been working for so hard and for so long. But that never stopped her.
“You make me want to be brave.”
She blinked, her expression blank. “Um….what?”
I dropped the camera, letting it hang against my chest on its strap as I reached for her, tugging her arms until she was close. Her hands rested on my chest as she tilted her head back to maintain eye contact.
I’d meant it. She made me want to be brave, because that was what she deserved.
“You were right the other day at the lake. I don’t go after things. Especially things that I really want.”
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“I don’t go after them, because not trying is easier than trying and failing.”
Her brows drew together slightly, and I imagined she was struggling to understand such a foreign concept. But she pressed her lips together with a nod.
“I want you, Hazel.”
That had her eyes widening, but I hurried on before she could cut me off. My heart was thudding painfully somewhere in the vicinity of my throat, and I could feel the rush of blood going straight to my head. But I’d done it.
I’d said it.
And there was no turning back now.
“Look, I know you like Justin. I get that. He seems like a very likeable guy. So I’m fully expecting you to shoot me down.” I licked my lips and took a deep breath. “I know the likelihood of this working out in my favor is slim to none, but I’m not going to let that stop me from trying.”
“Will, I—”
“I like you, Hazey May,” I said again, my voice more than a touch frantic at this point because...this was my chance. I’d had a shot before, and I’d blown it, but I’d be damned if I let another moment slip by without telling her how I felt. “You are so strong and so fierce, you have a dry sense of humor and the best smile I’ve ever seen. But more than that, you inspire me. You make me want to be better and braver and funnier and kinder and....and I want you to go to homecoming with me.”
Her eyes were still wide as saucers. “Will, I—”
“Just hear me out, okay? I should have said all this before. When you asked me earlier if that kiss meant something—it did. I should have told you that. I should have told you that when I kissed you because the truth is, I’ve liked you for a while.”
She blinked a few times, her lips parting.
I wanted to kiss her. Should I kiss her?
I glanced around. The rest of the swimmers had walked past us to the locker rooms, and only a couple of the opposing team’s coaches mingled by the far door. The spectators were lingering, but too far away to care.
Ah screw it.
I leaned down and kissed her. She stiffened for a second, but then she was kissing me back. Lightly, gently. The kiss was the sweetest touch I’d ever known, and it made me want to hold her in my arms and never let go.
But she pulled back. “Will, I—”
“I know, I know,” I said. “I’m moving too fast, right? I get it.” I gave my head a little shake of frustration. “I know this thing we had was only to get Justin’s attention. And I’m sure you still have….feelings.” I forced the words out with a lip curled up in disgust.
I could be mature about this...but only to a certain extent. I wasn’t a freakin’ saint.
“I know you were hoping he’d ask you to homecoming, but—”
“Actually,” she interrupted. “Justin already asked me.”
13
Hazel
I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen the cocky, always laughing Will so stricken before, and I hurried to finish that sentence. “Justin asked me to homecoming...and I said no.”
His reaction was...kind of adorable, really.
I bit my lip to hide a grin as his eyes flared with surprise and then understanding and then...triumph.
“You did?” He sounded so excited. So hopeful. So...not laid back.
Again...adorable.
But I had a feeling the smug hottie wouldn’t love being called adorable—now or ever—so I didn’t say it aloud. But I did move closer, and he didn’t miss the chance to wrap his arms around me tight.
He didn’t even seem to notice that my swimsuit was still wet or that we were still standing in the muggy, chlorinated pool area.
“Why did you say no?”
I laughed because his smile was growing and so was his confidence. This was the guy I’d grown used to dealing with. He looked unbearably smug and awfully pleased with