He surrounded me with his arms and rested his chin on my head. “I’ll always be around to help.”
I buried my face in his pads. “Thank you.”
“And to kiss,” he added quickly. “I’ll always be around to kiss. In closets, dressing rooms, whatever you want.”
I laughed and then grinned up at him. “Sounds like a deal to me.”
His lips formed a frown, his brow wrinkling, as he pressed the back of his hand to my forehead. “Are you sure? I seem to remember not too long ago you saying that if you ever changed your mind, you were sick, hallucinating, and needed to be rushed to the hospital. Should I call 911?”
My face burned as I recalled that moment at the Cascades when my big mouth had run wild. I’d been so foolish. So stubborn.
“I’m not sick,” I said, grabbing his hand to kiss it. “I’m just crazy when it comes to you. Always have been, always will.”
His lips quirked with a smile. “Hmm. Sounds like we have that in common. I love you, Amanda.”
I held back a smile when I heard my full name come out of his mouth. “Love you too, Jay-bear.”
The squeeze he landed on my sides made me squeal with laughter. But then he leaned down and kissed me one more time, the dark and sweet taste of him filling my mouth.
“Okay, okay, break it up, you two,” Coach Morgan said, clapping his thick hands toward us as we pulled apart with red faces. “I’ve got a practice to run. I’m going to need my catcher back behind home plate and Coach Padilla needs her runner back on the track. Wrap this up.”
I shot Coach a grateful smile, which he returned with a wink. With a last lingering glance into Jayden’s hungry gaze, I turned and walked away to grab the dog leashes. I could feel Jayden’s eyes on me all the way out of the diamond. And when I looked over my shoulder one last time, he was wearing a victorious grin under his catcher’s mask so big that it tugged at my heartstrings.
I couldn’t wait to see that boy in his prom tux. It felt fitting that the feud that started with a dare and silly kiss in a closet would end in a dare to go to the prom together. I loved Jayden and he loved me. Just thinking those words made me sigh with happiness as I unwrapped the hoodie that still smelled like him from my waist and pulled it over my head.
Our battles might have been epic, but I think it was safe to say, we both won fair and square in the end.
I’d dare anyone to say differently.
Epilogue
Charlotte
Rock Valley High’s prom was everything.
I couldn’t believe my parents had actually let me out of the house for this. For a single night, my grounding was on hold and I got to taste the sweet tang of freedom. I was like Cinderella in a pink knee-length gown, except my carriage was Dad’s rusty Ford Focus and my glass slipper was a cell phone that kept buzzing with reminders from my mom to check in with her.
And Prince Charming was nowhere in sight.
The Roaring Twenties theme had everyone hyped up on sugary mocktails and the booming bass of the live band playing on the stage of the school gym. Technically, I was only part of the volunteer serving staff, but even I got to dress up and walk through the crowds of seniors and juniors offering drinks on a shiny silver platter.
“Thank you, my dear,” Audrey said, snatching a green drink from my tray.
She looked every bit the future rock star in a blue backless gown and white gloves. Collin stood behind her in a matching white tux that fit his broad shoulders perfectly. I offered him a drink from my tray, but he waved me away.
“Thanks, but I’m on a sugar cleanse until after football camp,” he said, a proud smile tugging at his lips.
Audrey grabbed his arm and beamed at me, excitement dancing in her eyes. “He’s just been recruited to State’s football team. He’ll be redshirting in the fall when we both start in the music program. Isn’t that perfect?”
“That’s amazing.” I sighed happily for them, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
It was only a couple weeks until graduation and then everyone would be doing their own thing. Trina was headed to Northwestern and her boyfriend Mason would be at a school only an hour away playing basketball. Mandy had come back from her ankle injury better than ever and had qualified for the state track competition. After that, her scholarship would take her to the University of Illinois. Jayden was still trying to decide where to go, but I had the sneaking suspicion he’d choose the school closest to my sister. The two had been inseparable since that promposal.
