Curvy Girls Can't Date Cowboys - Kelsie Stelting Page 0,52
surprised looks,” I said. “I really needed that boost in confidence.”
Callie elbowed Carson’s ribs, and he straightened up as Kai and Beckett composed themselves.
“That’s awesome,” Kai said. “When? Where? Who?”
“Okay five Ws,” I teased. “Saturday, at the ranch, with Ray. But I’d hardly call it a date. He asked me to come see the cows.”
Zara snorted. “That’s totally code for kissing you breathless in the hayloft.”
My cheeks warmed again, and I swore they’d be permanently colored at this rate.
Jordan batted my arm. “He’s cute. You should go for it.”
“Hey,” Kai said. “What am I?”
“He’s cute for Ginger,” she amended. “But are your parents going to let you go?”
I covered my face. “They’re going to be out of town for the twins’ auditions again. But my aunt’s going to watch us.”
“Is she cool?” Beckett asked.
I shrugged. “I guess we’ll see.”
Carson looked up and said, “Hey, Ray.”
I glanced behind us to see Ray carrying his tray toward the empty table where he usually sat with his homework. And dear Lord, Carson was going to call him over here, wasn’t he? I turned my face toward the table, doing what I could to calm the torrent of butterflies in my stomach.
“Sit with us,” Carson said.
“Yeah,” Jordan said and scooted over so Ray could sit right beside me.
Ray hesitated, and I said, “You don’t have to.”
“Is it okay with you?” he asked, oblivious to all the people around us.
All I could do was nod, because I realized I did want him to sit with us. Somewhere between my car and the school doors, I’d felt more comfortable with him around than him gone.
As he settled in, Rory sent me an approving look from across the table.
Of course Ray saw it. His smirk was proof enough.
“So, Ray,” Callie said. “What did you think of the required reading in lit?” There Callie went, trying to make him feel welcomed instead of like the prize hog they were all making him out to be. Did I mention I loved her?
He shrugged and picked up his hamburger. “I don’t know, but the CliffsNotes version was good.”
The guys cracked up laughing, and Carson said, “I like this guy already.”
Maybe I did too.
When the bell rang, Ray offered to carry my tray, and I said I’d see him the next day. After he’d gone a separate direction, my friends surrounded me.
Jordan hit my arm. “He is so perfect for you.”
“Right?” Rory said.
Callie nodded. “He’s funny.”
Rory agreed. “And cute!”
“So cute,” Zara said. “’For Ginger.’” She sent a teasing smile Jordan’s way. “And he’s nice. I can’t believe he carried your tray!”
Their words just made my giddiness surface, right along with my nerves. “But what if he doesn’t like me?”
Rory snorted. “What are you talking about? He’s head over boots for you.”
Jordan sniggered at the pun, but my eyebrows drew together. Head over heels? That might be pushing it a little far. I didn’t want to get my hopes up for something that might never happen.
“Come on,” Jordan said. “He’s been walking you to class every day.”
“He said he misses you!” Callie agreed.
“He said the cows miss me,” I corrected. “And what if my parents find out? They’d kill me.”
Jordan lifted an eyebrow. “If your parents treat you like a bad girl, maybe it’s time to act like one.”
Zara nodded. “But why are we talking about your parents? He’s going to kiss you this weekend. Are you ready?”
My stomach bottomed out. A kiss? From Ray?
She smiled evilly. “Have fun. And tell us all about it.”
Thirty-Six
For the rest of the week, the subject of Ray was all we talked about at school but completely off limits at home, not that I wanted to bring him up. Now that I knew how my parents felt about him, I had this sense of protectiveness over him. Over his family. But I also knew the floor could have been made of eggshells after the argument I had with my parents. So when my mom asked me to run an errand, I did. When my dad asked me to pick up a shift, I did. And when they pulled out of the driveway Friday morning before school, I waved them goodbye, more than ready for a break.
Rosie came to Cori’s game that night, and we sat together, cheering for her louder than anyone else in the stands. At halftime, she sat back in her chair and put her feet on the bleacher in front of her.
I ate a handful of popcorn and then offered her some.