Page 86 of We Thought We Were Invincible
The silence of the empty diner left me with only my own thoughts for company, eating away at my sanity. Kat was cleaning in the kitchen, so I wiped down every surface out front. Twice.
I pulled the picture I always kept with me out of my purse, staring at the man who now had a face, but no name. E. Eric? Ethan? Elijah?
The bell chimed and I put it away quickly. Colby and Jamie walked in. Without a word, Jamie wrapped me in a hug.
“Mmm,” I said. “How do you always know what I need?”
“Oh, this is totally selfish. I just wanted your hot little body pressed up against me.”
I pushed away from him, slapping his chest with a laugh. “Jerk.”
“I was just kidding.” He chuckled. “Come here.” He pulled me back to him. “Wanna get out of here?”
I nodded against his chest, looking toward Colby who was putting on his apron.
“I'm here to relieve you,” he said. “Go.”
I couldn't untie my apron fast enough.
Jamie and I ended up back at his house. He slid past me into his room, giving me a kiss on the move. I followed him in, climbing onto his big bed and leaning back.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” he responded.
“We never talk about what's next.”
He leaned over, removing his guitar from its case. “I don't know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. We've actually gotten quite good at it. Masterful even. I've known you most of my life. We've been together for months. Yet, I have no clue what you're doing after high school. You don't find that weird?”
“I don't know what you're doing.” He shrugged the strap over his shoulder, testing a few notes with his thumb.
“That's weird. We're weird.”
“We're perfect.” He flashed me a dimpled grin and started playing slow and steady, his fingers switching chords smoothly.
I knew what he was doing. When he started singing, it almost worked. His voice had a smooth quality that was hard to resist.
“I know what you're trying to do.” I crossed my arms, keeping my eyes trained on his face. Those lips as they formed the words to the song. Those cheeks that always reddened slightly when he was playing for me. Those eyes, deeper than the ocean.
“I don't know what you're talking about.” There was that grin again. The one that worked for every girl he unleashed it on.
I clamped my hand down over his on the strings, stopping the vibrations immediately. Leaning forward, I captured his lips, biting down to elicit a growl. He kissed me back just as hard, the guitar preventing it from going further.
I finally broke away. “Now that that's out of my system.” I flashed him a smile of my own, enjoying his speechlessness. “Talk to me, Jamie.”
He pulled the guitar strap off over his head and pushed it to the side. “I'm still deciding,” he said vaguely.
“Didn't most people already have to accept their college spots?”
“I'm weighing my options.”
I took what he said at face value because at the time, it never occurred to me that Jamie Daniels, son of a state senator, wouldn't go to college. And it definitely didn't occur to me that the place he would choose would be far away.
“What about you?” He nudged me. “You didn't apply to college, so what's next for Callie McCoy?”
“I honestly don't know.” I leaned into him. “And, Jamie, that scares the crap out of me.”
