Not Yet

Lindsey cuts him off. “What about next season or the season after that?” Oh, she’s already planning years ahead. It makes me think about where I’ll be this time next year and where Drake will end up.

He leans over and his mouth brushes my ear. “Don’t overthink, Ali. We’ll be together.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. God, he really does know me. Not only that but he can handle me. I didn’t know I needed handling until he did it. I think I’ve been missing that, too, but Drake’s doing it on the sly and it’s actually really adorable. If I could possibly fall more in love with him than I already am, that would have done it.

“I was getting there,” Liam offers, but still Lindsey isn’t having it.

“He’s a planner,” Drake says in Liam’s defense.

“Well, I’m impatient. It’s something you’ll have to learn to deal with.” She lifts her chin defiantly but doesn’t make a move to get off Liam’s lap. The waiter comes over to our table but Liam gives the man a look and he turns around and walks away.

“I’m never getting food,” I whisper to Drake, and he chuckles as he wraps his arm around me. Lindsey can fight all day with someone when she gets mad. His fingers drift back and forth on my bare shoulder.

“I had to talk to your dad, too,” Liam adds, taking us by surprise.

Lindsey is super tight with her dad since it’s only the two of them. Mom even asked Lindsey if she wanted to join us for our spa day but she turned us down because her dad made plans for them already. Lindsey may not have a mom but her dad makes sure to fill both roles.

“You talked to my dad?” She softens in his hold as my eyes bounce between them.

“Yeah. Why do you think he wasn’t an asshole when I got there to pick you up?”

“Because he was in a good mood?” She blinks, a little shocked herself that she hadn’t thought of it.

I thought Mr. K was cool with everything because he thought it was a group event, so no biggie. Looks like Liam is paying a lot more attention than we thought if he knew to talk to her dad first.

“Yeah.” He smirks before he leans in and kisses her.

I can feel my own goofy smile as I watch them until Drake clears his throat after they don’t relent.

“Can you do that later? My girl is hungry.”

Liam reluctantly leans back and Lindsey gets into her chair, looking smitten. I lean into Drake and let him order for me because he knows all my favorites, then we fall into easy conversation. We laugh and talk and it feels so natural.

For a moment I think we’ve been missing out on doing this the whole time, but really it’s a part of growing up. We’ve learned who we are and found our way while swimming through a pool of emotions. I’m just happy everyone is on the same page. I let myself enjoy dinner and all of Drake’s touches before we head off for the dance.

“Are you ready for this?” Drake asks.

He kisses my shoulder as I step out of the car and his hand locks with mine. I can tell he’s tense, not because he cares what people might say about him, but because he’s thinking about me and how I’ll handle it.

“I’m ready to get it over with.”

“Fuck that,” Lindsey chimes in. “We didn’t get dressed up to get this over with. We’re going to enjoy ourselves and everyone else can kiss our asses.”

Liam pulls her closer and mumbles something about him being the only one to kiss her ass. Drake doesn’t hide that we’re together as he puts his arm around me.

I look up at him and suddenly blurt out, “I don’t want you dancing with Court.”

“I was never going to. I’m only dancing with one girl.” He leans down and touches his lips against mine. “My girl,” he says before he kisses me right in front of the school. I lean into him as the kiss deepens and my tongue slides into his mouth to steal a taste.

“No PDA on school grounds,” I hear barked from behind us and I jerk away from Drake.

“Coach, I swear when the season is over, I’m going to punch—”

Coach Chris stands there smiling at us. “Get inside,” he says, pointing to the doors and fighting a laugh.

Drake keeps me close as we enter together and a few people glance our way. If it wasn’t for Court bringing it to everyone’s attention, I think people would have forgotten Drake and I are stepsister and brother. She made sure to spread that around and I get a small glimpse of that when I finally take a look at my phone. Along with a million texts from Drake telling me he missed me and that he couldn’t wait to see me, there are some telling me to respond to his text.