Page 1 of Hers to Kiss
Chapter 1
“Peter, we are really excited about this app. It’s fantastic work. If you’re interested, we’d like to set up a meeting in the next couple of weeks to discuss your ideas.”
Peter Headley’s cheeks strained from the spread of his grin. He wanted to throw his fists in the air, but he was driving and didn’t need to crash the second beater car he had saved up money for all spring. Instead, he kept his hands firmly on the wheel and his car dead in the center of the highway lane. This car was his ticket out of this town; to go wherever he wanted without anyone telling him no.
If Dad were here right now, he’d forget all about Cornell. Their computer science program was one of the best in the nation. And if Pete hadn’t gotten this call, then he’d have to give in to his father’s order to accept a partial scholarship for fall admission. He’d put off going to college for a year to focus on making the perfect gaming app—and a few more apps because his imagination had taken off.
He had no other option than to succeed or go to Cornell. Just thinking about living his life here in Missouri and working for his father sucked whatever life out of him he had left. He would hate it, but if this deal didn’t go through, he’d go to Cornell. It wouldn’t be the escape he wanted, but an escape nonetheless.
Pete passed the sign for Headley Campground and suppressed a groan. He was on a call with an executive from Warp Entertainment and could barely contain himself. It’d be a dream to work for Warp. He could finally stop making this drive and working here.One last summer.
He looked at his cell phone in the mount attached to his car’s air vent. He’d have to save this guy’s number. His father wouldn’t believe it. He could finally reject the Ivy League school. After all, how was he supposed to pay for it? His parents barely made ends meet running a campground that they couldn’t fill even during peak seasons.
And he kind of didn’t apply for scholarships because of his focus on getting his apps accepted by gaming companies. His father almost hit him when he discovered that fact.
“Thank you, sir,” Pete said in a voice too high-pitched. “I have a ton of ideas on how to expand the universe that I think players would really like.”
He quickly slammed his lips together. Dad always said he had a tendency to ramble. Business executives didn’t have time to listen to a nineteen-year-old kid with untested designs trying to schmooze for something extra. He still had to prove himself.
“Absolutely. Our developer team might have a couple of positions opening up. Senior ones. We’ll be in touch.”
Pete’s heart nearly stopped. A senior developer position? “Yes, sir!”
The line disconnected, and Pete let out a whoop and crushed the accelerator into the floor of his fifteen-year-old Honda Accord. He took the next right turn off the highway onto a dirt road that led deep into the forest to Headley Campground.
The lane narrowed into a single one, and his old car shook and bounced over the uneven road. He let out jerky sounds and then laughed. This was literally the best day of his life. The first day of the last time he would ever be forced to work at his family’s campground. Then he would be off to California. He’d never been out of state before except to visit Cornell—and that wasn’t by choice. If given the chance to travel anywhere, it would be California. See the coast. Wasn’t much of a beach in Springfield, Missouri. In the heart of Boringville, USA.
If the meeting with Warp Entertainment went well—and they liked the performance of his new apps—he wouldn’t have to go to Cornell and fulfill his father’s dream. Maybe he could snag that senior developer position without using his résumé, which only listed campground attendant experience and a part-time job as a pizza delivery driver.
He came around a sharp bend, the camp’s main office directly in front of him. His sister’s car sat parked to the left, and a car he didn’t recognize was on his right side. He applied the brakes and practically slid into the spot between them.
A woman to the right was half out of her car, coughing and hacking as a cloud of dirt enveloped her.Oops.He was so distracted by the good news, he didn’t even see her start to exit her car, or he would’ve slowed down. He quickly got out.
“Hey! I’m sorry about…”
The dust cloud began to settle, and Keighly Kaye came into view.
Keke. His crush since middle school.
Now his heart really did stop.
Keke was frantically waving both arms in front of her face. “You jerk!” She coughed again. “You’re lucky kids aren’t around yet. You were driving too fast. Lunatic!”
Pete stood mute and stared. He always did whenever Keke came around. She and his older sister had been best friends since middle school. Keke really neversawhim; Roberta’s goofy, nerdy little brother who was nothing but a nuisance to them.
Pete’s eyes dropped to Keke’s long, bare legs that traveled up to the dingy brown shorts his parents made them wear as part of the counselor outfit. The worn outfit still fit her. Keke made the shorts look amazing, like they were made for her legs.
In truth, she looked amazing in everything she wore.
Those long legs that had her tower over him, leaving him feeling like a hobbit in a world full of giant beautiful women—with only one beautiful woman in it. His sister didn’t count. But in the years since Keke had been away for college, he’d hit his puberty stride and now stood an impressive six feet two. Well over Keke’s five feet and eleven inches.
The same poop-colored buttoned shirt tucked neatly into her waistband around her slim hips. She looked incredible—and speech still eluded him when he could write code for phone apps in his sleep. He hoped none of Warp Entertainment’s executives were women as model-like as Keke, or he’d look like a fool in meetings. Why couldn’t he evoke swagger on command? It was an elusive superhero power that only the most popular guys in school had. Where did they learn it? Or were they born with it?
Keke slammed her hands into her hips and hit him with a fierce glare. Then she blinked, her eyes trailing down over his shirt before snapping back up. Her lips parted into a grin. “Did I say lunatic? I”—cough—“don’t think we’ve met.” She took a few steps forward, her hand extended. “I’m Keke.”
“I’m…” Pete’s gaze went to her hand. She didn’t…
He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
