Page 34 of The Kissing Challenge

"Seriously, I don't recall that."

I rolled my eyes. "Captain, come on. It was like ten seconds ago. You were just talking about how your focus last night was off because your mind was on some girl."

Captain pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, but I never said it was Rachel."

Thinking back, I realized he was right. I'd only assumed it was her because…well, who else could he have been talking about? A terrible thought struck then.

"Don't tell me," I said, only partly joking. "There's some other girl I don't know about; isn't there? Wow, Captain. How many girls do you have chasing you?"

He lifted his hand in response and pushed a strand of my hair back behind my ear. The light touch made me shiver.

"There's only one girl I see," he said while gazing down at me.

It made my heart skip.

"Captain?" I said.

Oh no. With the way he was looking at me, I started to hope.

Before he could answer my unasked question, a voice intruded on our moment.

"Hey, you kids!" We both looked over to see a teacher, waving at us from a few doors down. "Didn't you hear the late bell? Get to class."

Looking back up at Captain, I watched as he took a step back.

"I'll see you later, Anne," he said. "We still have some things to discuss. Meet at your house after school?"

"Sure," I said breathlessly. "Can't wait."

No matter what he wanted to talk about, whether it was makeup, music, or the mystery girl he mentioned, I'd be there to listen. I missed my best friend. And after yesterday's short break, I couldn't wait to spend more time with him.

If I happened to leave some tendrils of my hair out, and if he ended up pushing them behind my ear again?

Well, you can't blame a girl for trying.

CHAPTER 8

Wasit stupid of me to hope that I could possibly be the girl Captain had been talking about?

Probably.

Did that stop me from taking extra time with my hair and appearance before he showed up at my house after school?

Heck no.

Besides, it was a secret hope, the one I kept hidden in the deepest part of my heart. If I'd read him wrong, there was no harm done. I could and would take my secret to the grave. It would be a lonely life watching my best friend fall in love, get married, and eventually start a whole new life without me. But I would do it if that would make Captain happy.

I gulped as I applied a hint of mascara to my lashes.

Despite my love of makeup, I didn't usually wear much myself. My sister Beth had made a joke once at my expense, saying I was such a plain Jane that even a ton of makeup wouldn't make a difference. She had a talent for saying hurtful things. But I didn't take it to heart. She still asked me to do her makeup before every big, swanky function she attended, and I made her look beautiful like I would anyone else.

Though sometimes when she'd been extra nasty, I admit, I would retaliate by not telling her she had lipstick on her teeth.

It probably did nothing. She most likely checked anyway, but it made me feel better.

Once I was done, my eyes shown brighter, and my lips seemed fuller thanks to the gloss. Even my skin had a healthy glow. A fact that Lady pointed out to me as I opened the door for her.

"Oh Anne," she said. "Don't you look nice! What's the occasion? Did you decide to come with your father and me into the city?"

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