Her Book Boyfriend (The Awkward Duckling Books 1)

by K. R. Grace

  “Well, my friends and I are going together, but we’d love for you to hang out with us.”

  Ugh, that definitely hadn’t been letting him down gently. More like stringing him along until the inevitable smacked him in the face.

  His head began bobbing as he repeatedly pushed his glasses up his nose. Glasses that were already perfectly in place. “I understand. Thanks for the offer, though.”

  And with that, he scurried down the hall with his head lowered, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone.

  I felt terrible. As I made my way to the last yearbook meeting before the annuals came in, I wracked my brain for any clues that what happened would happen. My mind drew up blank. Every attempt at getting them to like me had failed miserably. No, failed epically. Now they were all coming after me? Talk about messed up!

  I didn’t see him until I was seconds away from colliding into him.

  “Aidan! You scared me!” I gasped as I clutched my chest.

  “Sorry. You must’ve been deep in thought. I stand out like a neon sign today.” He motioned to his highlighter orange t-shirt that had some sort of logo on it. It’d been done by hand and the paint had bled, so I couldn’t really make out what it was supposed to be. Knowing him, it was probably to support some cause.

  “So, prom is upon us. Crazy how time flies.” He smiled and began doing this odd nodding thing that included an overly animated grin.

  “Yeah, crazy.” I eyed him warily, praying he wouldn’t go there, too.

  “Nothing like waiting until the last minute to secure a prom date, huh?” And there went the weird nod again.

  “Yeah, I guess?” I needed an exit plan. Fast.

  Now hand gestures were involved as he waved them around almost in an encouraging motion. Then I put the two together and my eyes got bigger than ping pong balls. He was prompting me to ask him out! What the flipping hey?

  “Well, it’s been nice chatting with you, but I really need to get to my meeting.”

  “Are you sure there isn’t something you want to ask me? Something that’s taken you a few months to work up the courage to ask. Something involving prom?”

  I pretended to think on it for a few brief seconds before shaking my head. “Nope, can’t think of anything. Have a good day!”

  And then I bolted into the yearbook room. It made sense now. Aidan was somehow in some role reversal universe where the girls asked the guys out. I mean, sure, I’m all for girls asking guys out when the situation warrants it, but Aidan wasn’t one of those “equal partnership” kind of guys. He wanted the girl to do all the uncomfortable work. No thank you.

  “It was so amazing. There I was, crying my eyes out, when he showed up and started talking to me. I told him what happened, and he was right there, saving the day. It was so romantic.” One of the freshman staffers sighed. I realized I didn’t know her name and that was horrible, considering we’d all worked in close quarters all year.

  “Then he offered his band up to perform at prom since the DJ backed out. It was so perfect. He didn’t come right out and say it, but I know he was hinting at that he wanted to take me to the prom.” She smiled brightly, flashing her pink braces.

  Everything screeched to a halt as I looked at her. “Wait, are you talking about Cam Davis?” I asked her.

  “Yeah. He’s so cute.” Her eyes got the dreamy look I’d seen on so many other girls. I knew for a fact Cam hadn’t asked her out or meant to hint at the idea of going to prom with this girl. First of all, he was eighteen and she was fourteen, and even though he wasn’t Mr. Straight-and-Narrow, he’d never date a freshman. The risk for being slapped with a statutory rape charge was too high. Second, he’d made it perfectly clear from the start that he planned on going stag to the prom if we didn’t go as a pair. And finally, if anyone was going to the prom with him, it would be me. I’d address the why later, but all that mattered was that I diffused the situation before it got ugly.

  “Afraid he’s already going with someone else, but it’s great that he offered to have Freesong perform. They’re getting pretty big these days,” I said casually as I propped my hip on a desk and crossed my arms.

  “Are you sure he’s already going with someone else? Because I’m in charge of tickets, and he hasn’t purchased any,” she volleyed back.

  I was about to get pissed that he hadn’t purchased tickets when it dawned on me. “He wouldn’t need to buy tickets if he’s the entertainment, and anyone with him would be allowed to go for free as long as she was on the list.”

