One Smart Cookie

by Kym Brunner

  I hug Andre, laughing. “Thank you! It’s perfect!”

  He smiles teasingly. “Of course, you won’t look as good in it as I did, but you shouldn’t look too bad.” He grabs my arm. “If you don’t rock his world tonight in this outfit, you need to dump him for a real man.” He squeezes my arm gently, adding, “But not my Sampson.” He closes his tackle box and stands. “He’s already taken.”

  Chapter 22

  AT EIGHT PAST SIX, Giovanni shows up, almost managing to be ten minutes late like I asked him. I know I should play it cool so he can’t tell that this date is all I’ve thought about for twenty-four hours, but that’s not the real me. As much as I love Cosmo quizzes, I think a person has to stay true to who they are if they want to find true love. I’ll always be D: In Desperate Need of Help.

  Luckily, Giovanni seems like the kind of guy who is type E: Loves Hanging with Type D Girls.

  As he gets out of his car, I’m mesmerized by how incredibly hot he looks in snug jeans and a red T-shirt. The sun glints off his window as he shuts the door, lighting a spark of hope in my heart. Tonight I’m showing Giovanni how happy I am to have a second shot. I start off by hurrying out to meet him. Teegan purposely makes guys wait for her when they pick her up, to drag out their anticipation, but I think it sounds like a big drag, period.

  He whistles when he sees me. “Hi there, pretty girl.” He looks me up and down, a huge grin on his face, which doesn’t feel creepy at all. Not like when Nick did it. “Wow, you look great!” He opens his arms for a hug.

  I could practically burst into flames from the heat that compliment generated. “You look pretty great yourself.” As we hug, I rub my cheek against his buff chest.

  He kisses the top of my head. “I’m excited for tonight.”

  “Me too.” And then, without thinking, I look up and kiss him on the lips. What are you doing, Sophie! Let him take the lead.

  It must have been the right move because he pulls me closer, and we kiss for a few more seconds. He tastes like cinnamon and smells like heaven. I could kiss him all night, but the parking lot is not my idea of a romantic setting.

  He raises his eyebrows. “Is that the way you greet all your dates?”

  His question makes me realize that he thinks he’s still in competition with Nick. Should I tell him now or wait? “Nope. Just you.”

  “Good. To hell with that other chump.” We hold hands as we walk around to my side of the car. He opens the door for me, reminding me again of how different he is from Nick.

  I remember to greet his car properly. “Hello, Purple Hazel! How are you tonight?” I pat the hood twice before hopping in. The spicy scent of his cologne makes me feel crazy-happy.

  We drive for twenty minutes, chatting and laughing like we’ve been on a million dates. He heads east toward the lake, just like last time. I know it’s stupid, but I’m a bit disappointed that he’s taking me on the same date twice. “Oak Street beach?” I smile as if I don’t mind.

  He makes a sour face. “No way! I don’t do repeats. Besides, I’ve got a lot riding on tonight. I mean, maybe Idiot Boy took you to the moon last night. I had to come up with something really great to win you over to my side.” He squeezes my knee. The words “win you over” make me feel like I actually have been to the moon and back.

  I know Teegan would tell me to just shut up and let him think that he’s got competition. She always says that guys are hunters and if you’re easy prey, the hunter moves on. Like he doesn’t feel like he’s brought down the big prize. I don’t care what the “right” thing is to do—I don’t want to lose Giovanni again over my stupidity. If someone is winning a prize, it’s me.

  I clear my throat. “Um…about that. I have a confession to make.”

  “Uh-oh. You’re not going to tell me that the deal’s off, are you? That no matter what happens tonight, you won’t be able to make up your mind?” His eyebrows crinkle together, like he’s actually worried that he’s in second place.

  I shake my head, smiling. “No, no! Nothing like that. In fact, it’s the opposite.”

  “What do you mean?” He glances at me quickly before turning onto Lake Shore Drive. Seeing Lake Michigan on our left and downtown Chicago straight ahead makes me shiver with excitement.

  Being with Giovanni now makes me question why I ever went out with Nick in the first place. Why was I waiting for Dola to make that decision for me? I twirl my ring, looking down at my hands. “I never went out with Idiot Boy last night. I dumped him Thursday night.”

  “Really?” He rolls down the window and shouts, “She dumped Idiot Boy!” at the top of his lungs, making me laugh hysterically.

  I roll my window down and scream, “Idiot Boy sucks!”

  We’re both still chuckling at our silliness when Giovanni exits to the inner drive. This becomes Michigan Avenue, the most expensive strip of downtown real estate. We drive past the John Hancock, Prada, Coach, Bloomingdales, and Water Tower Place. The gorgeous weather means there are a ton of horse-and-buggy carriages out for a ride with cozy couples aboard. “We’re almost there!” he tells me. “Ready to be on top of the world?”

  As much as I love Michigan Avenue and being treated like a princess, I don’t want him to spend a fortune trying to impress me when I’m already there. “I’m ready for anything. But seriously, I don’t want you to go broke tonight or anything.”

  “What?” He looks at me, a worried look on his face.

