“You made it.”
Jayden had looked up from his cellphone and spotted me a second too soon. The bright smile on his face quickly dissolved as his gaze trailed down my body, taking in my outfit.
“Hi,” I said softly.
Oh, how I wish I’d listened to my gut and changed before I walked out that door! Did I look like I was trying too hard? Had I completely freaked him out?
“Nice dress,” he said, his voice breaking. His eyes met mine again and—maybe I imagined it—but I could’ve sworn his cheeks reddened. “You look really good.”
Now it was my turn to flush. I tore my gaze away to stare at the floor and fight back a smile. Butterflies danced inside my stomach. “Thanks.”
I could feel him watching me for another long moment as the noise in the food court picked up. Kids ran from table to table. A group of preteens laughed near the Taco John’s. Finally, he cleared his throat and I looked up to see him holding up two quarters between his fingers.
“First things first, I told you I’d prove there’s more to you than just running. Follow me, and I’ll take you to our first stop of the day.”
Curiosity blossomed inside my chest. It had been lying dormant ever since last night when he’d first mentioned his plan. I followed him as we zigzagged through the families shopping and made our way to the arcade. Jayden stopped next to the old Sonic pinball machine that had been there for as long as I could remember. The twinkling lights and loud music brought back a rush of memories for me.
“I give you, Exhibit A,” he said, leaning his elbow on the top and shooting me a grin.
“What? Pinball?” I pushed the paddle buttons on the sides and laughed. “No way.”
He set the quarters on the plexiglass top. “Yes, way. In seventh grade, we had a tournament and I distinctly remember you beating out Pete Lane to take the top spot. He was furious for a week. Wouldn’t even step foot in the mall for a year after that.”
I gaped at him and then shook my head. I’d completely forgotten about that. My friends and I had played a lot of pinball that summer and that tournament had been a silly boys-versus-girls challenge before school started. Nothing gave me as much satisfaction as beating a boy who thought girls didn’t stand a chance in anything involving a ball. Putting Pete in his place had been so worth it.
“I can’t believe you remember that,” I said, smiling up at him. “That was so long ago.”
He shrugged and looked down at his fingernails. “Of course, I remembered. I was rooting for you the whole time.”
Warmth burst in my gut as I studied his sincere expression. I was just starting to realize how little I actually knew Jayden. And the feeling I got as I stared into the blue of his eyes was making me wish I’d realized all of this much sooner.
“Go ahead and play a round,” he said, reaching down to put the coins in the slot. “I want to see you dominate before we move onto Exhibit B.”
I grinned at him. “There’s more?”
“Yeah.” He shot me an amused smile and then ran his hands through his hair. “Believe me, Amanda Hale is good at many a thing. It was hard to narrow it down to just a few. If I took the time to show you each one, we might have to go on a dozen more dates.”
My heart spasmed at the absurd idea of going on a dozen dates with Jayden. I managed to keep my cool as I pulled back on the ball launcher, even as the pressure inside my head increased. What was it that I’d been repeating to myself in the mirror at home? Oh yeah, that we were just friends. Nothing more.
Why did that seem so difficult?
It was hard to play pinball when I could feel Jayden watching me. Every once in a while, I’d look up and catch his eyes. He’d tear his gaze away, commenting on the score or the paddles, but the tips of his ears would turn red. When the last ball finally dropped to the bottom of the game, I was feeling hot from head to toe. I needed to do something that didn’t involve Jayden staring at me.
I bit my lower lip and turned to him. “Okay. What’s next?”
“I propose a walk around the mall and another mind-blowing challenge,” he said, his smile infectious. He pulled a colorful plastic bag from his coat pocket and held it up for me to see. “Any guesses?”
I squinted at it, feeling confused. “Jelly Beans?”
“Exactly.” He tore the bag open and held up a single bean. “When we were in Mrs. Johnson’s fifth grade class, we had a Guinness World Record week. Everyone was supposed to present a special talent that could potentially be a world record.”
