by Anna Kyss
“Good point.” She sighs. “I can’t believe we just disappeared from the party. They’re totally going to think we’re…”
The night’s far too dark for me to see her blush, but I can tell this is one of those rare times her cheeks are pinking. I want to make her say it. “What are they going to think? That we’re running through the sprinklers?”
She giggles but stares down at the water. “No, that we’re…”
“What?” I can’t contain my laughter. “You can’t say the word?”
“You knew what I meant.” She averts her eyes.
“You sounded almost as proper as Mrs. Eckerly.”
“Oh, can you imagine the rumors she’s going to spread?” Maddie covers her mouth. “This was a terrible idea. Daddy’s going to be furious with me.”
I swim a little closer, leaving a few inches between us. “He should be furious with your lying, cheating ex.”
For a minute, Maddie quietly treads water. “You’re right. I can’t believe how close I came to getting engaged to him. Am I just a terrible judge of character?”
“I can’t speak to your past, but I think you’ve been making some pretty awesome choices more recently.” I grin at her.
“How am I ever going to trust anyone again?”
It’s a good thing Andrew’s not around, because that one statement makes me—pacifist or not—want to punch him in the face. The jerk doesn’t even care about the harm he’s done.
I force my fist to loosen, then I reach across the water and gently cup her chin. “One day, you are going to find someone who completely cherishes you. When that happens, he won’t have eyes for anyone but you.”
“Do you think that’s possible?” She still sounds dejected.
I would give anything to strip away the defeat and heartbreak she’s experienced. I want to be the lucky one who gets to cherish her. That’s when it really hits me. I have fallen for this girl, who’s so far out of my league it isn’t even funny.
“Probably just a silly girl’s dream, huh?” she adds.
“You’re going to find him someday. And when you do, I want you to know something.” I’m going out on a limb here, and I picture one of Grandmother’s spindly branches cracking off and falling, falling, falling…
“What?”
“Andrew was wrong. Not all men cheat.” I slur my words together in my hurry to get them out. “I never have and never will.”
Maddie
I PULL on my soggy ballroom gown. A year ago, I would have been devastated about ruining this designer item. Now, I’m only upset I don’t have dry, comfortable clothes to change into. My life has changed since I climbed that tree. After all these years, I’m finally discovering myself.
Why did it take so long?
My night in the tree has remained emblazoned on my mind. I’m sure that I’ll never forget skinny-dipping at the country club, either. I’m not blind to the fact that all these new memories have a single commonality: Soul.
In his damp outfit, he emerges from behind a perfectly manicured shrub. “The stories about Cinderella must be true,” he jokes, looking me up and down. “She transforms after midnight.”
“Hey, you don’t look much better.” I’m lying, though. His wet shirt clings to his chest and seems almost translucent in the moonlight. His wet locks of hair are darker than usual, which only highlights his icy-blue eyes. As soaked and disheveled as he is, Soul has never looked hotter.
The crisp breeze causes goose bumps to parade up and down my arms, and my wet dress only accentuates the chill. One initial shiver becomes contagious, and I can’t stop shaking.
“Come here.” He holds out his arm, and I move into his embrace. Soul’s body radiates warmth, and I find myself pressing closer and closer. “I’ve always preferred the Cinderella that sings with the birds and critters over the ready-for-the-ball girl,” he murmurs.
I have to hold in my sigh. Everybody has always valued me for my carefully cultivated appearance and perfectly executed social grace. Soul may be the first person who has liked me for being me.
I can’t help but snuggle closer. Red-hot sparks fight my chills. Soul’s musky smell combines with his electrifying touch. I’m on sensory overload and in grave danger of losing control entirely.
“Note to self: bring dry clothes next time we go skinny-dipping,” he says.
“The whole purpose of skinny-dipping is that our clothes were supposed to stay dry.” My teeth actually chatter. “I love how you assume there’s going to be a next time.”
“I can always dream,” he whispers.
Me too. Because if I’m honest, I don’t want this night to end.
Back at the country club, the parking lot is empty, save Soul’s car. My heart drops. “I totally thought we could sneak out of here, unseen, but I forgot we used valet parking.”
“I warned you of the dangers of valet.” He shakes his finger at me, with a serious look on his face. “I guess we’ll have to venture into the club and find somebody who’s still working.”
“No!” I grab his arm. “The club employees gossip more than Mrs. Eckerly. Can you imagine the stories they’d tell when they spot us?”
He appears to think for a moment. “We could see if your father would pick us up.”
“That’s even worse!” I start to panic. I abandon the rules for one night—one amazingly wonderful night—and my recklessness is going to ruin me.
Soul crouches near the trunk of his car and reaches underneath it. “Or, we could just use my spare key.”
When he retrieves his hidden key box, I throw my arms around him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Then I punch him in the shoulder.
“Ow! What was that for?” He rubs his shoulder.
“You didn’t have to tease me.”
“But it was so fun!” He unlocks the car and opens the passenger door for me. “Seeing the panic spread across your face and then getting to be your hero. I should get bonus points for the hero thing.”