  With a wave toward my surroundings, I explain, “Come on. This is the Mag Mile. A glass of water costs eight bucks anywhere on this strip. You don’t have to do this.”

  “Uh-oh.” He shakes his head, looking aggravated with himself.

  “Uh-oh, what-oh?” I ask nervously.

  He takes a deep breath. “Maybe I should have told you where we’re going. Now you might be disappointed.”

  My heart breaks a little when I see the worry lines on his forehead. “Never! I like spending time with you. It doesn’t matter where we go.”

  “Okay, good. Because when I said the top of the world, I meant this.” He turns the corner onto Grand Avenue and the city’s largest Ferris wheel comes into view, lit up against the Chicago sky.

  I clap excitedly. “Navy Pier!”

  After we find a spot to park, we walk, arms wrapped around each other, down the entire length of the outdoor boardwalk. Even though it’s still eighty and sunny, there’s a slight breeze off Lake Michigan, which feels amazing on my flushed cheeks. Giovanni orders two Lemon Shake-Ups at one of the stands, and I quickly grab my wallet. I don’t want to be like my mother, expecting the guy to pay for everything.

  He scrunches his face, as if offended. “Put your money away. Tonight’s on me.”

  “Thanks!” To be honest, it does feel good when my date pays for me. But unlike my mom, next time I’ll treat. If there is a next time, I think nervously. We sip our drinks and head for the Ferris wheel. A group of four girls my age walk by. Two sets of eyes linger on Giovanni, so I shoot them a warning glance. I’m with the nicest, sweetest, and best-looking guy in the city tonight, and I want everyone to know he’s with me. I wrap my arm tighter around his waist, and he responds by pulling me close and giving me a sweet, lemony kiss.

  After Gio buys tickets for the Ferris wheel, we get at the end of a long line. I’ve never felt more grown up than I do at this moment—on a date, in public, holding hands. Yes! We finally get to the front, and that’s when I see that the Ferris wheel never stops. It moves at such a slow and steady pace, that the riders have plenty of time to enter and exit. Giovanni and I hop into the red oval car and immediately scooch in close together. With the late summer sun hanging low over the lake, the criss-cross pattern from the wire cage makes a tic-tac-toe board across Gio’s face. I know right where I want to place my Xs.

  “This is so awesome!” My spirits lift in perfect tandem with the ride. “The lakefront looks so beautiful. I can’t believe how many things you can see from here!”

  “Yeah, look!
There’s the Planetarium.” Giovanni points, reaching across me. I turn to look, but don’t see the famous dome anywhere.

  “Where?” I turn to look at him to find out exactly where he’s pointing and nearly bump into his face in the process. His chocolately-brown eyes are inches from mine, and I can feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek.

  “Whoops. My mistake.” His eyes have a dreamy look to them, which I’m pretty sure means he’s really into me. He leans in, and we enjoy another round of amazing kisses. In contrast to his warm lips, his tongue is lemony and slightly cool. Since we both still have drinks in our hands, I don’t know if he’s an explorer like Nick, but I’m pretty sure Gio will take things a bit slower, just the way I like it. My free hand’s on his knee, and his hand gently strokes the side of my neck. I let out a quiet moan of contentment.

  After a sweet minute of kissing, we settle back in our seats, cozy in each other’s arms. Gio asks, “So…I’m curious. Why’d you dump Idiot Boy anyway?”

  I frown. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “Not about him, just tell me what he did that made you decide to dump him.” He shrugs, looking down a second. “I don’t want to mess things up between us, so tell me what made things go south, so I don’t do the same thing.”

  A jolt of panic streaks down to my toes. Do I tell him the truth or make something up? Will he be freaked out that I still have my V card, or be glad about it?

  My brain sends the answer loud and clear: That’s an easy one, world’s worst liar.

  I look down, fiddling with the bendable straw in my drink, trying to think of a way to say this so it’s not awkward. “To tell you the truth, it was more of something I said that made him decide he didn’t want to go out with me again.”

  “He broke up with you?” Giovanni squints at me, confused. “What could you possibly say to him that was that horrible?”

  Shit. If I don’t tell him the truth, he’s going to think I admitted I was a transvestite or after I told him our eatery is a front for my illegal phone-sex operation. I take a deep breath. “I told him that I hadn’t slept with anyone before.” Before Giovanni has a chance to give me his take on my Big V status, I glance up into his eyes. “Not that I’m waiting for marriage or anything, I just wanted my first time to be…I don’t know, magical?”

  That’s when I realize that magic might be the only thing keeping Giovanni on this date. I bite my lip, waiting to hear his response.

  “It’s time,” the grungy worker says as he opens the cage, giving me a total creeper once-over. “For lots of things, heh-heh.” He licks his lips and nods at Giovanni.

  Oh God. I’m being given advice by a Ferris wheel operator. Maybe I should check for an audience before revealing my virginal status to every freak on the street. Giovanni helps me get out of the Ferris wheel, but so far, there’s no reaction to my announcement, except for the maniacal grin from the carny. As I’m heading down the ramp, I hear Giovanni behind me say, “What the hell did you say?”

