my throat. He definitely didn’t miss that comment from Chase after all. “Well I thought we could try somewhere new.” He just continues to stare at me, knowing there’s more to this answer. “What?”
“Abigail.”
“Fine—I thought if we all came here, your tips would be better for your shift.”
He rolls his eyes. “I’m not a charity case.”
“I know that!”
“Please tell me you didn’t tell the most popular kids at school that I could use the money.”
Huh. I’ve never heard him call us that before.
“Abigail!”
“I didn’t! Jeez, give me some credit.”
He lets out a long sigh, like I’m completely annoying.
“Well were they?”
“Were they what?”
“Were your tips better?”
A rueful sigh comes over his lips. “Yes. Everyone was very generous.”
“Good.” I see the girl he hugged earlier walk through the kitchen. “She’s pretty,” I say, like a complete weirdo.
He turns to see who I’m talking about. “Selena?”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah, she is.”
“Is that who Dane and Jason think is hot?”
He chuckles. “Yeah, they think it. They just don’t say it too loud because her fiancé would beat their asses.”
She has a fiancé! Hallelujah.
That make me feel pretty happy, and I flash him my widest grin before spinning on my heel. “See you tomorrow.”
Then I leave without another word, relieved that he bought my excuse as to why I brought them here. The actual truth is that I brought them here not for him and his tips or them and wanting them to try something new.
I brought them here because I wanted to see him.
I wanted to see him.
God, I’m in trouble.
23
“So, I hear you’re really into me now.”
Of course. Sophie.
I turn to face her as we walk down the hallway after lunch, and she has a shit-eating grin on her face. “You wanna be, like, my best friend or something and stay over for sleepovers and braid each other’s hair.”
I roll my eyes. “I said you weren’t that bad, not that I liked you.”
“Not what I heard.”
I pull a face. “What are you talking about?”
“Just that you’re one step away from falling in love with me.”
“Shut up.”
“You’re ready to turn for me and hoping I’ll do the same.”
I damn near choke on my laughter and shake my head as I look at her. She’s ridiculous.
“You’re a dick.”
She grins straight back at me. “And you’re a bitch.”
It might have taken us nearly all of high school, but I think we finally understand each other.
“Hey Soph,” Jennifer says, catching up to us as we pause by Sophie’s locker and she grabs some things. “Do you guys want to go to the mall after school today? We could get pedicures and go to a movie?”
I would love to do that. Would love, love, love to, but… “I have to study.”
She pulls a face. “That’s all you do these days.”
I snort. “Yeah, you know that whole failing high school thing is a real motivator.”
She snorts back a laugh. “I suppose it would be pretty hard to live that down.”
I smile back at her. “Wouldn’t go on my highlights reel.”
“Brett’s working you pretty hard, huh?”
I nod. He really is. I can tell now why Sasha said it was worth getting him to tutor me. It’s not just that he’s really smart and is getting me to understand things in a way I never have before; he’s persistent, he’s adamant about the amount of time I need to put in to pass, and he’s relentless in getting me to do it. He’s committed to me pulling my grades up, and he’s determined to make it happen.
It’s like he’s so confident in me passing that it’s rubbed off on me, and the more I study, the more that confidence grows. Even though I hate the thought of sitting for hours looking over my textbooks, I know by the end of the session I’ll leave feeling that little bit more confident, and that’s due to Brett.
“So what’s he like then?” Jennifer asks.
“What’s who like?” Sasha appears next to me, smiling at us in greeting.
“Brett,” Jennifer replies. “He’s actually pretty cute, huh?”
I blink at her. Jennifer thinks Brett is cute?
“Yeah, he is,” Sasha responds immediately. “It kinda creeps up on you. Like one day you don’t notice it and the next you’re like, wow, why did I not see this before?”
I’m frozen as they both watch me expectantly. Sasha thinks Brett’s cute too? The thought of her returning his attraction makes my stomach curl even though I promised him that date with her.
Sophie smirks, completely misinterpreting my silence. “She doesn’t see it,” she tells Sasha. “He’s