Page 106 of Against the Clock

I tap out three words, three words I’ve been scared to say to her again. I delete them. I don’t want to fucking say it again over text. That’s not the right way.

The Beaver Ball is this weekend. Sure, she’s going with her friend, Cameron, but she’ll be there, it will be romantic, and I can tell her then. At the right time.

God, I can’t wait to see her all dressed up.

She’s perfect in nothing but my ratty old t-shirt, but she’s going to shine this Friday. I’m proud to be her boyfriend.

I can’t wait to see you Friday

Big same

What are you wearing

I’m at work

I meant to the ball

Oh lol I rented a dress from this designer rental place online

I’m a little nervous because it gets here on Friday afternoon

Don’t worry though, I won’t look embarrassing

You could wear a paper bag and I would still be proud to call you mine

I wince. I keep telling myself I’m not going to scare her off, and then I send her over-the-top shit like that.

“Harrison,” a voice calls, and I put the phone back in my locker. “Time to rehab that shoulder.”

I curse under my breath, steeling myself for more pain.

Pain’s the name of the game lately.

CHAPTER 41

KELSEY

Fuck. Fuck.

The package from the runway rental place sits on my bed and I jump around like an idiot, trying to wriggle my ass into it.

Cameron’s on the phone and the more I cuss, the more she panics.

“You are not abandoning me tonight, I swear to god, Kelsey, pull the fucking dress over your hot ass! Make it FIT!”

I give up, collapsing on the floor, sweaty and disheveled.

It’s four thirty. I left the office early to pick the package up from my front desk, excited to get ready for the stupid Beaver Ball. The Beaver Ball, which I need to be at in an hour and a half.

And I can’t even get the damn dress on.

“It doesn’t fit,” I moan. “There’s no way. I don’t understand, this is my normal size.”

“It’s not you, it’s the stupid dress. You’re gorgeous. Fuck that dress!” Cameron rages. “Okay. Look in your closet. What can you wear? Do you have a formal gown?”

“Why in the world would I have a formal gown? I have suit dresses. A sun dress.” I wriggle over to my closet, my movements hampered by the dress stuck at mid-thigh. “This is a nightmare.”

“Do you have a tux?” Cameron screeches, completely losing her mind. “YOU ARE NOT ABANDONING ME TONIGHT!”

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