“Hey.” I grinned as soon as she cleared the trees in her sandals and shorts and short-sleeve shirt. Her hair was bound up in a ponytail today, but I knew I could have it down and in my hands before the afternoon was over.
“Hey,” she said back, though her voice sounded distracted and her gaze seemed elsewhere. When she hugged herself, I frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
She was shaken. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her this upset before, like scared and troubled upset.
I took her shoulders in my hands. She tried to smile, but her lips trembled. Her hands shook slightly as she gripped my forearms and stepped up onto her toes to kiss me.
But I pulled back. “City?” Maybe her brother Max had seen us together.
It’d only been the night before that we’d listened in on him and Mercedes giving secret relationships such a bad name. Maybe he’d been too distracted to say anything then, but today he had. Maybe... I don’t know.
I’d been anxious all day, still worried that City might turn around and decide not to forgive me for the things I’d said to her. I continued to feel awful about it, and I certainly hadn’t forgiven myself. That’s why I’d been so impatient to see her again today, for reassurance that we were okay.
“It’s nothing,” she said, shaking her head as she sent me another fake smile.
“Don’t lie to me. Something has you rattled.”
She sighed as if disgusted by my persistence, but then she closed her eyes and dove at me, burrowing into my chest.
“It’s stupid,” she mumbled.
“I don’t care if it’s the most idiotic thing in the world. It’s bothering you, and I want to know what’s going on.” I scooped her up into my arms and began to carry her.
Tightening her arms around my neck, she clung to me with a gasp. “Where’re we going?”
“I’m taking you to the tree. That seems to be where we talk best...and make out less.”
She grinned, and her eyes lit with amusement. “I seem to remember one very steamy kiss at that tree.”
I snorted. “I said make out less, not at all. You really think I’m going to let you go today without getting my tongue down your throat at least once?”
“My, my, Knox Parker. You certainly do have a way with words.”
“I’m a teenage boy, remember. Sex might not be the most important thing I want from you, but oh, it’s always on the dream list.”
“Really?” She looked hopeful, which probably wasn’t good for my libido because my dick went instantly hard and turned just as hopeful as she looked.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just ask that. And here we are. The trouble tree.”
“The trouble tree?”
As I leaned my back against it and slid down to the root base with her in my lap, I nodded. “Yep. It seems to be the tree where we come to shed all our troubles.”
Her smile was soft. “I like that.”
I nuzzled my nose to hers. “I figured you might. Now, talk, little girl. Or I’ll tickle it out of you.”
She sighed and rested her head on my shoulder. “I won’t be able to make it out here tomorrow. It’s the big cotillion day.”
I stroked her hair and wound a coiled lock around my finger. “Yeah, I’ve seen flyers for that. I thought it was in the evening, though, when I’ll be working.”
“It is, but Mom is having a photographer come over to take my picture in our gazebo at noon. I have to get into my dress and put on my makeup and everything for it.” She made a face, but I smiled.
“I bet you’ll look beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes. “I always feel like a poodle at a dog show whenever the cotillion rolls around. It’s the only time my mother really pays attention to me.”