Page 52 of Operation Prom Date
Ironic, considering I’d just blown off Mick with the same excuse, which wasn’t helping with the shaking hands thing. I grabbed Cooper’s arm and pulled him to a stop, my pulse thundering in my ears. “I understand hurries and not wanting to be late for class and all, but I…”Need a sign that I’m not alone in thinking that we’re great together.
For you to look at me or talk to me at the very least.
When I didn’t get any of those things, I cleared my throat. “I just wanted to say thanks again. For last night.”
I held my breath as hope and desire flooded my chest, waiting to see if I saw a spark. Saw that he couldn’t stop thinking about our kiss, either. Something.Anything.
Standing there, my hand on his arm, it hit me, so strongly my knees wobbled. I didn’t want someone who made me incapable of speech. I wanted someone who I could talk with about my passions and hobbies and anything and everything. Someone who made me laugh, who truly knew me, and made me feel completely unsteady in the best possible way.
I didn’t want safe and risk free. I wanted the boy who kissed me under the starlit sky last night.
I wanted Cooper Callihan.
He didn’t even look at me. “Sure thing.”
My heart dropped to the floor, taking my hope along with it. I pinched the charm of my necklace between my fingers. “I’m afraid I crossed a line, and I worried—”
“It’s fine, Kate. What are friends for?”
The wordfriendsshouldn’t have stabbed me in the chest the way it did. I needed his friendship. He was my only friend.Of coursehe had only been trying to help me last night.
“Like I said, I’m in a hurry. I’ll catch you later.” Without waiting for me to respond, he quickened his pace and charged down the hall.
I blinked back tears.Get it together.Blaming lack of sleep for being overly emotional—might as well blame it for everything—I rushed to my first class of the day, where I focused on the material like I’d never focused before.
At lunch, Mick strolled up to me and draped an arm around my neck, his hand dangling dangerously close to my right breast. “Are you off the hook for this afternoon?”
I gripped the cardboard box with my lunch inside tighter so I wouldn’t drop it. “Off the hook?”
Vaguely I noticed he’d walked us over to the table with his friends. “With Callihan?” Mick’s eyebrows arched up. “And the rowing thing?” His look turned from questioning to frustration. “Didn’t you say you were going to try to get out of training with him so you could hang with me instead?”
“Oh. Right. I’ll talk to him.”Not that he’ll talk back. He’ll probably be in too big of a hurry.
“She’ll do more than talk to him,” Paris muttered from her seat to our left. “I have to give it to you, Kate. I never thought you’d be the type of girl to juggle all the guys.”
I stiffened. Then I dared a glance at Mick. “I’m not…” Hell, maybe I accidentally was. But one thing was for sure: I definitely wasn’t doing a good job.
“Back off, Paris,” he said. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you.”
Her mouth dropped open and she spun toward her group of friends with a huff. Amber eyed me, looking like she didn’t recognize me—which seemed a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, but whatever.
I wanted to run, but I sat down instead. If Cooper didn’t like me as more than a friend, I couldn’t blow everything with Mick right now. Surely a bit more time with him, and my feelings for Cooper would fade.
My gaze automatically sought him out, obviously not getting the memo about us trying not to think about Cooper right now. He and Jaden sat at their usual spot with Alana. A studious guy was next to her, his lips moving a hundred miles a minute. He didn’t seem to notice everyone else looked bored out of their minds.
Despite whatever drab topic the dude was going on and on about, longing to be sitting over there and listening in rose, giving me a torn-apart sensation.
Cooper slumped back and scanned the room.
Our eyes caught, and he gave me a big thumbs-up. Actual encouragement over sitting next to Mick, and it should feel like a win.
But it didn’t.
When I dragged my attention off Cooper, Mick gave me an inquisitive look. Right. I needed to be putting in my time here, finishing up my mission so I could put on my fancy expensive dress and go to prom with a guy whowantedto kiss me instead of one who dealt with doing so in the name of friendship.
“About what Paris said…” I didn’t even know how to finish that up, but I felt like I needed to explain before he got the wrong idea—the idea everyone else apparently had about me now.
“It’s not a big deal. Callihan told me that you weren’t into serious.”
