“Sorry, Sierra. I just don’t think we’re compatible,” he offered.
“Right.” It wasn’t a great comeback. “Have fun, assholes.”
As I turned to leave, Danny called my name. “Just so we’re clear, I don’t think we should go to homecoming together.”
I wasn’t sad because this thing with Danny was over, but I was embarrassed. Still, I held my head high and nodded.
“Thank goodness,” I answered, ready to turn on my heel and flee.
My initial reaction was relief. But a second one hit me square in the chest. I wanted Jeremy. Clearly, a month of barely spending any time together had done little to squelch my desire for him.
Mallory, however, had one last dig to get in. It was as if she read my mind.
“Oh, and, Sierra, if you plan on calling your knight in shining armor, I wouldn’t bother. I saw him earlier with a blanket on the beach. You wouldn’t want to interrupt, now would you?” Her taunting made me want to rip her over-bleached blonde hair out of her head. “Especially if he’s with Heather.”
That, more than anything, was what made me want to break down. The idea the Jeremy was off getting physical with someone when I couldn’t even kiss a boy I’d thought I’d liked. With the flick of my middle finger, I turned and ran, pushing the door to the restaurant open just as the tears began to fall. Not wanting anyone to see me, I rushed in the direction of the beach, blinded by my tears.
I ran as fast as I could, racing in the sand when, out of nowhere, I tripped over something and went flying, taking a face full of sand. My mouth sputtered as I tried to spit it out.
“Sierra?”
My heart stopped. I quickly rose to my feet and groaned when I saw that I’d tripped over Jeremy. Sure enough, he was sprawled out on a blanket, and I covered my eyes before I could see who he was with.
“Sorry! Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll be fine. Just…just leave me alone, Jeremy. Enjoy your date.” I nearly choked on the words as I fled, running down the beach as fast as my feet would take me. I didn’t stop until I got to a dune I could hide behind and lick my wounds.
When I fell to my knees, a year’s worth of tears started to spill out. It was finally happening. Jeremy was dating. This was harder and so much more painful than I’d expected, if the sudden ache in my heart was any indication.
Moments later, the very object of both my affections and my current consternation showed up. I wiped my eyes, trying to mask my tears.
“I thought I told you to leave me alone,” I said curtly.
His eyes softened in the moonlight. “That’s not possible, Sierra. You know that. I’ll never leave you alone.”
I choked out a disbelieving laugh. “You can’t go running away from your dates whenever I need rescuing, Jeremy. It’s time I become a big girl and take care of myself.”
He folded his arms across his chest and stared at me. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned my being on a date. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The beach. The blanket. Mallory said you were on a date. Sorry for interrupting.”
I wasn’t actually sorry. And I didn’t feel bad for it.
“I’m not on a date. I’m here by myself. Solo. Single. Just me. But what about you? Weren’t you supposed to be on a date?”
My heart was far too happy at his admission. Even so, I let out a wry laugh and shook my head. “You were out enjoying the peace and quiet. You don’t want to hear about my disastrous date. I’ll be fine. You can leave me alone.”
Instead of doing that, he reached his hand out. I stared at his silhouette in the moonlight. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to place my hand in his and embrace his warmth. So I did.
We walked to his blanket, and he didn’t drop my hand. He was silent until we sat down, and then he brought his hand to my cheek, wiping my tears away.
“Sierra. How many times do I have to say it? Where you go, I go. I’ll never leave you alone. Especially when you’re hurting. Now, tell me why you’re crying and whose ass I have to kick.”
At that, I laughed and felt better than I had in the last month. God, I’d missed him.
He listened as I told him about Danny and Mallory. The entire time, he ran soothing circles on my arm, calming every nerve that’d been swirling around my insides. When I got to the part about the hotel room, he tensed, his body so rigid it caught me off guard. He started to move, but I placed my hand on his arm.
“It’s okay, Jeremy. No need to defend my honor.”
He frowned, his forehead furrowed in anger, and I quickly continued.
“It’s not even that I really liked him. I mean, he’s cocky but so hot. And I don’t know. I guess I just wanted someone to like me.” I shrugged. “So much for going to homecoming.”
I’d never admitted it to anyone but Jenna, but I’d really been looking forward to the dance. I wanted to go with my girlfriends to pick out my perfect dress then spend the day getting ready together and the night dancing, laughing, and having a great time.
“Go with me,” Jeremy blurted out, sending a wave of shock throughout me.
I shoulder-checked him and laughed. It felt like the first time I’d done that in weeks. “You don’t mean that,” I said, secretly wishing he did.
“Yes, I do.”
I caught his gaze in the moonlight. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” I whispered.
When he nodded, my brows came together.
“You hate dancing, Jeremy. Why would you go?”
He shrugged, but his eyes were telling a story I couldn’t quite read. “Because you want to.”
“And?” I prompted.
He gave me that look.
“Where I go, you go?”
He nodded. “Precisely. Even if it means I’ll be spending the next two weeks brushing up on my MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice.”
“Jeremy, you do realize we’re in the back half of nineteen ninety-nine, right?”
“Sierra, Ice Ice Baby will stand the test of time. Just you watch. Our kids will still be listening to it even when they’re teenagers. You can take that to the bank.”
My stomach twisted at the idea of our kids. I knew he didn’t mean ours together, but the thought was already implanted in my mind. And, even though I wasn’t ready for sex, I could picture a little Jeremy-Sierra baby.
I smiled and leaned my head against his shoulder. “You’re the best, Jeremy,” I told him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never get the chance to find out.” With that, he stood up, pulling me with him. “Now, come on. We have a dance I need to practice for.”
Just as I’d thought, by Monday, the whole school knew that Danny and I weren’t a thing anymore. And you know what? I didn’t even care. Jeremy was more pissed about the looks and the whispers in the hallways than I was, and he stayed closed to me whenever he could. He was being overprotective, and I didn’t mind one bit.
“I’m so sick of this,” he grumbled as we walked into the lunchroom together.
Across the room, Danny was sitting with the other football players, and Mallory, naturally, was practically in his lap. Jeremy scowled and clenched his fists at his sides.
I placed a hand on his arm. “Calm down, Rambo. I don’t mind. I promise. I’m over it,” I said, waving them off.
He peered down at me. Then his eyes lit up as an idea struck him. Instant worry swirled in my belly. I was used to Jeremy’s not-so-brilliant plans, and I had no idea what he was about to propose. Before I could ask what the hell he was thinking, he grasped my hand, entwining our fingers. Then he pulled me in close, and my heart started beating fast as his lips hovered just above my ear.