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He drew himself up to his full height. “I’m not a kid. I’m fifteen.”
Exactly. “I know, but you should save all that charm for someone closer to your age. Like the girl over on that bench—Don’t look!” Cora leaned forward and whispered, “She’s been checking you out. I think you impressed her with your moves at the dunk tank. Okay, she turned away. Now you can look.”
Billy’s gaze slid sideways, his face a study in careless apathy, but his eyes lit with interest. The girl looked to be around his age, with shiny dark hair and a heart-shaped face. She had a hotdog in one hand and a book in the other. He turned back to Cora, looking like someone had just knocked him on the head with one of the softballs. “That’s Katie Bradshaw,” he said. “You sure she was looking at me?”
“Definitely.”
“Dang.” Billy swallowed hard enough for Cora to see his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “People say she’s stuck-up because she’s always reading, but I don’t know. Maybe she’s just really smart.” He stared at her just long enough for the girl to glance up.
Billy jerked his gaze away and feigned interest in the dunk tank where Liam was just crawling back onto the platform after having been dunked a second time.
“You should go talk to her,” Cora suggested.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Think of it as a challenge,” she teased. “Like a game. You can’t win if you don’t play.”
Billy mumbled something under his breath about knowing how to be a player, then wandered off toward the refreshment table.
Cora made her way back to the dunk tank and sidled up to the edge of the cage. She tried not to notice how Liam’s thin T-shirt clung to his muscular chest, or the way his wet jeans outlined his powerful thighs and lean hips, but it was like trying not to stare at a chocolate fountain at a dessert buffet. Because, come on. Anyone who could be blasé about a chocolate fountain wasn’t human.
Sometimes, in rare, fanciful moments, Cora wondered what it would be like to actually date someone like Liam. Suzette seemed to think it was a grand idea, but then Cora would remind herself of all the reasons getting together with Liam was a ridiculous notion to entertain. They worked together. They lived together. He was headstrong and old-fashioned and—let’s face it—pretty weird sometimes. But if she was being perfectly honest with herself, the main reason he wasn’t an option pricked her pride a little bit. It was because Liam had made it obvious from the beginning that he wasn’t into her. The few times she’d even touched him, he’d actually flinched. As if he couldn’t stand it. Not a big confidence booster, that. And the only time she’d ever shown an outward display of gratitude by hugging him for finding her necklace, he’d grabbed her by the arms and thrust her away. So, there it was. He’d made his feelings crystal clear. Which was fine. More than fine. Cora lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. They were just friends, anyway. Sort of.
“Admit it, Liam,” she said cheerfully, shoving all those forbidden thoughts aside. “You’re having fun.”
Liam grimaced, his dark hair sticking up in all directions like a porcupine. “I’ll admit no such thing.”
A ball went flying way off target and Cora had to duck to dodge it.
“Get out of here,” Liam ordered. “These hellions don’t know how to throw, and I didn’t drag myself here to watch you get brained.”
“They’re just softballs. And, anyway, I’ve got good reflexes.”
“It doesn’t matter. You could still—”
Another ball went flying. This time, it hit the target dead center. Liam went splashing into the tank, and the kids hooted in victory. He came up growling like an angry cat. Cora linked her fingers through the chain-link cage, tipped her head back and laughed. Getting stuck on that date with Finn was so worth the payback.
Liam’s mouth twitched as he climbed onto the perch again.
“Ooh!” Cora pointed at him. “I saw that. You almost smiled. I know you’re enjoying this. In fact, I might just put your name on the volunteer list for next time.”
He snorted. “It will be a cold day in hell before I come back to this—” A ball hit the target again, and down he went. Again.
Yep. Cora grinned and went in search of a drink. Totally worth it.
