Page 71 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

She took a bite of the sandwich and then turned her attention back to her phone. Another text from Eliasappeared.

I’msorry I had to leave so unexpectedly. After the day we had together Saturday, it was the last thing I wanted. I’ve got to go. I’ll text later. Will you respond, or do I need to prepare myself for disappointment andworry?

She snorted. “Dramatic much?”

*Shrug*It’ll depend on my mood, but there’s no reason to worry. It’s Buffalo, Kentucky. Nothing ever happenshere.

His response camethrough secondslater.

Famous last words.Take care of yourself, luv. We have unfinishedbusiness.

Maybe.

She paused,trying to decide if she should send what she really wanted to say and in the end decided to just sayit.

Please stay safe.

Tara slippedher phone into her backpack and focused on herlunch.

“Everything okay?” Shellyasked.

“He said he’d text me later and asked if I’d respond. I didn’t make him any promises,” Tara explained. “He seems worried about me, which I don’tunderstand.”

“Seriously. Why would he be worried? You live in Buffalo,Kentucky.”

“That’s what Isaid.”

Shelly popped a chip in her mouth and then muttered under her breath, “Don’t look now, but lover number one is headed thisway.”

“Tucker is not and will not be my lover of any number, you overgrown four-year-old,” Taragrowled.

“I doth believe she protesteth toomuch.”

“I protesteth just the rightamount.”

“Hey, Tara, Shelly.” Tucker’s voice reached them from behind her. Then he was suddenly seated next to her, so close they were nearlytouching.

Tara tried to scoot over to put some distance between them, but Tucker put his arm around her and pulled her in tight for a side hug. “I texted you yesterday but didn’t hear anything back,” Tucker said. “Everythingokay?”

Tara forced herself not to be annoyed. Tucker didn’t know Elias had left, or that he was even on her radar. He didn’t know Elias had been texting her with that same question for two days. “I’m good,” she said, fighting the urge to pull out of his hold. “Just spent time with Carol yesterday. She’s been working alot.”

“Gotcha. Totally understand. That’svalid.”

Tara felt her ire rise. What the crap did it matter if he thought her reason for not responding to him was valid? She didn’t have to respond to his every text. It wasn’t like she was his girlfriend and somehow obligated to respond tohim.

He finally took his arm from around her and rested it on the table. He reached across to Shelly’s side and snagged a chip from her bag and tossed it into his mouth. When he was finished chewing, he turned his attention back onTara.

“I had a great time with you the other day, T,” he said. “As I knew I would. I’d like to have another great friend-hangout with you and was wondering if you’d be my date to theprom.”

Tara was looking straight at Shelly as the words came out of his mouth. Shelly froze in mid-bite of her sandwich. Her eyes widened and her brow rose in question. Tara wondered if her own expression matched her friend’s. Someone kicked on the spin cycle in Tara’s stomach. She no longer found her sandwich appealing. She could practically hear every cell of her body screaming at her, retaliating at the mere idea of going on an actual date with Tucker. Elias’s face popped into her mind. She thought she saw hurt in his eyes—betrayal.That’s silly. We’re not even dating. But deep inside, she knew it wasn’t silly at all. Tara’s heart had already decided it belonged to him, and no one else would take his place. How had a guy she’d known for two weeks already ruined her for allothers?

“Tucker, I’ll go with you as a friend,” she finally said. Tara was still looking at Shelly, who gave her a quick thumbs up. “And Shelly goes with us, just to make sure everything staysfriendly.”

Tucker nodded. “I figured you might say that, but you can’t blame me for trying. A friendship date it is.” He nudged her with his shoulder. “I told you I’d take you anyway I could get you, and I meant it. If that means Shelly tags along, well, the more the merrier. Wipe the worried look off your face. We’re just going to a dance, not ourwedding.”

Tara began to reply, but she found herself speechless. Nothing she could possibly say would make that statement any lessawkward.

“I’ve got to get to class. You ladies have a good rest of yourday.”

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