  Why I didn’t just come out and tell the freshman that I was his date to the prom was beyond me. Maybe I wasn’t quite ready to say the words aloud.

  After the meeting, I hurried out to my car…only to find a pink card stuck under my windshield wiper. Because I’m a glutton for punishment and too curious for my own good, I grabbed in, hopped into the car, locked the doors, cranked the engine, and opened said envelope and pulled out a formal invitation.

  Before us lies an open road

  A future filled with hope and adventure

  Please join me

  KENTON LANE

  For a night to remember

  At half past six in the evening.

  When appearances are vital to survival,

  I eagerly await your arrival.

  So put on your finest dancing gear

  And go to prom with me, Macey Greere.

  No. Flipping. Way.

  I didn’t hesitate in shredding the invitation into hundreds of tiny little pieces and tossing them into the trash bin in my car. Yes, I’d wanted to toss them out the window, but that would be littering.

  My brain was ticking off all the invasions I’d experienced in one day. Evan, Jaxon, Aidan, Benton and Kenton. Huh, Benton and Kenton. How weird. I’d never realized their names rhymed. Totally not planned but made sense. Never go for a guy whose name ends in -enton. Or at least I should never date a guy whose name ends in -enton.

  I pulled around behind the middle school and parked Oscar as I waited for Clay and his buddies to wrap up soccer practice. Clay was actually looking better, judging by the way he was maneuvering the ball down the field. An overwhelming sense of pride for my little brother hit me square in the chest. Our days were numbered. While it still sucked that I didn’t get into Harvard, it was obvious I would be going somewhere away from home. I was going to miss the little soccer freak.

  A loud rap on the window caused me to shriek as my head whipped around to look at the intruder.

  It was Colt, and dread seeped into my bones. Gingerly, I rolled down the window and flashed what I hoped passed for a smile. It felt more like the face I made when I smelled something dead and rotting.

  “Hey, Mace. How’s it going?”

  I gave a weak nod. If he’d been talking to Jaxon, no good could come from the conversation.

  I tried to sound relaxed, but my answer came out stilted and awkward. “Going good. How about you?”

  “Great. Final practice of the year.”

  “Yeah. Clay’s really come a long way, hasn’t he?” I asked, trying to keep the focus on my brother and soccer.

  He glanced over at the field where Clay had just scored and was doing a victory dance. “Oh yeah, major improvements. I think he’ll make varsity next year if he keeps it up and goes to the camps.”

  “That’s great. He’s worked hard and deserves to be rewarded for it.”

  “Listen.” He shifted, and I inwardly groaned. Crap on a stick, but I’d hoped Clay would be here already and would create the necessary diversion I needed to get the heck out of there, but nope. Not happening. “I know this is sort of last minute, but with meetings with college reps, signing day, and everything, I haven’t had a chance to have a follow-up date with you. How does going to prom together sound?”

  Hey, at least he got credit for being confident and casual about it. Still, it wasn’t happening. Not after the date from hades. “Um, I’ve already promised my friends we’d all go together. Sorry.” I p
retended to wince like I was upset it wasn’t meant to be for us.

  He nodded and flashed a smile. “That’s cool, friends sticking together. Maybe we can have a dance or two together.”

  “Yeah, that would be great.” What was I saying? Why did I say that? No! No, we wouldn’t be dancing together!

  Clay chose that moment to run up to Oscar and hop into the backseat.

  “Well, gotta go. Bye!” I said and quickly put the car in reverse. In seconds we were in drive and cruising down the road.

  So, pretty much everyone I’d gone after had suddenly decided to come after me for a date to the prom. Thank the stars I didn’t have to worry about Neyland, but still, how did it happen? What made all those guys suddenly change their tune and come after me?

  Cam and I sat on the couch at my house as we went through the flashcards I’d made for our government final. My feet were propped up in his lap, and occasionally when he was stumped on a card, he’d mindlessly rub his hands over my shins.

