Page 46 of Choosing You

He smiles back. “I told you to never bring that up again.” He playfully wrestles me down on my back.

I fight him, laughing. “I don’t care if you like talking dog movies. I am kinda curious to see what’s so great about it. And I’d love to know how dogs fight crimes. Do they sniff for clues or—”

Garret’s laughing, too. “Okay, you’re done. No more talking about that movie.” He has my arms pinned down and his face is hovering above mine. He catches my eye and I recognize the look he’s giving me. It’s the same one from the pool. He’s asking me for permission and I really, really want to give him that permission but I can’t. It’s too soon.

I turn my head to the side. He gets my answer and releases his hold on me, then rolls onto his back.

We lie there next to each other, the warm sun filtering through the tree above us. I close my eyes and listen as the wind causes the leaves to make a soft rustling sound.

“So I talked to that girl you like,” I say, keeping my eyes closed. “She said you could start hanging out with her again. Maybe even right now if you’re not too busy. But if you need to head back to your room, that’s okay, too.”

“Tell her yes. I can hang out now. Or any time she wants.” I glance over at Garret. His eyes are closed but a smile has grown across his face. “Maybe you could ask her if she wants to have lunch before I have to go.”

My eyes close again. “She says lunch would be good.”

He doesn’t say anything else. But his hand slides across the blanket and he threads it with mine.

I guess I was wrong.

I guess itisn’ttoo late to make a friend.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

I could stay therethe rest of the day. There’s a peacefulness to just being next to Garret, holding his hand, and not saying a word as the last moments of summer fade away.

After a couple hours, some of which I might have fallen asleep, I feel the blanket move as Garret gets up. “Ready to go to lunch?”

“Not really.” I look up and see him sitting next to me. “I’m kind of enjoying this too much.”

“Me too. But I have to be at my house at 1, so if we want to have lunch we should get going.”

“Do you really have to go?”

He smiles as he lies back down on his side. “Why? Are you wanting more time with me?” He runs his hand down my arm, then loosely holds my hand. Just the touch of his hand on my skin stirs something in me. A desire. A need to be close to him. To be more than friends. I wonder if he feels it, too.

“Maybe,” I say, freeing my hand and flipping on my side. “Or maybe I’m just curious why you’re leaving so early.”

His smile fades as he takes my hand back and rests it on the blanket between us. “This stupid party Courtney’s family does every year is practically an all day event. They invite people over for food and drinks by the pool in the afternoon, then everyone comes back later that night for a formal dinner and dance.”

“So do you drink at this event?”

“It’s the only way I can get through it.”

“And the adults don’t care?”

“By dinner half of them will be drunk themselves.”

We’re quiet for a moment. All I can think about is Courtney and how she had her hands all over Garret at the party last week. In a few short hours she’ll be all over him again, acting like they’re a couple. And how will he act? Will he go along with it? Kiss her? Hold her hand like he’s holding mine right now? If he’s drinking he’ll probably do that and more.

I sit up. “Would you do something for me?”

“Probably. What is it?”

“Would you try not to drink at this thing?”

He sighs and rolls on his back. “Come on, Jade. I need at least two drinks just to put up with Courtney.”

“No you don’t. Believe me. I’ve been through way worse things than that and I’ve never had a drop of alcohol. And as you can see, I managed to survive.”

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