Page 16 of Be Mine, Sweetheart (Something Borrowed 3)

Chris had been really, really cute in a nerdy way.

Kelly slid up next to him on the bed and leaned over to kiss his forehead. “No, you weren’t bad, but there’s no use wondering about it, is there?”

“I guess not.” Before she could go back to removing his shoes, he grabbed her hand. “Hey, Kel?”

“Yeah?”

“What about that time sophomore year?”

Kelly’s heart skipped several beats. “What time?”

“That winter break when you and Ray broke up for a few weeks.”

She knew exactly what time he was referring to, but was surprised he was bringing it up, considering he’d acted as though she’d imagined it all. “What about it?”

“I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I just wonder…”

“What?”

Deep, even breathing was her only answer. Frustration ripped through her and for some reason, she wanted to shake him awake and ask him what he was about to say.

Instead, she finished with his shoes and grabbed the folded quilt from the end of the bed, spreading it out over his passed-out form. She left him to get a bottle of water and two Advil from the kitchen. Considering how he’d downed those drinks tonight, he’d need both in the morning.

Kelly flipped the light switch as she passed through the doorway. As she headed to her stainless-steel fridge first for the water, her mind drifting back to that December.

Right before Christmas break, Ray had picked a fight with her about something stupid. She couldn’t recall what it was now, but she did remember him saying they should take a break. He was going with his family to Tahoe for the holidays, and he suggested they reevaluate things when he got back.

She’d been devastated and called her best friend, Jackie, but she hadn’t picked up. Then, she’d called Chris, bawling her eyes out. They had never really hung out without Ray, but he’d shown up a half an hour later with junk food and DVDs. At first, he’d just held her while she cried, but after an hour or so, he’d given her a little shake and said, “Don’t stress about it, Kel. Ray is going to realize he’s a moron and come crawling back.”

“What if he doesn’t?” she asked.

“Like I said…moron.”

Kelly smiled as she set the water bottle down on the counter and opened the cabinet to the left of the sink. She’d been mopey the first few days after Ray had left, but Chris had come by every day to take her on some adventure. They’d gone to Apple Hill, a stretch of road filled with pumpkin patches, craft fairs, and fabulous fall and winter treats. Before calling it a day they’d bought a pie, which they devoured with a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream as soon as they got back to her house. They’d been so sick the next day, neither one of them had left the house, but they’d still talked on the phone, both bitching and moaning about how much they ate.

The next day, once they’d recovered from their over indulgence, they’d gone to check out Christmas lights in Orangevale. They’d sipped hot chocolate as they’d walked along the sidewalk with other pedestrians, taking in the intricate light displays. By the time Christmas had passed and Kelly was actually having fun. Chris has taken her sledding. Dancing. Although Ray hadn’t called her once, Chris had done his best to keep her from thinking about it and she’d appreciated it.

Kelly found the Advil in her medicine basket and opened the bottle up. Once she’d dropped two pills into the palm of her hand, she put the basket back and picked up the water bottle. Chris had done nothing but try and make her feel better forever, so she didn’t mind helping to prevent his massive, post-birthday hangover.

The thought of drinking too much took her back to Will Yates’s New Year’s Eve costume party. Kelly had stopped feeling so sad about Ray by that time and had gone to the trouble of finding a mermaid costume to wear. Chris had shown up as James Bond in a black tux. He’d agreed to drive, so she could drink, and once they’d arrived, she’d hit the sauce hard. Midnight rolled around, and there were only about ten people left at the party, including her and Chris. Will, and a couple of other guys had given her sloppy, New Year’s Eve pecks, but Chris hadn’t kissed anyone. In fact, when they’d gotten in the car that night, he’d seemed pissed at her.

“Are you mad at me?”

“No, why would I be?”

“I don’t know but you keep giving me the stink eye.”

He hadn’t said anything else until he’d reached her house, where he’d slammed the car into park. She remembered jerking forward with a cry, and turning to give him a piece of her mind, but stopped when she’d seen the expression on his profile as he stared out the windshield. His jaw stiff and his eyebrows slashed down over his eyes. She’d never seen him look like that before.

“You’re right. I’m mad.”

“Well, duh.”

He’d turned in the seat to face her and even with the headlights off, she could feel the intensity of his gaze.

“I’m mad because I wanted to kiss you tonight. Instead, I stood around watching you kiss everyone else but me.”

Going back to that moment, she could still remember the flash of shock, followed quickly by excitement and confusion. A part of her was thrilled by Chris’s admission and she leaned toward him, her eyes fluttering closed.

---