  I tried really hard not to interpret the gesture as a romantic one, but I’d noticed that was becoming harder and harder to do as the night wore on.

  “So, I noticed you’re the talk of the school today,” he said randomly after I’d paused to take a drink of water.

  I gulped hard and nodded. “Yeah, the icing on a crappy day.”

  He gave my leg a gentle squeeze. “Nah, consider it a sign. It was never you. It was them. They couldn’t see what a good thing they had when they had it and now it’s too late.”

  “Wow, that must’ve been a mouthful to say.” I snorted in an attempt to keep the conversation from going deep.

  “And as for Harvard, again, they’re a bunch of idiots who don’t know what a good thing is when they see it. You’re better off without them.”

  I dragged in a deep breath and let it out in one loud puff. “I guess. Maybe I should just go to Vanderbilt. Then you and I could be closer together.”

  His eyes darted away from mine, and intuition told me he was hiding something.

  “Spill, Davis. What’s going on? You acted so reluctant at the reveal today.”

  “You know how I’ve been talking to a record label?” he asked, and I felt terrible because I had no idea what he was talking about. I’d been so absorbed in me that I hadn’t been paying attention to him at all.

  “Yeah,” I lied.

  “They’ve made an offer. We’re going to be opening for TrickStar this summer, and if everything goes well, we’ll release our first album in the fall.”

  “TrickStar? You’re going to be the opening act for the hottest band in several decades? Cam! Why didn’t you tell me sooner? That’s great!”

  “I haven’t even told the band. I’m not sure if it’s what everyone wants.”

  I shoved at him. “How will you know unless you tell them? Call them. Get them in a group call right now.”

  I lunged for his phone on the coffee table and thrust it at him once my hands made purchase with it. He reluctantly took it from me and made quick work of getting a group line started. Thankfully, he put the phone on speaker so I could be in on it too.

  “Hey!” Morgan answered.

  “Hey!” Bruce and Niko said at the same time.

  “Hey, guys! How’s it going?” Cam asked.

  There was a chorus of “good” and “fine.”

  “Everyone excited about the prom gig?”

  They said almost simultaneously, “Yeah, that’s awesome.”

  “Look, I didn’t call to talk about prom. We’ll get that worked out in practice this week. I am, however, calling to let you all know Wind Records has offered us a deal, should we accept it.”

  “And?” Niko asked.

  “You’re killing me, man,” Bruce groaned.

  Cam winked at me, suddenly looking excited about dragging the whole thing out. I swatted at him and pointed at the phone as a hand gesture to get him to hurry up with it already.

  “They want us to open for TrickStar this summer and do a one album contract to see how things go.”

  “No freaking way!” Morgan squealed and something rattled as she more than likely dropped her phone to do a happy dance.

  “Are you serious?” Niko demanded and then said a bunch of adult words that came as no surprise to me being that it was Niko.

  Bruce was silent.

  “Hey, Bruce. What are you thinking?” Cam called him out.

  “That I need to buy red leather pants. The chicks. The chicks, man. They’re going to be all over us.”

  Cam chuckled but then caught my eye and wiped the grin off his face with his hand.

  “Then it’s settled? We’re giving this a shot?” he asked the gang.

  There was a chorus of celebratory responses. As I listened to them talk excitedly about the months to come, a feeling of dread washed over me. This was it. Soon, Cam was going to leave, and it would be the end of us. No more Friday night movies. No more taco Tuesdays. No more lazy Sundays. Everything would be different.

  While I was beyond happy for him, I couldn’t help the little part of me that wanted to throw a tantrum and beg him not to leave me. Realizing the call was wrapping up, I hopped up and went to the kitchen to busy myself with hand washing the already clean dishes in the dishwasher. Cam unfortunately followed me into the kitchen with a smile the size of Alaska on his face.

  “This summer is going to be epic.” He sat down on a barstool on the other side of the island in the center of the kitchen.

  I made a noncommittal sound but didn’t turn around to look at him. Anything more would give away the tears flowing silently down my cheeks.

