Page 61 of Butterfly Effect

“Wade Boehner.” He extends a hand.

Justin accepts with a firm shake. “Justin Liu.”

“Do you mind if I steal her away for a second?”

“Be my guest.”

Wade tugs me by the neck. “Let’s go.”

There’s no time to argue before he’s marching us toward the changing rooms. “I like your ponytail. It’s so pretty.” His fingers twirl the ends.

I glare and tip my chin up. “I bet. You have a thing for pulling them?”

“Maybe.” An unusual, soft smile replaces his smirk. “Wanna braid it, too.”

There’s that sinking guilt again. The one that roils in my belly every time Wade dissipates whatever assumption I have of him.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Freckles?” He backs me into the wall next to the water bottle filling station, sweeping his tongue across his lower lip. “Say it on three. One, two, three.”

We blurt in chorus.

“You braiding my hair?—”

“—Kissing you.”

Uh oh.

Chapter 11

Pretty Sure Gabe Finch Likes Me Now

Wade

It’s Saturday night,and my only company is a dog.

I pout.

“I don’t know why she doesn’t like me, Dougie.”

He whines in response.

“I’m very likable.”

This golden retriever has the nerve to sass me by moving those puppy dog eyes upward from where his head rests on my lap.

“What? I coulda sworn she wanted me to kiss her.” I stare at the ceiling and slide his velvety ear through my hand. It’s so floppy, the dark golden fur so shiny. “I’m so good at kissing her.”

It might be the best thing I’ve ever done.

Doug licks the air.

“You’re sweet, but no. I won’t be kissing you. Best save the slobber for your parents.”

Skylar and Jaeg had dropped the poor pup off this morning, desperate for some alone time. I wish I didn’t know what theiralone timeentails, but Sky is an oversharer.

Apparently, Doug likes to watch them make out and they think it’ll be traumatic if he sees anything else. Hell, I’m traumatized just thinking about it.

“Good boys don’t need to be seeing all that, do they?”

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