Page 38 of Wicked

“What were their names?”

“Samuel and Giovanni.” I give her Shephard’s middle name.

“Those are awesome names. How old were you?”

“Why do you need to know, little miss?”

“Dad says I can date when I’m eighteen. I can’t wait that long, Harper. If I tell him you had a boyfriendbeforeeighteen, he’ll agree to Parker seeing me outside of the rink.”

“Sorry, April, but I’m with your dad on this one.”

“How old, Harper?” Ryker asks.

“Not you too?”

“It’s a harmless question.”

If only he knew the extent of the harm I caused and that Sam had inflicted in return.

“Yeah.” April leans forward. “How old? I want to tell my dad.”

“I was—” I clear my throat. God, I’m a horrible role model. “I was fifteen when I met my first crush. And I had my first boyfriend when I was seventeen.”

“The same boy? That’d be dreamy if you got with your first crush.”

“Different boys. Giovanni was my crush. He was older.”

“By how much?”

I sigh. “Seven years.”

She adds the years using her fingers. Her eyes widen. “You crushed on a twenty-two-year-old? Holy shit!”

“April!”

“I-I’m sorry, Harper.” She ducks her head. Her face is a shade of flamingo red.

I’m an insensitive jerk for chastising her in front of Ryker. I understand what it’s like to want to be cool or have this need to show off to get a hot guy’s attention.

“It’s okay, sweetie. He was in the army. That and our age difference made it impossible for something to happen. So, I went out with a different boy.”

“Sam?”

“Yes,” I say, my voice soft.

Ryker is quiet. He’s taking everything I’ve said in. If he sticks around, I’ll have to tell him of my messed-up relationship with Samuel and Shephard Taylor.

“I take it Harper didn’t answer the ugly question?” Ryker’s voice is equally soft.

“I’d date you no matter your looks,” I reply.

He untangles our fingers and slides his hand behind my back. The gentle pressure of his fingers on my hip is sheer torture.

“What’s that there?” He nods at April’s backpack.

“School started. I have homework. Harper agreed to help. Science isn’t my favorite. We’re working on organisms. Mine is fungus.”

“Fungus among us. I love mushrooms. Did you know mushrooms grow from poop?”

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