My sister’s friends had been such a constant in my life for so long. I was happy for all of them as they graduated and moved on, even if it felt like I was losing part of my family. After permanently ditching Sarah and her nasty group of girls, I was still wading through a world of high school like a loner. But that was going to change this year. This year, I was going to figure out exactly who I was and where I fit in.
“By the way, have you guys seen my sister?” I asked Audrey. “I want to see her all dressed up. For a while there, I thought those yoga pants had permanently stuck to her skin.”
Audrey nodded and pointed toward the dance floor. It didn’t take long to pick out my sister slow dancing in her vibrant purple gown, her hair twisted up into a fancy updo with blonde ringlets falling down everywhere. Jayden held her tight in his arms, looking dashing in a slim-cut black tuxedo. They swayed to the beat of a slow song, Mandy reaching up to place a tender kiss on his lips as the back of his neck flushed red.
The sight of them together took my breath away. The reminder that I’d almost come between them was like a stab to the gut. But Mandy had never blamed me and somehow, all the damage had been patched up and those two were nauseatingly cute.
I don’t think I’d ever come close to saying enough sorries to her or our parents for what I put them through. My upcoming junior year was officially going to be zero drama.
No trouble.
Not even a sneeze.
That was my promise to them and myself. And I was determined to keep it, no matter the cost.
My phone buzzed in the clutch purse hanging from my wrist. I rushed to put the drink tray on a table and read the message. The name I saw on the screen instantly made me smile. Hunter. My best friend since middle school. The person who knew me better than anyone in the world. The boy who’d had to move away with his mom at the start of this year to some dude ranch in Texas. I missed him with every fiber inside of me.
Hunter: Hey Char char
I know you’re at prom tonight, but can you do me a favor?
I typed as fast as my fingers would work.
Me: Sure! What’s up?
Hunter: Go take your break outside the teacher’s lounge and tell me what color the moon is ASAP.
I laughed softly at his request, feeling a familiar warmth spread throughout my gut. We’d spent the last year apart comparing the moon’s color in Rock Valley to his dusty little Texas town. It always made me feel a little closer to him to be looking at the same thing.
Slipping away from the party, I hurried toward the teacher’s lounge and pushed through the exit, being sure to prop it open with a rock so I could return to my post. As soon as the cool night air hit me, I took out my phone and dialed Hunter’s number.
“I’m thinking tonight’s hue reminds me of a slice of American Cheese that’s been left in the lunchbox over winter break,” I said as soon as I heard the other line pick up, craning my neck to look up at the moon. “What about yours?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Hunter’s voice came through the line. It had deepened over the last few months, but it still held that familiar tone that made me feel all wrapped up in a comfortable blanket. “I was thinking something a bit more romantic, like those little flecks of yellow in your blue eyes.”
I placed my hand on my hip, holding back a giggle. “Okay, I could see that. Amazing. Hundreds of miles apart and our moon looks the same. Almost makes me feel like you’re here.”
“What if I was?”
; My lips formed a pout. “Don’t even joke about that. After the last couple weeks I’ve had, I wouldn’t be able to survive if you got me all excited about my best friend coming into town and then broke my heart.”
“Charlotte, I’d never break your heart,” he said in a low voice. “Remember? That’s why we made the pact. Nothing is ever going to come in the way of our friendship. Not even five hundred miles.”
I sighed and wrapped my arm around the bodice of my dress. It was good to be reminded that even during the times I felt totally lonely and isolated at Rock Valley High, my best friend was still out there. I’d never be totally alone.
“Okay, I believe you,” I said with a laugh. “You’re forgiven.”
“Good, because I have a surprise for you. Look up.”
“Wait, why?”
Blinking up in confusion at the dark lawn of the school, I spotted a figure walking toward me. As it came closer, my heart began to pound like I’d just gulped down two energy drinks in a row. It couldn’t be...
The bulb hanging from above the exit door bathed the mysterious shadow in a weak light and I couldn’t hold in my shrieks of excitement. Hunter had come home! He was here. Finally!
