Dare You to Chase the Soccer Player (Rock Valley High 5)

“So...how do you feel about redheads?” I asked, glancing over at Freddy running down the field.

Charlotte and I laughed at Beth’s mumbled and rambling response. Payback was going to be delicious.

Now, if only this therapy idea would work.

Chapter Thirteen

Dad knew that my obsession with boys was bad, but I don’t think even he ever expected me to have over an entire soccer team-worth of movie stars to his house. They were everywhere, wearing their board shorts and jumping into the gorgeous new pool with natural brownstone lining Marie had built before my dad moved in.

The poor guy would occasionally appear in the kitchen window, staring out the back yard with worry etched into the lines of his forehead. Meanwhile, my stepmother had taken it upon herself to cook the only thing she knew how, Totino’s pizza bites, and was serving it to the boys on her best silver platters. They scarfed them like they were gold encrusted truffles from the finest LA restaurants and washed them down with the mystery Kool-aid flavor made from ten-year-old packets Marie had found in the back of a drawer.

Janelle and a couple of the extras were the only girls in sight. Plus, of course, myself and my friends. As girls often did in these kinds of situations, we’d taken up residence in some reclining chairs next to the pool edge to show off our bathing suits. Janelle hadn’t been kidding about the bikini—if she could even call it that. It looked more like a string with two triangles that threatened to pop off her chest the moment she dared to inhale a full breath. Still, the girl totally rocked it. And somehow, most of the boys were able to function, even as she sat up on her chair to give me a look from behind her sunglasses.

“This was a lifesaver. Thanks, Makeup Girl. You actually pulled through.”

I flashed her a thin smile and checked the positioning of my bikini. After my conversation with Mr. Garret this morning, the nickname “Makeup Girl” had taken on a sour tone for me. There was more to this business than just spraying hot guys with glistening juice. There was real talent involved. And skill. Not just anyone could hack it.

“How do you like Rock Valley, Janelle?” Charlotte sat on the other side of me in a green one-piece. Her boy, Hunter, was currently tossing around a football with a few of the extras in the pool. He blended right in with his muscles he’d inherited from a summer working at his grandpa’s ranch and learning how to ride bulls.

“Yeah, how boring are we?” Beth added. Her blonde curls were spread out around her head like a halo. She’d worn a black one-piece suit beneath a black coverup. Despite her efforts, she’d still caught the glances of a few of the guys in the pool, even if she didn’t realize it. “Because I’m pretty sure we’re on another level and we don’t even realize it. I’m so jealous you get to live in LA. That’s where everything exciting happens.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely not LA.” Janelle leaned back and closed her eyes. “Trust me, the boys in LA are so much hotter. Don’t you agree, Makeup Girl?”

I choked on a sputtered response as she opened one eye to peer at me.

“I...uh...I don’t know. I’ve never been to LA,” I said.

She smiled deviously. “You don’t have to go to LA to know if the boys are hot. Look around you. This is just a sample, but it’s a pretty good representation.”

I couldn’t help but rake my eyes over the selection in f

ront of me. Yes, there were about two dozen of the finest examples of high school boys around, but my gaze landed on one in particular. Zane sat on the edge of the pool, his feet dangling in the water as he called out for the football. The boys were going on hour two of tossing it around and dunking anyone who got in their way.

Just as I had suspected, he looked utterly fabulous in swimming trunks. Like jaw dropping, heart pumping fabulous. His trunks were navy blue with white anchors. Just above the drawstring tie that held those bad boys up lay row after row of torso muscles that glistened in the remaining sun of the evening. Staring at him made me drool, which is why I’d tried to avoid looking at him the entire night. But when he looked up from his game just then to meet my gaze, my whole body went numb.

I pressed my lips together, panicking internally, but stubbornly refusing to let him affect me. This was exposure therapy after all. I had to sit there and take it, if Beth’s plan was going to work. But it was one thing to stare at Zane from across a pool—it was another to break eye contact with him. I just couldn’t. He had to be the strong one if I had any chance of getting out of this experiment alive.

With a slight tensing of his jaw, as if he knew I was struggling, he went back to his football game and I could finally begin to breathe again.

“Um? Hello?” Janelle waved her hand in front of my face. “Makeup Girl? I asked you a question.”

With a start, I looked back at her. Thank goodness I’d picked my darkest shades for the poolside. I’d nearly been caught staring. “Oh. Uh...yeah. These guys are pretty dang cute.”

She rested her arms above her head, watching me with knowing eyes and a victorious smile, as if she knew something I didn’t. I cleared my throat and looked down at the solo cup in my hand. It was time for a refill—even if it was still half-full.

“I’m off to the kitchen,” I said, standing up to stretch. “Anyone need anything? Maybe some pizza bites?”

Janelle made a face. “Ugh, no. My agent would kill me if I put on even five pounds. And just looking at those things makes me bloat up like a balloon.”

Smiling sympathetically at her, I looked over at Charlotte and Beth. They were both too busy watching what was going on in the pool to give me an answer.

So much for babysitters and exposure therapy. At this rate, I was going to be more attracted to Zane than ever. I mean, how could I help it? Just looking at him laughing and playing around with the other boys in the pool was going to do me in. I needed something cold. Something freezing cold to pour down my gullet to put out this fire he’d started inside of me.

“Makeup Girl!” Freddy launched out of the pool as I walked by, spilling water droplets everywhere. He wore a contagious grin as he slipped an arm around my waist. “Come on, the water’s nice. Jump in.”

I shook my head. “Not a chance, Bush Boy. I’m just getting a refill.”

“Aw, come on.” He tugged on my arm in the direction of the pool. “Are you gonna come play or do I have to throw you in?”