Tiger Lily - May Dawson Page 0,23

teasing.”

“You always liked to tease me,” I said, my voice coming out more tart than I meant it too. “Even if you did threaten to kick other people’s asses if they teased me.”

When we’d started high school together, I’d found myself in a circle of frenemies, textbook mean girls, and a couple of d-bag guys with an elaborate ranking system for girls. Blake had bulled into the middle of the complex social dynamics of high school with his usual intensity and loyalty. He’d threatened to hurt any guy involved. I knew Blake would never hit a girl, but he’d glared at the mean girls that plagued me in a way that was quite terrifying anyway.

“Only if they were…” His bright eyes met mine. “I never meant to hurt you when I teased you, Lily. Still don’t. Sorry if you didn’t like it—I’ll stop.”

Lily.

When he was suddenly so serious, I missed the teasing nicknames on his lips.

But I don’t know how to tell him that.

I shook my head. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad for sticking up for me in high school. It was weird.”

I meant nice. It was nice he used to stick up for me. So why did I just say weird?

His lips pursed to one side. “Well, I can be pretty weird. And so can you. So I guess we should be weird together. Friends?”

Some of the tension in my chest unspooled at that gentle teasing. The small smile on his lips, those chiseled cheekbones, the bright eyes—he was magnetic. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

I wanted to say something more to him, to make up for the blundering way I’d just talked to him, but he was already sliding out from underneath the car. Disappointment tightened my chest. I liked being down here with him.

He was a lot faster on that board than I was, and by the time I’d dug my heels into the concrete and pulled myself out, he was standing. He loomed above me, his board gripped in one hand and the other outstretched to help me up.

“Come on, school’s not out,” he said, as I gripped his hand. He pulled me easily to my feet, as if my weight was nothing to him.

I wanted to talk to him more—to make up for all the stupid things I’d said. Even though part of me was afraid I’d just say more stupid things. I couldn’t seem to string two words together when he was around me.

At least, I couldn’t string two nice words together.

“You know,” I said, “a lot has changed in Silver Springs the past few years that I’ve been gone. Maybe you could show me around?”

My heart was beating fast in my chest. It might seem like nothing, but it was a big deal to me to suggest that we spend more time together.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’d like that.”

He stared into my eyes intently, as if I were as magnetic to him as he was to me.

Then, he pulled back a step, dragging his hand from mine. He shook his head, almost as if he were clearing it.

“We can keep it professional,” he said lightly.

My heart stumbled and went down like a clown on a banana peel.

“Yeah,” I said. “Of course. You’re the boss.”

“Never thought I’d hear you say that.” His tone might have been teasing, like usual, but he didn’t smile.

Maybe I could run away from home. Because right now, I definitely didn’t want to go home to my grandfather, who would pry mercilessly into my love life, then show up for work tomorrow. Not after Blake rejected me.

I’d moved to the city for a reason. I still had an apartment there: a mailbox with my name. A little garden in potted plants on the balcony—the closest I could get to some wilderness. I liked to sit out there in the late afternoon when the sunshine pooled on the balcony. I’d close my eyes and feel the warmth on my face and breathe in the scent of growing green things.

“Speaking of showing you around Silver Springs.” Archer suddenly walked over, propping his elbow on Blake’s shoulder. He flashed me a smile. “Can I take you out tonight, Lily?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Great. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Archer walked away.

Blake stared at me with an expression on his face that I couldn’t read, but it made my heart beat faster all over again.

Then he said, his voice level, “All right, let’s work on an easy step in diagnostics. We’re going to check…”

I