His dark eyes filled with amusement as they flicked up and down me for a second. “Yeah, sure. But wait—aren’t you Hunter McNally’s girl?”
Blood rushed to my cheeks. No one had ever called me that before. I got a strange head rush just hearing it. But that was wrong. So very, very wrong.
“Nope, we’re just friends.” I cocked my head impatiently to the side. “Do you want to go, or what? Do they let you guys off of that ranch?”
His lips cracked a grin, as if he were impressed by my attitude. “I’ll find a way to be there. Meet you at nine?”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
The noise his friends made when I turned to walk away was loud and embarrassing. I squinted at the ground, trying not to trip and give them further fuel to mock me. As confident as I’d sounded, I needed some help. I’d never been on a real date before. It was time to find Lexi and Beth and beg for some help.
But when a woman in a power suit and designer heels brushed past me, nearly knocking me to the ground, I finally looked up from my feet. The woman seemed slightly familiar, like I’d seen her on TV or something. She marched up to Sarah, who was sitting by herself on the bleachers and staring down at her phone with a dejected expression. It was so different from the snobbish sneer she usually wore on her face that it was almost hard to recognize her.
“Did I miss it?” the woman asked, looking around at the milling crowd.
Sarah glanced up, her eyes narrowing. “I told you it started at ten, Mom. Where were you?”
I slowed down my pace, straining to hear as much of the conversation as possible. Mom had always said eavesdropping was rude. Especially after all the times I’d stood outside my sister’s bedroom and listened in on her private conversations. But this was too good to pass up. I was morbidly curious about what kind of creature had birthed someone so evil as Sarah Claiborne. Her mom definitely looked high maintenance. From her expensive dye job to her manicured nails and designer handbag, it was clear the woman had taste and expectations. I’d never met her. She was always working when all the girls hung at Sarah’s house.
“You know this time of year is hard for me,” Sarah’s mom complained, pulling a ringing phone from her bag. “I’ve got campaigns running. You can’t expect me to be at all of your events.”
“Or any of them,” Sarah muttered as her mom answered her phone.
A twinge of sympathy shot through me. It was as unwelcome as a massive zit on my chin. I didn’t want to feel sorry for Sarah, but seeing her sitting there, slumped over while her mom ignored her was not the kind of payback I had in mind after this year.
My mom had plenty on her own plate. With a heart condition, a busy restaurant, and everything else, she still found time to come to my events. Sarah’s mom was something else. I couldn’t help but feel grateful for my own.
But feeling sorry for Sarah wasn’t on my radar at that moment. Lexi and Beth were just up ahead, waiting for me to find them. And better yet, Hunter was with them, standing there looking so cool and confident. Not at all like the way I was feeling inside. The sight of him made my stomach drop. Still, now was not the time to chicken out. I bounced up to them with a giant smile on my face, tucking my hands in my jean pockets.
“Hey, guys. Guess who has a date tonight?”
Lexi bounced up and down, grinning from ear to ear. “You did it? You asked him out?”
“Sure did.” I ran a hand over my wavy hair, keeping my gaze away from Hunter. I didn’t need to see his reaction to my news. “We’re going to a movie tonight. I need help getting ready. You in?”
“I’m so in, I’m next season,” Lexi squealed. “I can’t believe you guys are going out. Beth thought you never would.”
“I didn’t say they never would,” Beth said with a shrug. “I just didn’t think it would happen this week. You guys are cute together.”
She pointed at me, and then at Hunter. I followed the direction of her finger to see Hunter staring at me, his eyes as wide as his belt buckle. His neck was flushed and his mouth hanging open. Panic shot through me.
“Woah, Hunter and I are not going out.” I held up my hands in front of me. They totally had the wrong idea. “I just asked Graham out to a movie tonight.”
Lexi and Beth exchanged disbelieving expressions as I tried to pull myself together. No, I wasn’t going out with Hunter. He didn’t like me like that. He’d made it perfectly clear yesterday after our riding lesson that it wasn’t ever going to happen. The world was as it should be.