  “You’ve been on my case for a while to get a manager, and I think we finally have one. Her name is Trixx. Yeah, I know, like the cereal, but she’s a badass in negotiations. Her brother is the lead singer of TrickStar, and she used to manage them before they made it huge and they went with a bigger name.”

  I made another sound. His excitement was slowly killing me inside. I wanted to beg him to stop talking, but to say that would give away how I felt about the biggest moment in his life.

  Unfortunately for me, Cam knew me better than I knew myself, and I suddenly had arms wrapped around my waist and a chest pressed against my back.

  “Nothing will change for us, Mace. There may be distance between us at times, but you and I are rock solid.” He pressed a kiss to the back of my head.

  I dropped the scrubby brush I’d been using as an assault weapon on a coffee mug and spun around to bury my face in his chest.

  “Don’t make any promises, Cam. You’ll only break them.”

  “I’ve waited a lifetime for you, Macey Greere. I’m not giving up on us now.”

  We hadn’t defined what was going on between us since that date in his living room. I tilted my head back and scanned his eyes only to see the truth of his sincerity.

  “What are we doing, Cam?” I asked, afraid of what the answer might be. Was I ready for the next step? Could our friendship survive if we went for something more?

  His head lowered and my breath hitched. “If you haven’t figured it out by now,” he said against my lips, his warm breath tickling my face in anticipation, “then I better show you.”

  And then he kissed me. The second our lips pressed together, my body started to hum. My toes curled under the intensity of the warm feeling radiating through my body, and it was everything I’d ever imagined a first kiss should be and so much more. My hands had a mind of their own and rose to drape behind his neck and lock him in as I kissed him back in earnest. He kept his own hands firmly on my waist, not allowing our bodies to mesh together as he kept the kiss sweet and pure.

  I wanted to kiss him for hours, but he broke the kiss far too soon and rested his forehead on mine. “You’re it for me, Mace. It’s always been you.”

  My fingers kneaded against the soft skin on the back of his neck as I struggled to grasp onto the moment.

  “I think you’ve always been it for me, too,” I said
breathlessly.

  And then we kissed again…and again…and again, until the front door opened and Mom announced her presence.

  I took in myself in Mom’s full-length mirror. Spinning one direction and then another, it was hard to believe it was here. Prom had finally arrived, and I was dressed up in a sleeveless, floor-length, light blue lace embellished dress, and I left my brown hair down in big curls. Mom lent me her cubic zirconium tennis bracelet and stud earrings, and I kept my makeup light and fresh.

  “Honey! Camden’s here!” Mom called out from down below.

  My heart went into overdrive in anticipation. Camden, my boyfriend, was waiting for me. The feeling in my chest far surpassed the excitement I got when I saw the waitress bringing my food to the table in a restaurant. It was knowing everything I’d longed for had arrived and waited for me at the bottom of the steps.

  I took in a deep breath and brushed away imaginary wrinkles to steady my spastic nerves before walking out of Mom and Dad’s room and down the steps. My eyes connected with Cam’s, and he flashed me a huge smile that made my heart skip a beat. A flash behind him caused me to blink and my foot missed the last step. I tumbled right into Cam’s arms with an unladylike umph.

  “My graceful Macey.” He chuckled as he righted me.

  “What fun would it be if I’d made a flawless entrance?” I groaned.

  Mom’s camera kept flashing, blinding me with little blue dots over and over.

  “Mom,” I groaned as I held up a hand in protest.

  “Just a few more. I promise.” She flashed another one. “I want one of him putting your corsage on.”

  I gave him a “please excuse my crazy mother” look as I turned and offered my hand.

  “Did we miss it? Oh, you look so beautiful, sweeties!” Momma Noel and Grandma Mae gushed as they burst into the house via the front door.

  “Let’s take this outside where the lighting is better,” Mom said and ushered us out.

  What was supposed to be just a few more shots turned into a forty minute photo shoot complete with pictures with each of our parents and family and siblings and on and on and on. Finally, Cam was able to drag me away from the chaos and into the Land Rover.