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I went to the dance anyway. They’d all been there with their dates. We’d all acted like everything was fine. I danced. I went home. But after that I avoided them, and I spent my summer concentrating on what I needed to do to get out of here and go to college.
Now the TA in my French class, a sexy French foreign exchange student, gets interested in me and suddenly all the guys are asking me out. Well, yeah, I guess everyone after today because Coop said he was.
Jake said he wanted to maybe make out with me. Bubba planned to ask me to homecoming. The asks would be later this week—they usually happened on Friday, before the game. Homecoming was in three weeks, but planning was astronomical. Every year, it seemed to get crazier. I didn’t even have a dress for homecoming.
Archie wanted to take me out, just us, anywhere I wanted to go, and Coop told me he wants to see me, too. More than one of them had said they’d hit on me before, but I’d nevernoticed.Like I wouldn’t notice they’d hit on me.
Were they?
Were they punking me?
Was this their way of making sure I didn’t date? They asked me because I said Iwantedall of this? Had it started before I told Coop or after?
“Hey, Frankie, can you not find your suit?”
I jumped at Bubba’s voice. “Yeah, I just did,” I lied and stood up. Then there were the roses on the car. Those were—awesome. But none of my guys said they’d done it, and if it was from Mathieu, the messages would be in French, right?
Right?
Gut in knots, I stripped out of my clothes and pulled on the blue suit I’d worn the week before. Bubba was already outside with our backpacks. There were cokes on the table, too. He was in the water. Maybe he had some sixth sense, ‘cause he turned in the pool just as I opened the door, and he waved at me.
The hot breeze tugged at my hair. I hadn’t bothered to braid it. Strands drifted across my face, so I raked my fingers through it to pull it away. The pavement was hot under my feet, but I walked over to the shallow end and stepped down into the water. The sun beat down on us, but I ignored it as I stared at Bubba.
“You said nothing was wrong,” Bubba stated as he took a couple of steps toward me in the water. He was wearing blue and gray swim trunks that seemed more like a shadow in the water than actual clothing. “But something’s bugging you. What is it?”
“Everyone is asking me out.” The minute I said it, humiliation crawled through me. “I mean… wow, that sounded bad.”
“No,” Bubba said. “It didn’t. Everyone asking you out is a problem?” The guarded note in his voice warned me he thought I meant him specifically.
I sat down, the water was almost shockingly cold against my hips and thighs, but I didn’t care. I kind of needed that shock. “You guys have known me for years. I say I want to go out, and suddenly everyone is asking me out. Jake said—Jake said he’s always been interested but I wasn’t. And today Coop asked me out. You said you’re asking me to homecoming.”
“I am,” Bubba said. “Unless you don’t want me to.” The disappointment in his voice tugged at me. “I get it. I know Archie and Jake both have a thing for you, and you’re right, so does Coop. I’m just me.”
“Bubba…”
“What? You’re the only one allowed to be insecure here?” He moved closer and sighed. “Frankie…I’m not going to speak for everyone else, just for me. Okay?”
I nodded. “Fair.”
“I’ve liked you for a long time. A really long time. I dated, yes. I went out with other girls, you’re right. Sometimes they asked me, sometimes I asked them. I have…not been a saint.” He grimaced. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you that part.”
“You told me when you lost your virginity, Bubba. I’m pretty sure I knew that last bit.”
He winced. “Oh yeah, I forgot. Wow. I’m an ass.”
A laugh escaped, and I shook my head. “You’re not an ass. We’re friends. You were telling the guys as much as me, and you guys were all kind of comparing notes.” Another time I really hadn’t had anything to offer to the conversation. I still didn’t. I didn’t think a couple of kisses from Mathieu counted, even if they’d been nice kisses.
“What can I tell you that will make you feel better?”
I studied his expression. Bubba was a good guy. They all were in their own ways. Coop was zen, the go along to get along. Archie could be demanding and a little high maintenance, but he was also generous to a fault and he never treated any of us differently—impressive considering the wealth difference.
Jake?
Jake could be bossy and overwhelming. He never shied away from saying exactly what he thought. While the others could be subtle, Jake just went for the jugular to find out what he wanted.
But Bubba? He’d always been a sweetheart.
“Is this a game?” I hated myself for asking the question. “I mean, is it a game for all of you? You warned guys away from asking me out for who knows how long. When I say that I want to date and I want to get asked out, all of you start asking me.”