And I was happy about that.
In fact, I was moving on.
“You? Asked Graham out?” Hunter’s chest deflated a little as he stared at me. “Why?”
“Because...it’s good for me to get out there.” I crossed my arms over my chest and blinked at him. “You’re only young once.”
“But he’s a jerk.” His gaze darted over to where Graham was standing and then back to me.
I scoffed. “Do you have anything else on the guy besides the fact that you think he’s a jerk?”
His eyes narrowed the slightest. “Not exactly...”
“Well then, be glad it’s only a date. It’s not like I’m marrying him.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, mirroring me. “Well, I don’t like it. I don’t think you should go.”
I laughed hollowly. What was his problem? One minute, he was saying we should never kiss again and the next he was trying to keep me from dating other guys. I had no idea what he wanted from me. To never date anyone? That was ridiculous. Frustration bubbled up in my gut.
“It’s a good thing I don’t need your approval,” I said, sticking my tongue out at him. Real mature, I know. But it was all I could do in the moment.
He glared at me, but I could still see a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Fine. Do what you want.”
“I will.” I looped my arms through Lexi and Beth’s and spun them around. It didn’t even matter that they’d been speechless during that whole argument. I was marching away with them in style, proving a point to Hunter as we left.
No matter what wrench he threw in my plans, I was going to find a way to erase that kiss from my memory. If I had to date Graham and all of the other boys in the rodeo, I was going to make it happen.
He could try and stop me, but it would never work.
He knew how stubborn his best friend was.
Chapter Sixteen
Scary movies made me want to die.
But I’d also heard they made the perfect date night, so when I met Graham outside of Rock Valley’s tiny three-room theater, we went for the latest slasher.
Graham made for a great date. He looked steaming hot in his black jeans and gray v-neck tee, his hands tucked in the front pockets of his pants as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The other girls snuck peeks at him as we stood in line to get our popcorn. The effect made me stand a little taller and feel a bit brighter about tonight.
Yep, Charlotte Hale could nab a good one. I wasn’t a man repellant after all.
Not that it mattered. I was here for one reason only—to completely eliminate any residual feelings I held for my best friend. A hot date and maybe even a little kissing was all it was going to take. I was sure of it. And then, I was going to wonder what the heck I’d been thinking when I kissed Hunter the other night.
“Let’s sit in here,” Graham said, nodding toward the last row of seats as we walked into the theater.
It wasn’t a busy night. At least thirty people already sat in their folding seats, waiting for the movie to begin. But the last row seemed especially dark and quiet.
I gulped, holding tight to the bag of popcorn in my hands. This was make-out row. The place my sister had told me boys liked to bring their dates. Anything could happen here. My heart beat a nervous tempo as I followed Graham into the row and sat in a springy chair next to him. And when his hand reached into the popcorn bag sitting on my lap, my palms got clammy.
“So...where are you originally from?”
I asked, not daring to take a bite of the popcorn, in case Graham got the idea to kiss me then and there. How embarrassing would it have been to have a mouth full of kernels at that exact moment?
“Colorado.”
His eyes reflected the bright lights of the screen as he stared at the trivia shots the theater rolled before any film. He ran a hand over his dark hair, looking effortlessly sexy.
I smiled at the side of his face. “That’s awesome. I’ve always wanted to go to Colorado.”
“Trust me, it’s totally overrated.” He reached for another handful of popcorn, never tearing his eyes away from the screen.
“Where would you live, then, if you could?”
I didn’t mean to sound like I was interviewing my date, but if I was going to be locking lips with the guy sometime tonight, it would’ve been nice to know a little bit more about him. His gaze slid from the screen to mine for a mere second before he leaned back farther in his seat.
“Seattle. That’s where my mom’s from. I’m moving there as soon as I’m old enough to get off that stupid ranch.”
“Cool. I like Seattle, too.”
