Playing Hooky with the Hottie - Maggie Dallen Page 0,36

what you’re saying is...you need me.”

I scoffed. “I didn’t say that.”

“I mean, what would your life be like without me?” he continued, ignoring my interruption. “It’s sad to think about, really.”

“You are so ridiculous,” I said with a laugh.

His grin was shameless as he opened the passenger’s side door for me. “And you love me for it.”

Epilogue

Two weeks later…

Will

The diner was packed and everyone was in good spirits. With good reason, too. My girlfriend had just beaten her own best time and the team as a whole had beaten their rivals in just about every meet.

“Way to go today, Hazel,” Justin said as he clapped her on the shoulder on the way to his seat in the back.

“Thanks!” She beamed up at him, but I wasn’t jealous. That loser might have done a great job in the pool, but he’d failed big time out here in the real world. Not to brag or anything, but I was feeling just a little smug about the fact that I’d gotten the girl.

The best girl.

The most incredible girl I’d ever met.

“You were amazing out there,” one of Justin’s friends agreed as they passed our table.

“Of course she was amazing,” Emma said with a wide beaming smile. “That’s my best friend, y’all.”

“And my girlfriend,” I shouted.

Emma and I shared a grin as Hazel rolled her eyes. “I appreciate your support, guys, but you can stop bragging now. You sound like my mom.”

Emma snorted with amusement and Lulu started giggling beside her.

I winced. “Please never compare me to your mom ever again.”

Hazel laughed and the sound made my heart race. “I make no promises.”

I pretended to be defensive. “Can I help it if I’m proud of my girlfriend?”

“I’m just saying you don’t have to tell everyone all the time.” She patted my knee. “I think the whole school is well aware of our relationship status by now.”

Her silly smile gave her away and I couldn’t resist leaning in for another kiss. She loved that I loudly and frequently declared my feelings for her. Did it make her cringe? Yeah, sometimes. But for the most part she loved me and my ridiculous sense of fun.

“You can’t stop me from being proud,” I told her when I pulled back to gaze down at her.

“And I’ve got news that will make Hazel proud of you.” Max’s voice next to our table had me sitting upright as Emma and Lulu scooted over to make room for her.

“What’s up?” Hazel asked.

I shifted uneasily as Max’s attention focused on me, a smile hovering over her lips as her long braid fell over her shoulder. “What’s up?” I asked...but I had a hunch.

I wasn’t nervous. I really wasn’t.

But also...if she didn’t speak up soon I was going to lose my mind.

I started tapping my fingers against my coffee mug, my arm tightening around Hazel’s shoulders until she glanced up at me with a questioning look.

Max grinned.

She was enjoying my discomfort way too much.

“Max, just spit it out already,” I said.

That had all the girls gaping because it was so not in my character to get intense about anything.

Max recovered first, leaning over the table eagerly. “You won.”

Hazel blinked at me. “Won what?”

A feeling I’d never experienced before spread through me, like electricity zapping through my veins. My chest grew warm and for a second my head felt dizzy.

I’d done it. I’d won.

I’d actually tried for something and won.

I grinned down at Hazel. “I entered a photography competition for the newspaper.”

“And he won,” Max said, even louder this time. “He took first place.”

Hazel was all over me before I knew what was happening.

I laughed in shock and heard her friends laughing too because this kind of impulsive PDA was way more my MO than hers.

But I loved it.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight, loving the feel of her face burrowing into my neck like she couldn’t get close enough. “I’m so proud of you,” she whispered.

“Thanks.” I hugged her tight. Truth be told...I was pretty proud of myself. “I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for you.”

She started to pull back. “Oh no, I don’t deserve—”

“Yeah, you do,” I interrupted. Even I was a little surprised by how serious I sounded. But when it came to Hazel, I was serious. “I’m so grateful that you came into my life. You make me want to try harder, be better...you make me want to be the best I can be so that I deserve you.”

“Oh Will,” she said with a sweet, sappy sigh. “You’re perfect just as you are.”

“I know,” I deadpanned. When she burst out in a laugh, I did too. “But I still hope you’ll keep pushing me. Keep challenging me,” I said.

She nodded. “Deal.” She sank back down in her seat and cozied up against my side. “Just as long as you keep pushing me to have fun.”

I grinned. “Hazey May, helping you stop and smell the roses is my favorite pastime.”

She laughed and I picked up her hand on my knee to lace my fingers through hers. “Good,” she said. “Because being with you is mine.”

I couldn’t speak for a second there. My heart squeezed so painfully my chest hurt. If someone had told me I’d fall in love so badly that it was physically painful, I never would have believed them.

“You guys,” Max’s voice intruded. “Are you done being cute? You’re honestly making me sick.”

Emma sighed loudly as she rested her head on Lulu’s shoulder. “I think you two are sweet.”

Lulu’s smile was small and dreamy. “I hope I find what you two have someday.”

Before anyone could respond, the diner door opened and their other friends showed up—Simone, Avery, and Charlotte.

“Charlotte came?” Emma said. “She never comes out to these things.”

“I’m pretty sure Avery dragged her out of her house,” Max said.

Hazel frowned over at her friends. “Why? She doesn’t have to come out and celebrate if it makes her uncomfortable.”

Lulu laughed. “I think I know what this is about.”

Emma nodded. “Avery mentioned to me the other day how we needed to have an intervention for Charlotte.”

Hazel and I exchanged a quick look and it was clear she was just as clueless as I was. “Uh, why exactly does she need an intervention?”

Max rolled her eyes. “It’s a Lonely Hearts Club thing. Trust me when I say you don’t want to know.”

I nodded. “Fair enough.”

Hazel’s brow wrinkled. “Avery wants us to help Charlotte? Here? Now?”

Emma nodded. “Apparently Charlotte’s going to some big science competition this weekend and she’ll be all alone on a college campus with Robert.” She wiggled her eyebrows like Groucho Marx.

“Ahhh,” Hazel sighed, as if this news meant something to her.

I leaned over until my nose brushed against the hair of her temple. “So you’re going to help Charlotte get her crush?”

Hazel shrugged. “I’ll do whatever I can, I mean…” She flashed me a smile. “Helping someone else learn how to loosen up might even be fun.”

I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. “Fun, huh?” I teased. “Who are you and what have you done with Hazel?”

She laughed and patted my knee. “I’m your girlfriend.”

My chest swelled with pride. “That’s right you are.” I turned to her friends. “Sign me up. If Hazel’s in, then so am I.”

Thank you for reading! Be sure to check out Charlotte’s story next in First Kiss with the Quarterback.

If you missed the first two books of this series, you can find them here:

Striking Out with the Star Pitcher

Saved by the Crush’s Brother

About the Author

MAGGIE DALLEN IS a big city girl living in Montana. She writes romantic comedies in a range of genres including young adult, historical, contemporary, and fantasy. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to connect with fellow avid readers. Subscribe to her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bFEVsL

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Website: maggiedallen.com