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“Yes, let’s go with the ‘or.’”
“Julie stops texting him, and I have to hope that doesn’t bum him out so much he loses whatever interest he might have in me, and I somehow convince my father to ask our cell carrier to change my phone number, which will likely result in a million probing questions and a possible ‘no.’”
“Hmm . . . it’s tricky, but I’m all for Option B.”
“And that’sifhis father doesn’t do anything about the fact that we were caught hanging out together after his little warning to me.”
“Ugh. His father’s such a jerk.”
“Trust me, I’m aware.” I plucked another dandelion from the grass and picked at the little yellow petals.
“P, you can’t end this. I mean, I was skeptical at first, but he likes you. Like, really likes you.”
“First of all, we don’t really know that, do we? I mean, he likes Julie for sure, but the kiss with me could’ve just been—” I waved the flower around in the air. “—in the heat of the moment or something. We had an amazing night, and our favorite song, which also happens to be a slow, angsty love ballad came on. Maybe the urge just struck him? Maybe I could’ve been literally any female beside him and he would’ve done the same?”
Scarlett scoffed. “I don’t buy that. Didn’t you say he almost kissed you again, after, when you were sitting on the hood of his car?”
“Well, yeah, but after we got busted, when he dropped me off at my place and asked for my number, he acted like it was just a friend thing.
“Maybe he acted like it was a friend thing because you pulled away from the second kiss right before the security guard showed up and proceeded to ignore the fact that the first kiss even happened. He made the first couple moves; it was up to you to reciprocate.”
“Oh, I reciprocated the first move, trust me.”
Scarlett’s smile turned feline. “Tell me how hot of a kisser he was again?”
Behind me, someone cleared their throat and Scarlett’s eyes widened, then subsequently glittered with mischief. Which meant it could only be one person, and he likely heard her ask about his hot kissing skills.
Kill me now.
“Well, lookie who it is,” Scarlett crooned. “We were just talking about you.”
“Really,” he drawled, and I tried my hardest to translate the nuance of his voice to see if he heard or was pretending not to.
Shooting a dirty look in Scarlett’s direction, I then twisted toward him, craning my neck to face him. “Hey.”
“Do you have a minute?”
“Uh, sure.”This didn’t sound good.
I widened my eyes at Scarlett as I stood and said, “Be right back.” Then I followed Topher to where he led me a few yards away underneath the swooping branches of a large Oak.
“Talking about me, huh? What exactly did you say?”
“That your singing voice is nearly as atrocious as your dancing.” I laughed, though my insides danced with nerves. Look at me, being all flirty under pressure.
“Psht. Yeah right. I saw the way you looked at me when I broke out into song. You wanted to jump my bones.”
I made a choking sound deep in my throat while flames ravaged my body. “I did not.”
Topher shrugged, then chuckled at whatever he saw on my face. “You turn all red when you’re embarrassed.” He reached up and brushed a thumb over my cheek. “It’s cute.”
My insides stirred, and I crossed my arms over my chest in an effort to hold myself together.
“Anyway,” he continued, “I just wanted to stop by and thank you for everything you said yesterday. I think I needed to hear it, that no matter what, even if my father makes good on his word, I can make it on my own. And, I wanted to let you know that my appointment is this weekend. Coach just told me, and if I like what I see and hear, I’ve decided to give them a verbal commitment.”
“That’s amazing.” I reached out and squeezed his arm without thinking. “I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
The muscle in his bicep flexed. My palm burned from the touch, and the moment his gaze followed the place where my hand encircled his arm, I dropped it, but not before he took a step closer, and my stomach tied in knots.