But this wasn’t the Hunter I remembered. My best friend had sprouted at least four inches since I last saw him. He’d traded in his lanky, awkward limbs for ones thickened with muscles and shoulders that were broad in a way that made me go all wide-eyed and speechless. I definitely didn’t remember his jawline being that square the last time we met. His once shaggy brown hair had been cut short enough to stay out of the hazel eyes that flashed with warmth when they met mine. And was that my imagination, or was he wearing a tight pair of Wrangler jeans with cowboy boots and a green flannel button down shirt?
“Hunter?” My breathing was shallow, my knees wobbly. “Is that really you?”
He stopped just three feet short of me, his lips quirking in a smile. “In the flesh. Miss me?”
“More than anything!” I sprinted toward him as fast as my heels would allow and jumped into his arms.
It used to be that I could nearly knock him over with one of my overly excited hugs, but he easily stood firm as he wrapped his strong arms around me. My face crushed into the solid width of his chest and I inhaled deeply. Hunter smelled like earth and leather and something sharp and pleasant—like pine needles. It was nice. It suited him. I couldn’t believe he was here. At Rock Valley High. Hugging me.
“You’re so tall,” I said, leaning my head back to look him in the eyes. “You’ve changed.”
He let me go and took a step back, holding his arms out at his side. “In more ways than one. What do you think?”
“I think...”
As my eyes once again took in all the changes Hunter had gone through in the past year, I pressed my lips together and furrowed my brow. That was a loaded question. To be honest, I thought he was incredibly and unexpectedly too hot for his own good. The girls had always liked my bestie, but now...if word got out, I’d never be able to break through the crowds of girls chasing after my friend. Hunter had moved away for only a year, but I hardly recognized the boy standing in front of me now.
“...I think you look like a cowboy,” I said, finally managing to fill my lungs with oxygen. “A cowboy without a horse.”
He smiled, looking pleased with himself. “I’ve got a horse. She’s being transferred to Murdoch Ranch in a few weeks. I’m all about the extreme sports now. Gotta be ready for the Rock Valley Rodeo in June.”
I grasped onto his words with a great big tidal wave of excitement and hope washing over me. “Rock Valley? Does that mean...?”
He nodded, his lips twitching with a smile. “Grandpa’s leg healed and he’s got some new help at the ranch. We just came back this weekend to fix things up at the house. My mom’s ex kind of trashed the place before he left. But yes, Mom and I are officially moving back in June.”
I couldn’t contain my excitement. I rushed him and wrapped my arms around his neck, needing to run my hands over his shoulders one last time to prove to myself he was real. It was one of those firework moments, where everything around me just burst into explosions of colored lights. Hunter was coming back! The timing couldn’t have been better. After the worst year of my life, I was ready to get back into the swing of having a best friend again. Hunter may have changed into a drool-worthy hunk of a guy, but we were still the dynamic duo. Nothing would ever change that.
“You look awesome, by the way.” Hunter pulled away enough to pin me with his hazel eyes. His gaze swept down over my dress, hugging my curves in a way that felt too intimate for the boy who used to dance and belt out songs in my room with me while we binged on raw cookie dough. All the while, my body buzzed with a strange sort of electricity. “Dang it, Charlotte, why’d you have to go and get so gorgeous on me?”
A year ago, a statement like that wouldn’t have even affected me. I would’ve punched him in the shoulder and told him to stop making stupid jokes. But now, red hot lava pooled in my stomach and I couldn’t stop the blood from rushing to my cheeks.
“You really think so?” I asked, biting my bottom lip. “You think I’ve changed, too?”
“Uh, yeah.” His fingertips sunk lightly into my waist and his tongue darted out to wet his lips. “I have the feeling I’ll be doing double time as your friend and your bodyguard this year. Got to keep those losers away.”
I had the slightly ridiculous image in my head of Hunter stalking me to each and every one of my classes during our junior year, his intimidating scowl keeping all of the guys away. I didn’t hate it. Not like I hated him dropping his hands from my waist and pulling away from me.
