The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“If you want a pep talk then go talk to your groupies. I’m here to make sure you smoke Derek Watson. Your time today was shit.”

“Jesus, you have a mouth on you,” I said, standing above her while she took it as a compliment and smiled up at me.

“You are the best, Dean, and you are the fastest. I’ve seen what you can do, even when you aren’t competing. Dean, you can win this one.”

“Only if I have you around to push me.”

“You don’t need me. You just need to know you can do it.”

“I do need you, Dallas. I absolutely fucking do.”

It was an acknowledgement I had refused to give her until that day. There was so much between us, too much, and even if I could not do anything about it, I could tell her how important she was to me. I could give her that.

“So you all set for the science fair?” She peered at me for a moment with those green eyes as if I was asking her a trick question.

“Yep, I think I have a good shot at winning.”

“Need any help?”

“From you? No,” she scoffed, as if the idea was ridiculous.

“Look, if you need help—”

“I’m fine, really.” Her cheeks flushed. She seemed embarrassed to be an academic, though it was a large part of who she was.

“Well, I don’t ever see you with any friends around. I mean, why aren’t you hanging out with other girls?”

She avoided my question completely and handed me my stopwatch.

“I’ve gotta go. My mom’s waiting.”

“Dallas, why—”

She turned on me with an eye roll. “Because they have motives, Dean, and it’s not to get to know me better, okay? I mean, it’s no big secret who my best friend is. I have you and the guys. I’m good.”

She was referring to my crew who had taken her in under strict guidelines to keep their fucking hands off. They all had a soft spot for her and looked out for her like I did.

“You want to do something for me, Martin?” she asked, turning to face me in front of her mother’s SUV her hands on her hips. “Teach me to drive.”

“Done.” I beamed at her as she lifted a brow, incredulous. “Seriously, I want to.”

“Sure you have time with your social calendar and all?”

“Think you can set down your beaker and escape your mad lab long enough?”

She gave me the smile that only Dallas could give that said everything in just a few precious seconds.

And in those seconds, I knew I was in love with her.

And for her I smoked Derek Watson.

It had all come to a head at my track meet finals. For the first time in a long time, I was looking forward to a date. There was a girl my age, newly eighteen, who seemed like the perfect candidate to get Dallas out of my head. My prospective date, Lindsey, was sitting in the stands. I waved to her, seeing Dallas a few rows over wave back at me. Lindsey was oblivious, but Dallas noticed her right away. And as usual, watching, Dallas’s face fall in recognition of my attention on another girl, I felt bad, as I should’ve for letting her get so close to me. Dallas had been to every single track meet, every single pep rally. She was by far the best friend I had ever had. I hadn’t made a mistake in making her my best friend. I had made a huge mistake in that I had fallen for her.

She was only fifteen!

It all came down to that. I couldn’t get past it and I wouldn’t. Most guys wouldn’t blink at the age difference, but I wasn’t most guys. She was untouched, that much I knew. It was settled. I caught Lindsey’s eyes and she smiled. I looked at Dallas, who was clearly hurt, and wiped my face with a towel.

What the fuck are you doing, Dean?