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All the horrible memories of that day came sweeping back, and Remi fought a massive full-body blush. “Because it was awful and I don’t even think he remembers it, because he hasn’t said anything, so I’m just going to pretend it didn’t happen.”
“What happened?” Brooke scooted closer in her chair.
“If you must know, I went to that stupid dance thinking that was the night I would finally confess my feelings. I had it all planned out. We’d dance, and drink punch, and take a walk in the moonlight, and then we’d stop under that big willow tree on the corner, and I’d tell him that I liked him. He would smile, his one dimple showing, and he’d kiss me.” Emotions rose in her throat, and she coughed to cover it up.
“Are you crying?” Brooke’s mouth dropped.
Remi scoffed. “No.” At least, she was trying her hardest not to.
“So, what happened?”
Remi stared at her hands. “Nothing went right. I spilled juice down the front of me and had to change clothes before I even left, which made me late. When I got there, Colton was dancing with another girl. He was wearing the leather jacket I’d bought him for Christmas. The one I had worked extra hours to save up for. Seeing him wearing my jacket but with another girl just totally ruined my mood, and I left the hall, super angry that he’d do that to me.”
Brooke made a face. “He cheated while on a date with you?”
Remi shook her head. “No, no it wasn’t a date. We were just both going to be there. I totally overreacted when I saw them. I mean, it was a dance, for heaven’s sake. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Dance.” She exhaled.
“So, that’s it? He danced with a girl, and you got mad?”
“No. I walked around and cooled off. I realized it was dumb to be mad, so I went back to the dance. When I saw him next, he’d taken off the jacket. I guess he got too hot dancing with all those other girls.” She tried to keep the bitterness from her voice, but it didn’t quite work. “He pulled me onto the dance floor and joked around with me, and things went back to normal. We spent an hour together, dancing and having fun, and I once again told myself I was going to finally tell him how I felt.”
“And what did he say when you told him?”
“Stop trying to make me skip ahead. Sheesh.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “Just tell me.”
“I went to the bathroom and lost track of Colton. Couldn’t find him. So, I went looking for him. That’s when I saw him enter the janitor’s closet. He’d put the jacket back on. I waited for him to come out, but when he didn’t, I decided it was probably better, because I could tell him without having to look at his face. I stood outside the door and told him how I felt about him.” She remembered how nervous she’d been, but how she’d forged ahead anyway. She spilled everything, how she’d liked him since middle school, and how she had wanted to say something earlier, but lacked the courage.
“So? What happened?”
“When he didn’t say anything, I peeked inside the closet.” The image of Colton’s back with another girl’s arms wrapped around him was seared into her brain. Remi gathered up her courage to say it. “He was in there making out with some girl.”
“What?” Brooke hit the table. “After he’d spent the entire dance with you?”
“Yep. And they’d both heard my confession. There was no way they couldn’t have heard it.” Embarrassment once again heated her face. She was sure they’d laughed about it behind her back.
Brooke scoffed. “Tell me again why you like that cheating jerk?”
Remi slumped. That had been the last night she’d seen Colton. She’d stopped taking his calls and had decided he wasn’t worth having in her life anymore. Two days later he got a casting call in LA and had left Silver Creek for good. She’d always felt guilty for cutting him out of her life. They’d been friends, not anything more. Who was she to get mad at him for liking another girl?
“We weren’t dating,” she said to Brooke. “He didn’t cheat.”
Brooke just made a face. “Why has he never said anything to you about your confession?”
“I don’t know. I’m hoping he’s forgotten all about it by now.” At least, if the heavens were smiling down upon her that was what happened. It was way too embarrassing to think about him knowing her feelings this entire time.
“Maybe. Or he’s just being polite in not bringing it up.” Brooke set her napkin on the table and stood. “I’d better go meet Mark. Have fun with Colton. Don’t let him go into the janitor’s closet.”
Remi hopped up and shoved her sister’s shoulder. “Shut up. I told you all of that in confidence. Don’t you ever bring it up again.”
“Fine. Don’t be so dramatic.” Brooke sashayed out of the breakfast area.
As Remi watched her sister leave, she wondered if Colton really didn’t remember her confession, or if he was just being polite, like Brooke said. It bothered her to think about, so she shoved it out of her mind. She couldn’t dwell on it, or it would make her neurotic.
CHAPTER16
Colton grabbed another hanger and thrust the dangling swimsuit at Remi. “What about this one?” Surely she couldn’t find fault with a simple blue one-piece. They’d been in the swimsuit section for over forty-five minutes, and he had to admit, he was getting a bit agitated.