The challenge. Was this whole night a part of his game? When I first heard Sage’s plea, I would have done nearly anything to help him, for my cousin’s sake. If I’m honest, the challenges also appealed to my competitive side, but somewhere along the way, that changed. I’m not hanging out with Soul to win some silly prize or to help Abby. I like spending time with him. I admire how he puts his principles first. And most of all, I like the person I’m becoming the longer I’m around Soul.
I’ve had plenty of friends who changed themselves for the boys they were dating, but this is different. I’m not conforming to his interests and his dreams. Instead, Soul is holding open the door to my inner sanctum, freeing the me I’ve always wanted to be. Sure, I might have figured out how to open that door on my own one day. But how much deeper would I have sunk before I even found the door?
Isn’t that how the best relationships are supposed to work? Couples encourage one another to grow and support each other’s progress. During the years I was with Andrew, he stifled me and kept me in the same narrow boxes that Daddy did. He never asked about my dreams or interests. Instead, he focused entirely on my “duties.”
I’ve grown more in these few weeks of friendship with Soul, than in all my years with Andrew. It highlights how my old relationship is better dead and buried… and that maybe it’s time to pursue something more serious with Soul.
Soul
AS WE drive away from the country club, Denver’s lights illuminate the night. I’m not ready for tonight to end, but I know Maddie’s miserable sitting in yards of soggy pink silk, and I can’t stand to see her uncomfortable. I can almost feel the shift happening. For the first time, I’m going to place a girl ahead of my values.
“So, do I get a hero prize?” I ask.
“That depends. I still think we should have a full-disclosure policy around prizes,” she says.
“Full disclosure takes all the fun away.” I run my finger down her waterlogged dress. “Keep up the spirit of rebellion, at lea
st for tonight.”
“What do you have planned?”
“First stop: a twenty-four-hour superstore. I’m making a rare exception to my ‘no big-box stores’ rule. We need to get more comfortable.”
“Dry clothes!” She glances at me excitedly. When I nod, she adds, “I could kiss you.”
Oh, Maddie. Please do. I’ve been dreaming of kissing her all night. If I’m honest, I’ve been thinking about it since that first kiss we shared in the tree.
I must be looking a little too lusty, because she shakes her head and says, “It’s a figure of speech. For expressing gratitude.”
“I can think of a whole bunch of ways you could express some gratitude.” I wink at her, making it clear that I’m joking, though I wish I wasn’t.
I’m ready to move this—whatever this is—to the next step. I want more. I’m not sure that Maddie’s ready for anything else, though, so for now, I keep things playful.
I park in the nearly empty lot of the supercenter. Lights blare from inside the door, and the signs read, “Open 24 Hours.” Perfect.
I make a big deal of opening the car door for her. “I’m going to show you how a real man treats his woman.”
“Oh, yeah?” She grins and doesn’t even flinch at my use of possessives. My sister would have flipped out if some dude called her “his woman,” but she’s always been a little uptight that way.
I grab a metal shopping cart from the lot and carefully fold in the infant seat. “First, I would sweep her off her feet.”
She watches me like she has no idea what my end game is. She’s right—she has no idea what I have planned in the store.
I reach down and place one arm under Maddie’s knees and the other behind her back, then take her in my arms. For the briefest moment, I hold her so close that our noses almost touch, but I force myself to deposit her in the shopping cart.
For a moment, I wonder if she’s going to protest. Being pushed around in a shopping cart seems far too undignified for someone so concerned with being proper. But I guess there’s no way to maintain much dignity while wearing a soaked, grass-stained ball gown, with post-skinny-dipping hair and makeup.
She laughs. “I have never been swept off my feet in my life. What else would you—oops, I mean, what else would ‘a real man’ do?”
She’s playing along. Excellent. Playful Maddie is my favorite. “Recite poetry, of course.”
The automatic doors close behind us, and as I push the cart past the book aisle, I grab a colorful children’s classic from the shelves. I open the book to the first page and recite the familiar rhymes.
Maddie sits up and grabs for the book. “Is that Dr. S—?”
I hold the book overhead and sigh. “Sit back, relax. Close your eyes and imagine you’re floating down the Seine, while you listen to the words of poetry’s greatest master.”
She actually follows my suggestion, allowing me to recite my limericks and verses. By the time we reach the travel aisle, I am on the last page. I couldn’t have timed it more perfectly. Just as she opens her eyes, I grab a hot-pink eye mask.
“After some romantic poems—”
She shakes her head but can’t help laughing. “Romantic? You think Daisy-head M—”
“Shh! You completely interrupted me.” I slide the eye mask over her eyes. “Like I was saying, after some poetry, women love being taken on extravagant shopping trips full of surprises.”
I push her to the women’s section and search for an outfit she would never have chosen herself. Looking for the most comfortable clothes possible, I find pale-green sweats that should end right below her knees and a matching soft cotton T-shirt. I throw in a matching jersey hoodie, in case she’s still cold. Making my way across the women’s section, I pick out a pair of ivory cotton panties trimmed with lace. I glance over at the bras, but have no idea how to pick out one of those. The sizing makes no sense at all.
Better to let her go braless.