  I stop and turn around. Giovanni’s glaring at the guy, face-to-face. The worker mumbles a rushed apology before slinking away. A rush of OHMYGODHEISAMAZING overtakes my entire body. Giovanni just defended my honor? How adorable is that?

  Giovanni catches up to me. “Sorry. That guy was a total douche.”

  I slip my hand into his and squeeze. “That was so cute, how you stuck up for me like that. Thank you so much.”

  “I wasn’t trying to be cute, but you’re welcome.” He squeezes my hand back, giving me a shy smile. “When my dad was alive, he’d get super pissed when my brothers or I didn’t treat my mom or my sister right. I didn’t really get it…until now.” A couple clears a bench right by the water, and we take their spot. “Being protective…I guess that makes me old school.”

  “Good, because I’m old school too. It’s in my blood, I guess. Living with Busia and her old Polish customs. Food, friends, and family…that’s the important stuff in our house.” After setting my drink on the bench, I dry my hands on my skirt.

  Gio smiles and pats his thigh. Smiling, I sit on his lap, sliding my hands around his neck. “That’s better,” he says with a grin, tucking a few stray hairs behind my ear. “And it’s the same with my family. And just for the record, I’m not worried about if and when we take it to the next level.” He grins sheepishly. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve thought of the two of us together. But it’s not like I need to rush things. I won’t bring it up again until you do.”

  “Thanks. I’m relieved to hear you say that,” I say, feeling a rush of something inside my heart that I never felt before. Is this what falling in love feels like? How do people know? If it’s when there’s no one else in the world you’d rather be with, then I am definitely falling in love. Maybe even plunging in love.

  “And I’m relieved to hear you haven’t slept with a million guys before. It’s really sexy to think that maybe someday I’ll be your first. But I want to make sure that we’re both set on it only being you and me right now, and no one else in the picture, okay?” His beautiful brown eyes framed by thick black lashes gaze at me filled with worry.

  “More than okay, it’s perfect.” He grins, melting my heart. I run my fingers through his hair and we kiss—a romantic kind of kiss that I don’t want to end. “Does this mean I can change my Facebook status to ‘In a relationship’?”

  “Definitely.” He lifts me and sets me back on my feet. “There’s supposed to be fireworks tonight. Let’s go grab a good spot near the end of the pier before they start.”

  As we head back to the lake, hand-in-hand, I realize that I’ll never know for sure if all the amazing things that have happened to me so far this summer were because of Busia’s deal with Dola, or because this was just the way things were meant to be.

  All I know is that I’m not going to jinx my good luck, tempt my fate, or make any more deals for a long time to come. It’s time for this girl to stop reaching for the stars and enjoy the fireworks—especially the ones Gio and I are about to generate all on our own.

  The End

  Acknowledgments

  We’ve arrived at one of my favorite parts of writing a book—thanking all those who helped make it possible. Getting to this point is nothing short of miraculous, and I’m really blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

  First and foremost, I’d like to thank God for giving me the time, and presumably, the talent, to write this book. I also want to give a giant shout-out of appreciation to the wonderful Omnific Publishing team—they dazzled me with their editorial and creative brilliance and helped whip this book into shape. I’m grateful to have worked with such a friendly, hard-working, and wise team of talented people.

  Next up are enthusiastic hugs of gratitude to my literary buddies in my two critique groups and my longtime SCBWI-IL friends. I cannot imagine how different my life would be without meeting you and having your friendship and support. I need my writer friends the same way that cookies need chocolate chips—often and in large quantities.

  Every day I’m thankful for all my friends and colleagues in school district #23, who consistently wow me with their generosity and humor. You make it fun to go to work and you consistently wow me with their generosity and humor. Thanks also to my Facebook, Good Counsel, and family friends (with special props to Michelle Ruby and to my Reality TV crew: Jeanne, Jenny, Linda, and Jordan) for making me smile every day and for sharing your lives with me. You provide me with so many stories (both heartfelt and heartbreaking) that bring my characters to life. Hope you don’t mind if you see yourself in one of my characters.

  Moving on to those I’ve known the longest, I’m truly in awe of the unwavering support of my parents OB & Rita (who also serves as my eagle-eye proofreader), the unstoppable Brunner clan and Lange families, and my brothers Keith and Kevin. I also have unceasing joy and gratitude for my daughters Emily, Karly, and Kaitlin, along with my husband John, who together, provide me with daily bouts of sunshine and without whom, my
life would be a dreary unfulfilled mess. Thanks for letting me have “write-all-days,” for endlessly running ideas past you and setting me straight when my dialogue or my plot twists go off-track. Thanks for always being there and for making me feel loved. I couldn’t be who I am without all of you in my life.

  And finally, to my two wonderful Polish grandmothers, Grandma Josephine and Busia, I love and miss you both so very much. Thank you for teaching me about my heritage through foods, stories, and customs. This book would not have been born if not for the two of you being a loving beacon of guidance in my life.

  About the Author

  Kym Brunner dreams entire books in her head, but then needs about a year to write the whole thing down. She wishes there was an app for this. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching seventh grade or watching movies, reality TV, or scoping out the social media scene. She lives in a Chicago suburb with her family and two dogs. Friend her at Author Kym Brunner or find her on Goodreads.

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