Page 12 of Grumpy Darling

“Oh my god.” I buried my head in my hands, my cheeks flaming hot.

“Well, does he?” Parker continued, totally unfazed by the fact I was shriveling into a corpse in front of him.

“No,” I replied. “I don’t see how it’s any of Grayson’s business.”

“Because everything about you is Grayson’s business.”

“Whatever.” I finally dropped my hands. “Just please don’t tell him, or anyone for that matter.”

“I think I have better things to do with my time than gossip about you, Paige. But you really do need to fix that situation.” He gestured at my lips with one hand and eyed them with distaste. “And fast. You can’t finish high school without being kissed.”

“Yes, I realize that. Which is why it’s on my list.”

Parker scrunched up his nose at the bright pink piece of paper that was still clutched in his hands.

“So, how do we fix this?” he asked.

“Wedon’t do anything. I don’t need your help, Parker.”

He responded by holding the list in front of my face and pointing at the final item on it. “Clearly you do, or this would have been checked off a long time ago.” Apparently, I was getting Parker’s advice whether I wanted it or not.

“It’s not that easy . . .”

“It should be. You’re pretty hot. Just pick a guy and smack him with your lips.”

I think Parker was trying to be nice—in a Parker kind of way—but it was only making my humiliation worse. “You think I haven’t tried that?”

“If you’d really tried, then this item wouldn’t even be on the list,” he replied. “Seriously, Paige. Just writing it down on a piece of paper doesn’t count as trying. You can put bait on the hook, but if you don’t lower it into the water, you’re never going to catch a fish.”

“My hook has been in the water.”

“Has it?”

I lifted my hands in the air. “Maybe the fish just don’t like this kind of bait.”

“You’re the most likeable girl I know, Paige. If you were fishing properly, the guys would bite.”

My cheeks warmed at his compliment. At least, I think he was being complimentary. In true Parker fashion, it somehow managed to sound both crude and sweet all at once.

I released a heavy sigh as I thought over what he’d said. He might think I’m likeable, but I wasn’t sure that was helpful. No one wanted to kiss someone just because they were nice. I needed more to go on than that.

“So, how do you suggest I ‘fish properly’?” I asked. “Because sometimes it feels like I’ve got some kind of built-in boy repellent. As soon as any guy gets close and I think he might potentially like me, he’ll vanish. Poof. Gone.”

Parker raised an eyebrow. “Built-in boy repellent?”

“Yes.” I folded my arms. “It’s a thing.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is. But I don’t think that’s your problem.”

“You don’t?”

“Let’s just say, I suggest you start by searching for fish that don’t scare so easy...”

I shook my head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged.

“Parker . . .”

---