“Should I be nervous? You’ve been pretty quiet for a while now.” She raises her hands to the mask.
“Wait!” I rush over to the men’s aisle and throw a few things in the cart for myself. “I’m almost done.”
When we get to the dressing rooms, I remove her mask and lift her from the cart. “Try on your new surprises. Actually, just wear them. We’ll have the cashier ring us up at the register.”
She heads into one of the dressing rooms on one side of the aisle, while I move to the other. Too bad they don’t have co-ed dressing chambers here. I rush to get out of my soaked clothes and into the new ones. I want to be waiting when she heads out of her room.
A few minutes later, she steps out to the cart. “They fit perfectly.”
They do. The T-shirt’s just the right kind of snug, and the sweats leave her long calves exposed. Funny how supercenter specials look even better than designer ball gowns.
When I glance down, I notice her bare feet. “Oops. Missed something.”
I plop her back into the shopping cart and race to the shoe aisle. Sure enough, they have exactly what I’m looking for. “What shoe size do you wear?”
“Sevens,” she says, eyeing the racks.
I reach for black Converses nearly identical to mine and hand them to her. “So much better than fancy shoes. Your feet are in for a treat.”
“That was quite a date.” Her eyes flicker to my face, as if she’s unsure if it’s okay to use the word.
“Hey, I haven’t even gotten to the wining and dining part yet,” I protest. We’re at the food aisles now, and I throw in granola bars and a chilled bottle of sparkling water. “Some Perrier, my dear?”
“I would love some Perrier.” She throws her Converse-clad feet over the cart. “That sounds delightful.”
I zoom into the nearest empty checkout line. The cashier’s eyes widen as she sees us.
“Would you let me borrow your handheld scanner?” I ask.
The girl’s eyes flicker from her scanner to the customer service desk. This scenario was obviously not part of her training. After a moment, she hands over her scanner. I hold it to Maddie’s various tags—T-shirt, shoes, sweatpants—and wait for each beep. I then do the same for my new outfit.
When I move to return the scanner, Maddie stops me. “Um, you forgot something.”
Oh yeah, how am I going to ring up those? I move the scanner down and begin to stretch her sweatpants back.
“No, the tag’s in my hand.” Maddie twists out of the way and hands me her panty tag.
“We had to make sure we scanned every item.” I explain to the still wide-eyed clerk, as I hand her back the scanner. “You can ring up our foodstuffs, though.”
She hands us the water bottle and box of granola bars. “Um, have a good night?”
Maddie purses her lips until we leave the store. As soon as we reach the parking lot, she loses it. “That poor girl. Did you see her face?” she says, between bouts of laughter.
I crack up, too. “I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun. I’ll take twenty-four-hour supercenters over high-society benefits any night.”
Maddie climbs out of the cart, using my body for leverage. At one point, she has her arm wrapped my neck and her other hand pressing against my chest. Sweet temptation, I am losing this battle.
“What’s next?” she asks, as she steps back into the car.
I love that she wants more, too. I can’t help wishing she’ll always want more. “Well, we have fancy European water to drink. Should we head out for a picnic?”
“A middle-of-the-night picnic?” She smiles at me.
“Aren’t those the very best ones?”
“I’ve never gone on an after-midnight picnic. I’ve never done any of this before, actually. Riding in the cart blindfolded and wearing our clothes before they were paid for…”
“I’m kind of surprised you went along with that,” I admit. “I thought you might be too worried.”
“I know! What if they accused us of shoplifting?” She
gazes at me, slowly leaning closer. “I decided to shove aside any worries and trust you.”
“You put that much faith in me?” I ask quietly. Our faces are still only inches apart.
She nervously licks her bottom lip, and for a moment, I can’t look anywhere else.
“Thank you.” She cups my cheek in her soft hand.
This is the moment. The only thing I want now is for our lips to finally meet, and she’s giving every indication she wants the same thing. I lean closer, and then my blasted phone begins to ring.
Maddie
I WISH I could throw his phone out the window. He was about to kiss me. Even though our night in the tree was only a few short weeks ago, it feels like I’ve been waiting forever for that kiss.
He frowns down at the phone but answers it. “What’s up?”
I lean back against my seat and try not to sigh in frustration. Maybe we could replicate the moment on our picnic.
“Nobody’s there? What happened?” Soul’s voice sounds sharper than usual. Then he’s silent as he listens intently. “Yeah.” He sighs. “I’m in Denver, and I have to drop Maddie off first, but I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
He flips shut his old-school phone and groans. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to reschedule our picnic.”
I have to concentrate on hiding my disappointment. After a moment, I ask, “What happened?”
“I have to squat. Someone left Grandmother unguarded.” He rubs his brow then sticks the key in the ignition.
“Isn’t the forest closer to here than Boulder?” Maybe if I make it seem like the practical solution, I won’t come across as clingy or needy.
“Don’t worry.” He backs out of our parking spot and heads back for the highway. “I’m going to drop you off first.”
“That’s a lot of driving so late at night. Maybe…” I pause and glance at his reaction.
Nothing. He drives along stoically.
“Maybe, I should just come to the tree with you.”
That catches his attention. “You’d do that?”
