Page 64 of The Second Kiss
“I used to. I used to run here with him.”
Nate nods. “Maybe you shouldn't. I don’t want to freak you out, but it felt like he was waiting for you.”
I shake my head, but I remember Brad was here the last time I came. “He just likes to come to the trail to get away from his parents so he can smoke.”
“Maybe.” Nate stops and wraps his other arm around my waist. “Still, I’m glad I came with you today.”
I look down the trail. Brad is leaning against the guardrail above the trail, smoking and watching us. I lean closer to Nate. “I’m glad you came too.” He pulls me against him and kisses me. I know I shouldn’t let him, but maybe if Brad sees me kissing someone else, he’ll get the hint that I’ve moved on and leave me alone.
thirty
Guy Collector
“You did what?” Jasmine shrieks at me.
I lean closer to the computer screen. “I kissed Nathan.”
“You kissed him, or he kissed you?” Taryn asks.
“He kissed me, but I didn’t stop him. And then he kissed me again when we went running.” I glance toward the door. As soon as I could catch them both online, I Skyped Jasmine and Taryn to tell them what was going on and ask for advice.
“Who saw?” Jasmine asks, leaning closer to the screen. Behind her is a window with a view of waving palm trees and a strip ofsandy white beach. I would give almost anything to have spent the last two days there instead of where I am now.
“Gage, my mom and...I think Jacob.”
“So you like Nate now?” Taryn sounds confused.
I hesitate for a minute, but there’s only one way to answer that question. “No. Not that way. He’s sweet. Cute. Not a bad kisser, but no, definitely no.”
“Then how did you let this happen?” Jasmine jumps in.
I close my eyes, the depth of my stupidity sinking in. “That’s the worst part. I didn’tletthis happen. I made it happen. I asked Nate out.”
“Whole story, now!” Jasmine says.
I glance around, hoping no one is close enough to hear. “I was mad at Gage, for the thing at the drive-in, and mad at Jacob for butting in all the time, or not caring or—”
Jasmine cuts me off. “Wait, why were you mad at Gage? The thing at the drive-in was between the two of us.”
“She was mad because she wants every guy for herself,” Taryn says. “This isn’t even about Jacob anymore. It’s about Jess collecting all the guys she can find, proving that she can get any guy she goes after.”
I'm shocked. Taryn never talks to either of us like this. She never talks to anyone like this. “Taryn, that’s not it. I just—” I protest, but she cuts me off.
“I gotta go. We have family stuff going on tonight. It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Merry Christmas.” I say, but she’s already gone.
“Wow. What’s with her?” Jasmine says.
“I don’t know.” I have a crazy pit of guilt in my stomach, like maybe Taryn is right.
"Weird," Jasmine shakes her head, like she's shaking off the weird. “Did Nathan give you a present?”
I hold up my wrist, showing her a thin bracelet made of twisted gold strands.
“That’s not a friendship bracelet,” Jasmine points out. “Of course, neither is this.” She holds her wrist up to the screen so I can see her bracelet, rose gold with little hearts all over it.
“Wait. Where did you get that?”