Recognition lit inside me. “Yes! I remember that. Didn’t Erin Driver nearly burn the school down trying to twirl her mom’s old fire batons?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Yeah, Mrs. Johnson didn’t know they were self-lighting. I’ve never seen a woman her age move so quickly.”
I laughed, too. That had been one of my favorite classes of all time. “So what does that have to do with me?”
He started walking toward the door and I kept up pace alongside him. “I figured that your talent counted as one of the things you’re good at, besides running. You brought in a bag of jelly beans to class, taste-tested thirty flavors, and were able to name all but one of the flavors without looking. I think all of us kids were pretty sure you belonged in the world record book after that one.”
“Oh...yeah.”
I ran a hand down my face, trying to dispel the embarrassment of that memory. My Mom had helped me come up with that talent. We’d practiced all week, until the taste of Jelly Beans was almost nauseating. I hadn’t had one since then.
“Ready to give it a shot?” Jayden asked, holding up the bean.
“I don’t know...” I eyed the candy suspiciously. “I’m not sure if I can do it anymore.”
He grabbed my hand and put the bean in my palm. “I have faith in you, Amanda. Just give it a try.”
The touch of his skin on mine was thoroughly unnerving. I closed my fingers around the bean and he pulled away quickly, as if I’d burned him. It was such a silly thing—trying to guess the flavor of a Jelly Bean. But it felt like there was a lot riding on this. Jayden was trying so hard to cheer me up. It was sweet. I couldn’t let him down.
“Okay, I’ll do it.”
I popped the bean in my mouth and began to chew. Flavors burst to life across my tongue. It was fruity and tart and definitely familiar.
“Strawberry Daiquiri,” I shouted just a little too loudly. The people passing us by in the hallway stared at me, but we ignored them. “That’s definitely the one.”
Jayden held up the bag and his eyes scanned over the back where the flavors were listed. His gaze settled on one spot and then a smile broke out across his face. “Bingo! See? You’ve still got it.”
“Okay, let’s try another,” I said, holding out my hand. “Let’s see if I can get all of them.”
We continued walking past the stores and popping Jelly Beans in our mouths. By the time the bag was nearly empty, I’d successfully named twenty-five of the flavors. I couldn’t be sure if it was because of the sugar rush or the excitement of a challenge, but I was feeling quite light-headed. And whenever Jayden glanced over at me, a fluttering sensation would go off in my stomach.
“Okay, so I’m decent at pinball and I’ve got a strange talent for naming Jelly Bean flavors,” I said, stealing a buttered popcorn bean from Jayden’s hand to drop it in my mouth. “I’m not sure that means much. Not unless there’s a career to be made with that.”
He brow wrinkled in thought. “Maybe there’s an Olympic pinball team?”
“Or sponsors for World Record holders?” I asked with a laugh. “Face it, I’m doomed.”
Twenty-four hours ago, I would’ve said those words with a sob. But being here, with Jayden, made all of it feel not so bad. Sure, a lot was still riding on my track career. Especially my scholarships. But in this moment, I didn’t want to worry about it anymore. It felt like everything would work itself out.
“You could be a spy. Or an astrona
ut. Or a firefighter.” He paused at the storefront to American Eagle. “Or how about a career in fashion. Ever thought about that?”
I laughed and gestured at my body. “Um, have you ever noticed my wardrobe consists mostly of yoga pants and t-shirts? I’m pretty sure they’d laugh at me. I only wear dresses on special occasions.”
His gaze shot to me, a teasing glint entering his eyes. “So this is a special occasion, huh?”
Blood rushed to my cheeks. I’d been caught.
“No...it’s laundry day. And all my yoga pants are dirty. And my jeans, too. It was the only thing left in my closet.”
His lips twitched. “Uh huh.”
“I didn’t get dressed up for you.”
“Right.”
“It’s because I had no other clothes.”
“Yep, you made that clear.”
