Page 25 of Hers to Kiss
Fear flitted across her face for a second before she laughed. “You had me going for a second, Petey. Still can’t believe you’re having trouble with women.” She slid off the desk and scooted around him. “Okay, what do you want?”
“I want to know why you didn’t come back. For your father’s funeral.”
All amusement in her face vanished. “On second thought, this might not be worth it.” She about-faced.
Pete caught her good arm and rotated her back. “Come on, Keighly. Quit thinking of me as Bertie’s dork brother and just…talk. Whatever it is, I won’t judge you.”
Her smile was sad. “Quite frankly, it’s hard to think of you as a dork looking the way you do, but that’s neither here nor there.”
Because it was a facade. His looks. He’d grown into and shaped a better body, and he finally looked as handsome as people said his father did at his age, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know what to do with any of the good genes he’d thought he didn’t inherit. And Keke knew that.
“But okay. You have to tell me yours first.”
“Alright,” Pete agreed with a nod. “I’m thinking of not going to college. I want to go into business for myself or go right into the workforce.”
Keke crossed her arms. “Doing what?”
“Making apps.”
“Apps?”
“Yeah, phone apps. Games.”
Her head jerked back. “Huh. Are you any good?”
Pete smiled. “I got a call from a major gaming company. They love an app I created. They want to meet me, probably next week. Talk about acquisition, and maybe give me a job.”
Keke’s jaw dropped. “Petey! That’s amazing!”
She flung herself into his arms, giving him a sensation he’d never felt before—being hugged by Keighly Kaye. One of the prettiest girls that ever wore the homecoming queen crown at their high school. She felt warm and strong in his arms, her dancer body fitting nicely against him.
This time, Pete interrupted their physical connection and stepped back. He couldn’t think about how it felt to hold her because she would never be his. He was only nineteen. She was twenty-two and a college graduate, with way more life experience. What could he possibly have to offer her?
“Aren’t you excited?” Keke asked. Her face fell. “You don’t look excited at all.”
Too busy thinking about her.
“This would be perfect for you, right?” she continued. “You’re always playing games. Now you can get paid to, or is that not how it works?”
Pete nodded. “That’s pretty close. It would be for design. Game design.”
Keke shuddered. “Sounds like a lot of work.”
“Like a lot of things that are complicated.”
Keke smirked. “Okay. Yes, games can be complicated. I wouldn’t know, so forgive my ignorance.”
“Forgiven.”
“Then? Why aren’t you going for it? At least you’d be able to get out of here.” Her eyes rolled to the ceiling. “Oh! No offense,” she rushed to say.
“None taken. Every word is true.” Working for his dad at the family campground never entered his mind as an option for his career. Something that infuriated Titus Headley, who worked nearly all his life to acquire the place and then keep it running.
She took a seat on the desk, waiting for him to explain.
“Well…my dad…”
“Ah.” A knowing look crossed her features. “He doesn’t approve.”
