He nodded, running his tongue slowly over his bottom lip. “Personally, I’d like to see you stick it to Savannah one of these days. That would make me happy.”
I laughed, remembering the tension between them this summer. “What did you do to her anyway? She must hate you, or else she wouldn’t have dared you to kiss me at the beach party.”
He shifted his seat and chuckled softly. “She hit on me at Nick’s party last summer. I told her that she was drunk and I didn’t want to go there, but she got mad and called me a chicken. Told me I wasn’t a man.”
I felt my eyebrows nearly disappear into my hairline. A boy had turned down Savannah? The world must’ve tilted on its axis that day. Earthquakes and volcanoes must’ve erupted on the other side of the planet.
It was particularly nice to know that it was Collin who’d turned her down. I’d really misread him before we were partnered. He was a decent guy. A guy who didn’t take advantage of a girl when she was in a vulnerable situation.
“I have to say, the fact that you turned her down kind of makes me feel a million times better. Does that make me an awful person?”
He looked down at me with a serious expression. “Audrey, you couldn’t be awful even if you wanted to.”
My cheeks heated and I wondered what else Collin thought of me. But before I could ask, the backdoor slid open and Collin quickly released my hand. Ally poked her head out the door and blinked at us in the darkening backyard.
“Come on in, guys. Dinner’s ready. If you don’t move fast, Peter’s going to eat all of the bread rolls himself.”
We smiled at each other before grabbing our guitars and Collin’s laptop. All the time, my heart rang out like a timpani in my chest. Collin was so sweet. So good. I couldn’t blame his dad for wanting him back. He was so much more than the boxes we forced ourselves into at high school. He was a talented musician, an athlete, a wonderful friend and son.
And despite all the lies I had told myself, he was the boy I was falling for.
Chapter Nineteen
I was livid — fuming mad — and about ready to kick Rascal the Bandit’s head through the nearby goal posts. Dad was here, at Collin’s football game. Again. Although this time he’d had the good sense to leave the new wife at home. I’d spotted him sitting in the stands next to Lexi while I did a routine with the other cheerleaders at the beginning of the game, my whole body tightening with anger. He couldn’t just show up at my game and act like everything was okay again.
“I need a minute,” I hissed to Savannah before they went into the next cheer.
“What? No, you can’t leave.” Her red painted lips curled back into a snarl as she waved her pom poms. “We’re still in formation.”
“I’ll be back.”
I turned to walk off the field. She could try and stop me, but I seriously doubted that she wanted to tackle a human-sized raccoon in front of a few hundred people. And I was right. She didn’t follow me. As I marched off the sidelines, toward the stadium seating, I thought about all the words I was going to say to my father. How I was going to get him to leave. Immediately.
Before Mom got here.
Where was Collin and his intimating stance when I needed him? Too bad he was already on the field, kicking butt, and looking utterly gorgeous in his football uniform. Why did those uniforms have to be so tight? It was like cat nip for teenaged girls.
“Hey kiddo, where you going?”
I froze, recognizing my mom’s voice. Too late.
“Mom?” I turned to look at her through the mesh of the mascot head. “You’re here.”
She gave me an amused smile. “I’m here. Just like I always am. Got to support my baby girl. By the way, have you seen your sister? I told her she could have some money for concessions.”
“She’s not here,” I spat out. I had no idea how I was going to get Dad out of here before Mom noticed, but I was going to try. “She’s probably still up at the school. I think she had some after-school project.”
“Right.” Mom nodded and moved to step around me. “I’d better go grab my seat before I get you in trouble for talking.”
“No!” I jumped in her path, nearly knocking her Dolce and Gabbana purse off her shoulder. “You can’t.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Why not?”
“Because...” I looked around, trying to think of a good excuse. “Because you need a hotdog. They’re so good. And you look hungry.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the concession stand and pursed her lips. “That does sound good...”
“Right. So go get one for yourself.” I laughed nervously. “Before they’re all sold out. Because you know Principle Styles. He loves his hot dogs. He can’t get enough. He’ll eat them all. And you’ll be stuck with stale popcorn. Nobody likes stale popcorn. Only ducks. And you’re not a duck.”