Frustration poured over me as he stood there and grinned. I opened my mouth and was about to cut him back down to size when I saw something down the hall that made all the blood rush from my face. With a muffled squeal, I grabbed hold of Jayden’s arm and yanked him into American Eagle as fast as I could.
“What’s happening?” he asked, although he didn’t pull away.
“Audrey and Collin are here.” My breath was coming in and out in short bursts. “They can’t see us together.”
I was pretty sure they’d been too distracted gazing into each other’s eyes as they turned the corner of the hall to spot us, but I wasn’t sure. Pulling Jayden deeper into the store, I hid us behind a rack of jeans and slid two pairs apart just far enough to watch the store entrance for a sign of my friends. My heart beat a million miles a minute in my chest.
“I’m a little confused.” Jayden leaned against the rack, looking as cool as night. “Why can’t your best friend see you at the mall with me?”
My gaze darted to him and then back to the entrance. “Because.”
“Because why?”
“Because...” I grunted in frustration. There was not enough time to come up with a proper fib. “...for weeks she’s been accusing me of liking you and I’ll never hear the end of it if she sees us here like this.”
My stomach jolted as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I couldn’t believe I’d just confessed that to Jayden, of all people. Blame it on the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Or the sugar. I couldn’t take it back now.
But when I glanced over at Jayden again, every cell in my body wished I’d glued my lips shut.
“She thinks you like me?” He stood up a little straighter, a cocky grin on his lips. His gaze searched my face. “And do you?”
I huffed. Playing dumb was my only option. “Do I what?”
“Amanda Hale.” He leaned down to look me straight in the eyes. “Do you like me?”
Unintelligible words fell out of my mouth as I tried to glare at him. They only served to make him grin harder. And when I glanced back over at the door, my heart nearly dropped to my feet. Audrey and Collin had turned into American Eagle and were headed straight toward us, their eyes scanning the clothing racks.
We had to get out of there, but I couldn’t see an escape. We were going to be caught any second now! But as Audrey picked up a pair of pants from a display, I got a wild idea.
“Come on.” I tugged on Jayden’s arm again and pulled him toward the women’s dressing rooms.
Luckily, there were no store associates or customers around when we darted inside. I directed Jayden into one of the small stalls on the right side and shoved him inside, bolting the door behind us.
“Are you seriously hiding me in here?” he asked, looking around at the clothes someone had left hanging on the hooks of the stall. A pair of jeans hung on one side and a neon pink bra on the other.
“Just until she’s gone,” I said, bouncing on my good foot. “Then, we can get out of here. Audrey hates clothes shopping. She probably won’t even try anything on.”
He raised his eyebrows and then shot me a devilish grin. “Or maybe, today is your lucky day. You get to be locked inside a closet with me once again. Hmmm...” He tapped the side of his chin. “What should we do to entertain ourselves?”
I knew where he was going with that, but it didn’t distract me from the sound of footsteps entering the dressing room. Panicked, I practically shoved him up against the wall and covered his mouth with my right hand. If he didn’t stop talking, whoever was coming in would discover us. And if it was Audrey, she would never let me live this down.
The sound of a door opening and shutting echoed in the quiet dressing room, followed by the shuffling of someone trying on clothes. My heart beat loudly as my eyes met with Jayden’s. He had finally stopped grinning and a little frown line had formed in between his eyebrows. Realization swept over me about what I was doing. I had Jayden pushed up against the wall, my chest pressed to his, and the heat from his body was currently radiating through my dress.
Never in my life had I been this close to a boy before. Not even at a school dance. Not even for the innocent kiss Jayden and I had once shared. I could feel his chest rise and fall against mine. Feel the hard muscles of his abdomen and inhale the sexy scent of his cologne. My gaze darted back and forth between his eyes as the panic in my gut was replaced with something that felt an awful lot like longing. He was watching me, too, his jaw muscles working beneath my hand. He blinked hard—and then something in the air between us shifted.
