Page 91 of Best Frenemies

“Mr. Houston, you wanna play dodgeball with us at recess?” Bobby, one of my favorite third-grade kids, shouts toward me, but all I can offer him is a high five and the bag of potato chips in my bag.

“Sorry, dude. Gotta take a raincheck,” I call over my shoulder. “Next time, I’m in!”

“Thanks for the chips, Mr. H!”

I have similar interactions with a few more kids in my classes, though I don’t have any chips to pass out to them, and by the time I make it to Katy’s classroom, I’m practically out of breath from having to sprint through the halls to avoid any more distractions.

“Mack? You okay?” she asks when I barrel into her empty room and shut the door behind me.

“I finally did it!” I announce and walk toward her. I drop my deli bag on her desk and pull her up and out of her chair in two seconds flat. “I got my investors, Katy,” I whisper into her ear as I hug her tightly to my chest.

“That’s…uh…really great, but should I know what that means?”

I laugh and force myself to step away from her before someone in the hall sees us together. “I guess an explanation would help, huh?”

She holds two of her fingers close together. “Just a little bit.”

“I’ve been working on this for two years, babe.” I let out a deep exhale and try to slow my excited heart down. “For two years, I’ve been trying to start this music foundation, Music in Motion. And I finally have enough investors to really do it.”

“Music foundation?” she asks and tilts her head to the side.

“Yeah. I mean, you know music education is always the first thing that goes when schools have to cut budgets,” I start to explain, and she nods along in understanding. “My foundation will help avoid that. The goal is to make sure every student at every school in this city will get the music education they deserve, whether there’s official funding or not.”

“Seriously, Mack? I had no idea you’ve been working on something like this.” Her eyes search mine, but it’s not because she’s trying to find something. It’s because of something else I can’t quite discern. “That is…such an incredibly honorable thing.”

“It’s the right thing,” I voice, but she surprises the hell out of me by stepping forward and pressing a gentle kiss to my lips.

“I’m so proud of you. Congratulations,” she says, and I can’t do anything but smile down at her.

Feeling Katy’s pride for me is almost as good as having Thatch tell me they’re investing. My heart celebrates with erratic, raucous beats in my chest.

I don’t know why, but she kisses me again. Even deeper this time. And I lose myself a little in the kiss, sliding my hands into her hair and hungrily swallowing down the little moan that escapes her lungs.

But just as I start to get into it, she jumps away from me like my mouth is the stove and she just got burned.

“Shoot…I think I got a little carried away,” she says, shaking her head and holding her hand to her lips.

“It’s safe to say I did too.”

Katy rolls her eyes at herself, glancing over my shoulder and toward the door, undoubtedly trying to make sure no one is peeking inside the window.

“Is the coast clear?” I ask, and she nudges me with her hip as she walks back to her desk to sit down.

“Yes, it is. Smartass.”

“Is now the wrong time to mention that I can’t seem to find any of the three pairs of spare panties you’ve brought to my apartment?”

“Mack!” she whisper-yells, acting all scandalized even though we’re still the only two people in her room. “Talking to me about my panties is completely off-limits at school.”

“But anywhere else, I can?”

“You’re a pain in my ass,” she grumbles. “And stop hiding them, for Pete’s sake. I’m running low on my supply.”

“That’s kind of the point,” I taunt with a smile. I step toward her desk, lean down, and whisper into her ear, “So, whose place are we sleeping at tonight? Mine or yours?”

For the past four nights, she’s been in my bed, and I’m hoping to keep that glorious streak going.

She glares at me, but she also says, “Mine, you idiot.”

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