The Best Mistake - Cookie O'Gorman Page 0,21
go out with me?” I said, startled by how much I cared about her answer. There was no way it should mean so much to me. I’d just met this girl for crying out loud. I’d never been like Bay, never needed a girl at my side to feel fulfilled, hadn’t really wanted one either. But man, this girl…I wanted more than just one night. “Way I see it, it’s the only sure way to get your book back.”
Honor put her hands on her hips, her face a stern mask, trying to look scary. It was so cute I nearly kissed her.
“Are you seriously threatening to hold my book hostage until I go out with you?”
I gave her my best, most intimidating frown. “Hey, a man’s gotta do, what a man’s gotta do.”
She started to smile—but then her phone went off in her pocket, and she shook herself as if waking from a dream. As Honor looked away, she took one step back then another.
“Sorry,” she said. “I do like you, Archer. But I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“But—”
Before I could say more, she was staring down at her phone and walking quickly to what I assumed was her room. “I need to get this,” she said. “Family emergency. Anyway, it was nice talking to you. Bye.”
The sound of her door clicking shut was as final as a death knell, her absence taking all of the air and life out of the room.
Actually, it was suspiciously quiet. Looking around, I noticed everyone had stopped what they were doing, standing frozen, carefully avoiding my eyes. Great. They’d heard everything. My family had just witnessed my failed attempt at wooing Honor. Oh yes, and her friend from the party, and June had seen it, too. Just great.
Emmy was the first to speak.
“Hey,” she said to no one in particular, “are we moving me in or not? I still have a couple more boxes downstairs. They aren’t going to lift themselves.”
It was as if someone had pushed play on a movie. All the people in the room started moving at once. Emmy gave me a wink, and I mouthed “thank you” to her as she walked into her new room with June. Chase and Finn went outside presumably to get the other boxes while Baylor made his way over to me.
“Tough break,” Baylor said, dropping a hand on my shoulder. “We all crash and burn sometimes, Arch. Don’t take it personal.”
“Yeah,” Dex said, coming up beside him. “Plus, that was damn entertaining. Who needs movies when you have real life drama like that?”
“Haha,” I said drily.
“No really. I was just waiting for the pig’s blood to drop on your head or something.”
“You’re hilarious.”
As Dex walked off, I noticed Baylor’s silence which was so out of character I grew concerned.
“What’s up, Bay?” I asked. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed to be deep in thought. That was odd as well. “You want to take a crack at me, too, go right ahead. I can take it.”
Baylor waved me off. “Too easy,” he said.
“That’s never stopped you before,” I replied.
“Did I hear my name?” he asked a second later. “That girl, Honor, I thought I heard her say something about me. What was that about?”
I made my face blank. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You do,” he said, pointing accusingly at me. “Your face only gets all smooth like that when you’re hiding something. Just tell me.”
“No.”
“Aw, come on. Just say it.”
“Not in a million years,” I said back.
Baylor smiled, shook his head. “Oh now, I’m curious. You know, I’ll find out what it is. In addition to my devastating good looks, I’m also a great detective. You can’t have secrets in this family. The truth always comes out.”
I just shook my head, knowing he wasn’t going to let it go but unwilling to reveal the truth. Let him dig for it. I had my doubts that he could stay focused that long anyway.
“Alright.” Baylor sighed. “If that’s how it’s going to be, fine. I’ll find out on my own.”
“Good luck with that,” I said just as Chase and Finn walked back in.
“What’s going on?” Chase said.
“Nothing,” Baylor said. “Just Archer being closed-off as usual. But I’m going to give him a pass since he just got rejected. You’ll find someone else, Arch. No use getting so wound up over one girl. They’re not worth it.”
Taking the box from Chase, Baylor and Finn carried the last of Emmy’s things into her room.
“The