“Sorry, Char, but this was only supposed to be a quick visit. Mom’s waiting for me in the truck. I just couldn’t come to Rock Valley without seeing you for at least a few seconds, especially on prom night.”
I tried not to pout as he took a step back. The twinkle in his eye told me he knew I was having a hard time not rushing him again and keeping him here forever.
“You swear you’ll be back?” I asked, clutching my purse tight in my hands.
“I swear on this cowboy’s saddle,” he said with a cocky grin. “I’ll be back soon, Char. And it’ll be like I never left Rock Valley High. We’ll pick up right where we left off. Just you wait and see.”
“Night, Hunter. Thanks for the surprise.”
He tipped the bill of an invisible hat and shot me one last butterfly-inducing grin. “Night, Char. Save me a dance for next time.”
I had no doubt that he’d keep his promise to return, but as for the rest of it, I wasn’t so sure. The way my body was reacting to Hunter McNally was unlike anything I remembered from our five years of friendship. And the way my eyes drank in every inch of his retreating form in those tight jeans was yet another clue that things had definitely changed.
For the first time I could remember, I was totally regretting the pact we’d made. The very serious agreement in seventh grade that would keep us friends forever, no matter what came our way. It contained three simple rules: Never reveal the top-secret location of our hangout. Always make up after a fight.
And most importantly of all—never fall for each other.
If I didn’t get my act together, I was going to be in trouble.
As I stumbled back inside the prom, my head was spinning so fast I nearly collided with my own sister. Mandy took advantage of my momentary confusion and wrapped her arm around my waist, steering me toward the beverage table.
“Perfect timing, little sis. I’ve been looking for you all night. We’ve got a proposal for you. Actually, it’s for all three of you.”
She stopped short of the three-tiered punch bowl and pointed to the two sophomores helping fill cups with sparkling pink liquid. The one with the curly brown hair and red lips curled in a suspicious expression was Lexi, Audrey’s little sister. The girl next to her with the long, blonde curly hair and green eyes was Trina‘s little sister, Beth. She looked sl
ightly less suspicious and more amused as Mandy shot them a beaming smile that dripped with excitement. I’d never really hung out with either of them before, but I knew Lexi ran with a popular crowd of kids and Beth typically stuck with the gaming geeks.
“The girls and I have been talking,” Mandy said, leaning her hip on the table. “When we’re gone at school next year, you three are going to have to look after each other.”
“Seriously?” I glanced over at Lexi and Beth. Neither of them seemed too willing to jump right into making friendship bracelets and braiding each other’s hair. “This isn’t some weird version of Fiddler on the Roof. We don’t need a matchmaker. I think we’re all okay on our own.”
“Nope. Call this a friend-tervention,” Audrey said, appearing by my side. “You’re going to be besties whether you like it or not.”
Lexi scoffed and crossed her arms. I couldn’t help but mimic her pose. My best friend was already moving back home in a few weeks. I wasn’t a charity case in need of people who didn’t want me around. I didn’t have much, but I had my pride.
“Come on, ladies.” Trina showed up on Mandy’s other side in a delicate sparkling orange dress that poofed at the waist. She held Mason’s hand, who was looking at her like she’d just handed him front row tickets for the Mets. “We’re not saying you guys have to drop the friends you have. Just think of these as bonus sisters. Someone you can go to when you feel like you have no one else around. Dare you to at least give it a try.”
Trina’s words had a soothing effect. As my outrage began to fade, my gaze darted to each of the girls. They were looking at me with a similar helpless acceptance of our big sisters’ plans. Bonus sisters. I supposed that didn’t sound so bad.
I seriously doubted either of them needed extra help in the friends department, but I guess it didn’t hurt in my situation. I’d been floundering without Hunter this year. And after our quick and slightly alarming meeting in the moonlight outside, it seemed like I could use all the friends I could get.
Dare You to Fall for the Catcher Page 18
