Hot Dog Girl
Page 23
She nuzzles against me. “Your heart is pounding.”
“I don’t want to screw this up.”
“You won’t.” She rolls back to look at me, propping her head up with her hand but leaving her leg draped over mine. I hope she never moves.
I rub my finger over her eyebrow, feeling the soft hair there. “I always do, Seeley. I screw everything up.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
I frown and think of my mother. “What if that’s not in my DNA?”
“Then fuck your DNA,” she says. I’d be lying if I said that hearing that word fall from her lips, with her body all tangled up with mine, wasn’t at least a little thrilling.
Seeley pushes herself up and straddles my legs, grabbing my face with both hands. “You are more than the sum total of your bullshit background and your scheming. You’re everything I could possibly want.” I try to look away but she leans closer, holding my face in place. “Not to mention the best damn hot dog I’ve ever met.”
I roll my eyes, willing away the tears even though they’re the good kind. But there’s something still gnawing at me, and I can’t help it. “You locked your window,” I say, and her face falls.
“I unlocked it this morning.”
“You did?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” She huffs. “But you really hurt me, Lou. And it kind of spun me when I heard you say all that stuff in the breakroom. I thought maybe it was another part of your scheme and I was so mad at you. But then I got your letter, and Nick was texting me about how messed up you were when he went inside. I was already sitting in your driveway—”
“Why didn’t you come inside?”
“I didn’t want to regret my decision, whatever it ended up being.”
I search her eyes, swallowing hard. “Are you still scared you’ll regret it?”
“No,” she says, shaking her head.
“Good.” I wrap my arms around her waist and flip us over. My hands slide up to hers, and I press our foreheads together. “I wish you could feel how absolutely, totally head over heels I am for you.”
When we finally break apart, breathless and grinning, I hear her whisper, “How could I not?”
I look down at her, biting my lip, because wow this girl is amazing, and somehow, through it all, she even loves me back.
Maybe the impossible summer isn’t so impossible after all.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, a huge thank-you to my agent, Brooks Sherman, who somehow knows exactly when I need a cheerleader and when I need a coach. Thank you for believing in me and this book. To Stephanie Pitts, who made this whole experience ridiculously fun, even when it was work. I could not imagine a better home for Lou, thank you. And to everyone at Putnam for believing in this book and turning my dream into a reality. I am proud to be a part of such an amazing team.
Many thanks to:
Beth Phelan for creating #DVPit and helping me find my people. DVSquad for being so welcoming and supportive. Meredith for always being the voice of reason; you are an excellent CP and an even better friend. Roselle for being the best cheerleader on the planet.
Becky for loving my book from the very first pitch. I promise I will find my OTC one day, but until then, thank you for not judging me too harshly. (But Pop Rocks do make Oreos better, sorry.) Kelsey for being the nanny to my plant, the true alpha, and the one who reminds me to sleep—even if you are totally wrong about Peter. Sonia, whose kind words kept hope alive in the query trenches. PCC, my first writer friends ever. Lucy/Kate, Sarah, Lilly, Kelly, Karen, and Isabel for always, always being there.
Erin for being the Scott to my Stiles and the Stiles to my Derek; there is literally no one better to be on this wild ride with. Shannon, my found family, who loved me even at my most unlovable. One sentence could never be enough to express how much you mean to me, and I wouldn’t be here without you. Lacy, who has been there from day one of this writing adventure, equal parts friend, therapist, and beta reader.
My mom, who believed me when I said I was going to be a writer at five years old and did everything she could to foster that. Dennis, the best big brother in the world, who singlehandedly got all of Kohl’s excited for this book. Bonkers, for not killing me in my sleep, even though I suspect he wants to. Joe, Brody, and Olivia, for being my true north and making even the hardest days brighter. I love you.
And last but certainly not least, to my readers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here.
Photo credit: Amber Hooper
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer Dugan is a writer, a geek, and a romantic who writes the kinds of stories she wishes she had growing up. In addition to being a young-adult novelist, she is also the writer/creator of two indie comics. She lives in upstate New York with her family, dogs, and an evil cat that is no doubt planning to take over the world. Hot Dog Girl is her first novel.
Learn more at JLDugan.com and on Twitter @JL_Dugan.
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