Page 34 of In Too Deep

Catelyn

The air conditioner feels heavenly as I step inside the Trading Post. It’s so hot outside, the short walk here felt like torture, and it won’t even officially be summer for a couple more weeks.

“You wouldn’t be so hot if you weren’t dressed for winter,” Caroline mocks.

Pursing my lips, I eye her clothes. She’s wearing a pair of daisy dukes and a tank top. I, on the other hand, have on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It’s not a completely insane outfit for spring, but I do tend to wear as much as I can possibly get away with. She knows I do this because I’m extremely insecure about my body. I hate that she still feels the need to comment on it.

“I’m not dressed for winter, I’m just not running around half naked,” I shoot back.

She shrugs and heads down the candy aisle. We used to walk to the Trading Post for junk food all the time, but these days, Caroline rarely eats that kind of stuff. I was surprised when she asked me to go with her today. If I had to guess, she’s probably hoping to run into Andrew.

The bell over the door rings, and Caroline stands on her tiptoes to see who’s walking in. Her lips curve into a frown as she puts her feet flat on the floor again, telling me it’s not Andrew. I reach for a KitKat as Caroline moves to the next aisle in search of some Bugles.

“A KitKat for Cat,” Lawrence says from behind me.

I let out a surprised gasp, turning to face him. “You scared the crap out of me.”

I playfully swat at him, and he grabs my hand, pulling me closer as his eyebrows wiggle suggestively before releasing me. Heat floods my body as he smirks, and I nervously tuck my hair behind my ears, shifting on my feet.

The tension between us has continued to grow over the past couple months. He’s one of my closest friends, but he’s so much more than that. We still talk on the phone every night, and he treats me more like a girlfriend than his friend. It’s like we’re dating without really dating, and I’ve never been so desperate for someone to kiss me. Even the slightest touch from him can set me on fire.

“Are you going to share?” he asks with a huskiness in his voice.

My heart races as I clear my throat. “Sure. I’ll break you off a piece.” His eyes widen at my response, and he bursts into laughter. “What? It’s from the jingle on the commercial,” I tell him, my face turning bright red.

As his laughter dies down, he wraps his arm around my shoulder and leads me to the register. “You are so damn adorable, KitKat.”

21

Lawrence

19 Years Ago

It feels like my heart is trying to kick its way out of my chest as Cat and I walk outside. All night I’ve been putting off what I came here to do, and now my time with her is almost over. When I asked if I could come hang out with her alone at her house, I was surprised she agreed without hesitation. For over a year now, our friendship has continued to grow, and it’s blossoming into something more. We’ve both been holding back because of Robbie and Caroline, and I’ve been a little afraid to see exactly where this could go.

The plan for tonight was to tell her how I feel while I had her alone, but I panicked the minute she opened the door. She looked beautiful, and a shy smile spread across her face as I told her just that. Our relationship, regardless of labels, means so much to me. I don’t want to ever do anything that might jeopardize that, but at the same time, I want her to know how I feel.

She comes to a stop in the middle of the driveway, looking up at the sky before finding my gaze. “This is the spot.”

When my mother paged me to let me know she was on her way to pick me up, I asked Cat if she’d wait with me outside, telling her I’d love to see her stars. Sometimes when we’re talking on the phone at night, she comes out here to admire the dark sky. Many nights, I’ve wished I could be here with her, imagining the way her skin would glow under the starry sky.

She lies down on the driveway, and I follow suit, getting as close to her as possible. “Wow…” I breathe. “You’re right. The sky is much clearer out here than it is in town.”

“I told you. Isn’t it beautiful?”

I turn my head to look at her. “Very.”

She doesn’t verbally respond to me, but it’s hard to miss the smile that tugs on her lips. I take her hand in mine, and she gives me a loving squeeze as I interlock our fingers. After that day at the movies, I just started randomly grabbing her hand. Any time I get the chance really, usually whenever we’re alone or no one is looking. It took a couple times, but eventually, Cat stopped flinching and began to relax.

“So, KitKat…” I turn my attention back to the stars, worried I’m going to lose my nerve again, “I’ve been thinking.”

“That sounds dangerous,” she teases.

“Hush, you. I’m trying to tell you something serious.”

She giggles. “Okay. I’m sorry. Go ahead.”

“I really like you,” I blurt, not sounding nearly as smooth as I’d hoped.

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