some sleep.”
“You mean home to my parents’ house?”
Her smile falters. “Yes. But only for now.”
“Not if Frank takes my down payment.”
She scoffs. “But you won. We’re going to date now, right?”
“Ah. Sothat’swhy you want to go out with me.”
“Hardly.” She shrugs. “I’m not really a Mustang girl. I prefer trucks.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway, because we can’t go out until camp is over, which is past the dating deadline, so I won’t be winning any cars or trucks. Besides.” I shrug. “I already dropped out. I don’t have anything to prove to Frank.”
Tess scrunches up her nose.
“Hey, watch it.” I raise my eyebrows. “You’re breaking rule number one. Being adorable.”
“Ha!” Her cheeks pink up, and she looks even more adorable. Now I just want to kiss those sweet pink cheeks and those sweet full lips and—
“You should talk to your brother,” she says, interrupting my kiss-her-face-off fantasy. Yet another thing to blame Frank for.
“Yeah.” I smirk. “Talking to him is inevitable. I can avoid the guy for the rest of this week, but then I’ll be back at the car wash next Saturday. Stuck.”