I wondered if asking him how he’d gotten to the Sweet Oak Boys Ranch was too invasive. Maybe he did something bad. Like real bad. Maybe he robbed a bank. Or stole a car. Or punched a little old man. My mind was running wild. There was a reason Hunter didn’t like him. I wanted to know why.
Not that it mattered what Hunter thought. We were friends, but that didn’t mean he got to dictate who I dated.
Just as I was trying to shove the thought of Hunter out of my mind, I looked down the row of seats to see a couple shuffling their way toward us. My jaw dropped when I got a good look at them. Shock, then horror, and then outrage rolled through me in a matter of seconds.
“Hey, Char.” Hunter nodded stiffly at me. He wore a determined frown as he sat, leaving three seats between us.
Hunter showing up unannounced at my date was bad enough. I didn’t need a babysitter. Especially a babysitter I was currently trying to forget about. But it was the girl on his other side who had me wanting to throw my Milk Duds at them.
Sarah-freaking-Claiborne.
Sarah wore a skirt that was a little too short with a shirt that showed off an inch of skin at the waistline. And the way she clung to Hunter’s arm had me grinding my teeth. It seemed that she’d recuperated from her discussion with her mother earlier. It was too bad I’d wasted a moment of my life feeling sorry for her. She smirked at me in the dim light, taking a seat on Hunter’s other side, and immediately leaned over to whisper something in his ear.
“What are they doing here?” I growled, popcorn spilling over the edges of the bag as I squeezed it too tight.
Graham glanced down at Hunter and narrowed his eyes. With a determined scowl, he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward him. “I don’t know, but don’t let them bother you, babe.”
The theater darkened and the movie began to play. I should’ve been over the moon about Graham calling me babe and putting his arm around me, but I couldn’t shake off this feeling of utter betrayal.
Of all people, Hunter had to show up with her. He knew how much I hated Sarah. It wasn’t right. The thought of her touching him, giggling in his ear, or holding his hand made me tense with rage. And the sudden vision in my head I got of them making out just three seats away was enough to make me want to throw up.
And the longer the movie went on, the worse it got. I kept glancing over at them to be sure nothing was going on. Hunter had shifted forward in his chair, his hands gripping his knees. Sarah would lean into him every few moments to whisper. He’d nod. Sometimes he’d give her a quick smile. But every agonizing second felt like a betrayal.
Graham’s fingers on my shoulder were massaging me gently, even as the scary scenes began to flicker across the screen. I wanted to relax into his touch, but it didn’t feel right. An especially gruesome scene made me jump in his direction and hide my face with my hands. He just chuckled and lifted my chin with his finger until our gazes met.
“It’s okay, Charlotte,” he said, his eyes twinkling in the dark. “It’s just a movie.”
“I probably should’ve mentioned I’m not so great with horror flicks,” I whispered.
He chuckled again, his eyes searching my face. They glistened with a teasing glow. “Maybe we should concentrate on something else, then...”
My breath hitched in my lungs. This was it. The moment I’d been waiting for. The very reason I’d subjected myself to this bloodbath of a movie in the first place. One kiss was all it would take.
Graham leaned in closer, his lips forming a slightly cocky grin as he stared down at my mouth. His fingers splayed over my cheek, guiding me toward him. I froze stiff, like a tree branch after a freezing rain. His lips came ever nearer, his eyes closing in anticipation, and I just sat there. Frozen solid. Completely numb. When his mouth was almost on me, I bolted out of my chair, popcorn flying everywhere.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” My mouth felt as dry as the Sahara Desert, but I tried to swallow anyway. “I have to go. Excuse me.”
He grunted as I climbed over him and headed toward the exit as fast as my feet would carry me. In my hands I held the limp popcorn bag. My heart was beating incredibly fast. My chest felt tight. I couldn’t breathe. Not until I got to the brightly lit lobby and leaned over an empty metal chair, forcing my lungs to work.
Crap. I’d just run out on my extremely hot date to hyperventilate in the lobby. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I just be a normal teenaged girl? I ruined everything.
