She groaned and covered her face with her hands, feeling her cheeks burn hot beneath her fingers. “Maybe...”
Why had Joseph spilled her secret after the conversation they’d just had? He’d asked her to choose him over his little brother. So why was he telling Garret she was into him? It wasn’t exactly the surest way to win the girl.
“Well, I think it’s cool,” Garret said. He nudged her with his shoulder and chuckled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She peered at him from between her fingers. “I did tell you.”
He shook his head. “What? When?”
“The night of our graduation. I found you at Noah Tollefson’s party. You were sitting on the front porch swing.”
His eyes widened. “You sat with me?”
“Yes.” Her cheeks burned. “And everything spilled out of me. About how I’d liked you since we were kids and how I liked you still. But you just gave me a pat on the back and went back inside to your ex-girlfriend.”
Garret groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Michelle, I was not in a fit state that night to hear anyone’s confession. I’m pretty sure I blacked out for half of the party. The only thing I remember about our conversation is you saying that you were moving away for school. That’s it. I’m so sorry.”
She laughed, pulling her knees in to wrap her arms around them. All this time, she’d been petrified of Garret bringing it up, but he hadn’t remembered a single thing about her confession. She’s spent so much wasted time worrying and beating herself up. It was ridiculous.
“And to think,” she said, glancing at him, “all this time I thought you rejected me. When really, you were too drunk to listen.”
“Yeah and I got in a lot of trouble that night. Believe me, waking up your parents at three in the morning by throwing up in the guest bath isn’t pretty. They threatened to make me march down to the police station and turn myself in for underaged drinking. Instead, they sentenced me to a summer of volunteering at church to polish the pews. I still hate the smell of polish.”
She chuckled softly, imagining him on his hands and knees, peeling gum off the bottom of the pews. It sounded like the kind of punishment her parents would dole out for the same thing. Not that she ever had to find out.
Garret studied her for a long moment, his frown deepening. “Why didn’t you tell me before graduation?”
She sighed. “You were always so cool. So confident. I had braces, frizzy hair, and a bad case of word vomit whenever you were around. I was pretty sure you’d laugh.”
His chest rose and fell with a deep breath. “I wouldn’t have laughed at you.”
“Right.” She dropped her hands to her knees and stared pointedly at him. “But you didn’t feel that way about me. I think you barely knew I existed.”
The grin melted from his face and he looked out across the pond, his jaw working. “I want to lie to you and say that’s not true, but I can’t. You’re right, I didn’t notice you. I’m sorry.”
She’d never seen Garret so serious before now. He was the kind of guy who always goofed around. The class clown with the ornery grin. His apology made her reach out and place her hand comfortingly on his.
“It’s okay. We’re both different people now.”
“Yeah, and you’d better believe I learned my lesson.” He turned to look at her, his blue eyes staring intently into hers. “You’re so beautiful, Michelle. I’m not sure how I missed it. I see it, now.”
She waited for the heavens to split open above them and for trumpets to sound. This was the moment she’d been waiting for. But as Garret leaned in toward her, his gaze directed toward her lips, she felt a flash of panic go through her chest. He placed his hand on the side of her cheek and moved closer until not even an inch separated them. His other hand dropped to her waist.
She urgently scanned his face, noticing the absurdly long length of his eyelashes and the definition of his jawline. She’d day-dreamed about that face for so long, but it had never felt like this. In her mind, this moment would be filled with tingles and fireworks. Instead, it felt all wrong.
“I can’t do this.” She pulled away from him suddenly, gasping as she looked out over the pond.
What had just happened?
Joseph’s face swam before her teary gaze. The soft crinkle of his eyes when he smiled, the gentle curve of his smile. The heat of his hand on hers. Her heart quickened when she thought of his last request to her. He’d wanted her to choose him.
“I’m so sorry. I think I’ve made a terrible mistake,” she said, burying her face in her hands.
She flinched when she felt an arm cross over her shoulders. Looking up, she saw Garret watching her with a sympathetic expression on his face. He squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and shook his shaggy head.
“It’s okay. I’m all right with just sitting here with you.”
She smiled gratefully at him, wondering what was wrong with her. She’d had two men wanting her in a single day and she couldn’t seem to translate what her heart was trying to tell her.