Suddenly, Jayden’s hands found the slight curve between my waist and my hips, causing a tremor to go through me. His fingertips pressed gently into my skin, his eyes burning with a heat that made me forget to breathe. Even as the sound of someone leaving the dressing room registered somewhere deep inside my brain, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from Jayden’s face. He reached up with his left hand and wrapped his long fingers around my wrist, pulling away my hand that still covered his mouth, his warm breath caressing my skin.
And when he lifted that hand again to his lips to press a scorching kiss to my palm, my knees nearly buckled. I managed to stay upright, thanks to Jayden’s other hand still steady on my waist. I clung to him, needing more than anything to feel his lips somewhere other than just my hand. The hungry look in his blue eyes told me he needed the same thing.
I grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled it toward me, a voice inside my head telling me that I wouldn’t survive another minute if I didn’t melt into him now. I wanted him in a way I’d never wanted anyone before.
The sudden blaring ring of the cell phone in my purse shattered the moment like a brick falling through glass. I blinked several times, remembering where I was.
In a dressing room.
In the mall.
Hiding from my best friend.
With the boy I’d said was totally un-kissable.
I took a step back, putting as much space between us as the tiny dressing room would allow. Scrambling to get my cell phone out of my purse, I kept my eyes anywhere but on Jayden. The sound of blood rushing filled my ears, making it nearly impossible to think straight. And when I’d finally managed to answer the phone and put it to my head, my entire body felt like it was tomato red.
“H-hello?”
Charlotte’s voice came through the speaker. “I’m ready. Are you on your way home?”
“F-f-f-for what?”
I swear, this was the moment I crossed off spy as a future career option for me. I obviously couldn’t keep my cool in a tense situation.
“For the party.” I could practically hear the eye-roll through the phone. “You said you’d take me and I’m ready to go.”
I laughed nervously. “Oh, yeah. That. I’m leaving right now. Be there in a couple minutes.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
She hung up on me and I shoved the phone back into my purse. With a steady breath, I finally managed to lift my gaze to Jayden. He wore a neutral expression, but the emotions dancing in his eyes told me he was still affected by what had just happened.
“I’ve got to go,�
�� I said, reaching for the door handle. “My sister’s waiting.”
He nodded and then licked his lips. “Yeah, right. The party. I was supposed to go to that, too.”
“Good.” Nerves danced in my stomach at the thought of running into Jayden again tonight. “Maybe I’ll see you later when I pick her up. Thanks for the pinball and the Jelly Beans.”
I didn’t stick around to hear his response. I was out of there like a shot, nearly flattening a startled associate on my way. Luckily, Audrey and Collin had also moved on, so the coast was clear.
When I made it to the food court, I slapped a hand over my mouth and stifled a crazy giggle. I wondered how that associate was going to react when she ran into Jayden inside the women’s dressing room.
And then—the truth came crashing back down on me.
I’d nearly kissed Jayden Paul.
What was wrong with me?
Chapter Fifteen
That near-kiss was haunting me.
I’d tried and utterly failed to do my English homework. Watching Netflix was a total bust. Even pumping my dumbbells didn’t leave me any of the usual energy I got from working out. So I turned some music on and flopped down on my bed in a hoodie and yoga pants, trying desperately not to think about Jayden and that dressing room mishap.
Charlotte had been giddy with happiness when I took her to the party. I might still have been shook by my experience at the mall, but I did my big-sister duty. I lectured her about being smart and responsible and choosing better friends. Of course, I didn’t mention Sarah specifically, but I hoped she got the message. At the very least, she’d taken the lecture without complaint and hopped out of the van before I’d even put it into park.
A huge part of me had wanted to stick around and follow her inside, make sure she was making better choices. But then I’d probably run into Jayden. And after what happened just a couple hours ago, I wasn’t going to be ready to face him for about a hundred more years.
Dare You to Fall for the Catcher Page 10