I was a ruiner. I’d nearly ruined my sister’s relationship with her new boyfriend before it even began. I’d nearly ruined my own life by partying with people I knew didn’t care about me. And now, I was ruining any possible future with Graham. I was the worst.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
I looked over my shoulder to see Graham walking toward me. He wore a scowl, his shirt dotted with oily popcorn stains.
“I’m so sorry, Graham.” I handed him the empty popcorn bag and hugged my torso with my arms. “I just had to get out of there. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me.”
He shifted his feet impatiently. “Well, are you coming back in or not?”
I shook my head. “Can we take a raincheck? I think I need a walk to clear my head. You’ll have to finish the movie without me.”
A little time alone would probably do me some good. My head was still spinning from the events of the last couple days. Maybe, with a little time beneath the stars, I could finally figure out what was so wrong with me that I had to go and ruin everything around me.
Raking a hand over his head, Graham scoffed. “I can’t believe I snuck out for this.”
I shrunk a little into myself. I hadn’t known he’d snuck out to go on this date. I never would’ve asked him to, if I’d known. “I’m really sorry, Graham.”
“Do you know what they do at the Ranch if you get caught out after hours? I’ll be on manure duty for a month. All for a stupid date.”
“Hey, man, she said she was sorry. It’s not her fault if you get caught. Lay off.”
I hadn’t noticed Hunter coming up behind me. He stood with his hands on his hips, his arms flexed beneath his blue long-sleeved t-shirt. He glared at Graham with an intensity that would’ve made a grizzly bear back down. A living, breathing superhero—minus the spandex. The sight of him looking so thoroughly appetizing made my outrage flare to life again.
“Don’t even start,” I growled, pointing a shaking finger at him. “You know, you’re worse than him.”
His eyes grew wide with surprise as his gaze shifted to me. “What? Why?”
“You show up here. Now. With her.” I pointed at the door to the theater to where Sarah was no doubt waiting for her chance to take advantage of the back-seat’s reputation with Hunter. “And then you try to pull off this Superman act? I just can’t even.”
“Charlotte, don’t be m
ad.”
He was wearing that puppy dog look. The one that always got me to forgive him. I glared harder at him, willing myself to stand strong.
“No. Stop it.” I glanced back over at Graham, who looked about ready to throw another fit about the way this date had failed to live up to his expectations. “Both of you, stop it. I can’t deal with this right now. I’m out of here. And I don’t want either of you to follow me.”
Graham crossed his arms and grumbled some sour reply I couldn’t make out. Hunter protested as I walked past him, but to his credit, he didn’t try to stop me. I burst onto the street, inhaling a breath of cool fresh air.
So much for pushing Hunter from my thoughts tonight. When I should’ve been making out with Graham in the back row of the movie theater, he’d weaseled into my date with my mortal enemy.
It was like he was trying to make me angry.
I’d never been so frustrated in all my life. My best friend wasn’t supposed to act like that. He was supposed to support me—especially when I was trying to chase all the inappropriate thoughts in my head about him away.
But no—that had been an utter failure. And now, all I could do was think about the way he’d looked coming to my defense—again. Those muscles. That jawline. The fire in his eyes. The need in my gut had flared to life once again and it was going to take all the firefighters in North America to put it out.
Stupid date.
Stupid Sarah.
Stupid heart.
At this rate, I was going to have to lock myself away in my room until graduation. Voluntary grounding. My parents would love it. No more having to worry about me coming home after curfew. In fact, they might even send me off to a nunnery. Not that we were Catholic, but I was sure they would make an exception for a lonely teenage girl who could only think about locking lips with her totally off-limits best friend.
Not even the stars in the sky above on my walk home could settle the pulsing of my veins. Or the glass of milk I guzzled when I got inside my house. And when I finally laid down in my bed, my mind was still buzzing.
Dare You to Resist the Bull Rider (Rock Valley High Book 4) Page 13
