First

After receiving their diplomas, Dally moved to Arizona to work as a mechanic with his uncle while Jake went to Houston for his firefighting training. Then a major car accident claimed my parents a few weeks before Jake’s graduation and life kind of froze.

I was at basketball practice when the police came to deliver the news. I still remember being too afraid to call Jake. Instead I punched in the first number I could think of. Dally answered on the second ring, listened to my sobs, and promised he’d take care of it. He was back from Arizona that same night and told me he and Jake had it figured out. He moved into the suddenly empty house with me and got a job at a local shop while Jake finished his training. When Jake came back and got hired on at the local fire department, Dally could have moved out, but he didn’t.

That’s about to change.

‘You’re leaving soon,’ I remind him, pressing my advantage.

‘I know.’

He is so freaking stubborn. ‘You’re moving back to Arizona,’ I say. ‘There’ll be time and space before we see each other again. No awkwardness and Jake would be none the wiser.’

‘I would still know. So I’m calling bullshit on that excuse. Good try.’

‘Okay, I’m asking you because you seemed like the obvious choice.’

‘Obvious, huh?’

‘You are the king of one night stands, Dally. And judging by how many times I’ve covered for you when they call you back for a second chance, you’re pretty good.’

He grimaces. ‘Again, if you ever tell Jake about any of that—’

I wave off his concerns. ‘Your dirty little secrets are safe with me.’ His shoulders relax and I move in for the kill. ‘If—’

‘Are you trying to blackmail me, brown eyes?’

He doesn’t use it on me very much, but Dally has a very, very good poker face. I purse my lips and watch him for any tell. Damn, he’s pro … no clues.

‘Maybe?’ I say cautiously.

He shakes his head. ‘No, you’re not. Because right now you’re going to take a second and remember all the things I’ve done for you.’ He ticks them off on his fingers as he speaks. ‘Midnight runs for tampons and chocolate. Picking your drunk ass up from that shitty graduation party. Teaching you to drive Old Blue. Taking you to that sucktastic sparkly vampire movie your friends teased you about not seeing. Oh, and let’s not forget the years and years’ worth of five minute showers because you always run behind in the morning.’

I flush. When I was younger, I dreaded the embarrassment caused by our close calls in the bathroom. Now I’d pay money to catch a glimpse of him and see how much further that partially covered tattoo on his pelvis continues down below the band of his shorts …

‘You understand, Cat? No blackmail.’ He grabs his earbuds from the counter and bends down to tie his shoes. ‘And no sex.’

‘You’re not off the hook,’ I tell him.

‘Oh, I’m so scared,’ he mocks. ‘Don’t you have a final today?’

‘Unfortunately. Way to remind me you get to enjoy your day off.’ I drag myself off the stool and head back to my room, snagging my messenger bag.

Dally’s still waiting in the kitchen when I get back. We walk out to the driveway together and he opens the door of my Camaro.

‘How’s she holding together?’ he asks, tapping the hood lightly with his knuckles.

‘Old Blue’s fine,’ I promise. ‘You took good care of her last time.’

‘You have your phone?’ he asks as he starts up his music, one earbud still hanging down over his collarbone. The hard beats of drums and aggressive guitar leak out.

I roll my eyes. ‘I have my phone, oh paranoid one. Don’t forget, I’m having coffee with Maya after.’

‘Right.’

‘Do you have plans for dinner tonight?’

He shrugs, corner of his mouth tilting up. ‘Maybe.’

‘God, you’re such a slut.’