The party was on.
◊◊◊
“Can you give me a ride home?” Beth asked as the party started to wind down.
I walked around, saying goodbye to everyone. That took a while. I think Suzanne and Beth must have decided who got to go home with me, and I was happy with their choice. Beth held a special place in my heart. When we got into the Jeep, Beth gave me a shy smile.
“Can we go to your apartment?”
I just nodded ‘yes.’
When we arrived at my house, the lights were on. I took Beth in with me. Mom was up, waiting for me. When she saw Beth, she smiled.
“Take Duke with you. We’ll talk later,” Mom said.
Duke was sleepy and was quick about doing his business. He beat us upstairs, and when I made it up the stairs, I found him in his crate.
“I’ve missed you. Take me to bed,” Beth said.
She grabbed my hand and led me to my bedroom. What followed was gentle and loving. It was more like we were old lovers who wanted to remind each other how we felt.
When we finished, Beth wanted to talk.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately,” she said.
“What about?”
“About us. I know that the families have wanted an Anderson-Dawson joining. When Greg found Angie, I thought it was something that would never happen. Then you went out and got Pam pregnant …”
“Yeah, that wasn’t really planned. I think we worked it out, though,” I said.
“I’ve always thought your family was special. What your parents did to help you with Coby just confirmed that,” she said, and then got a faraway look.
I was lucky they supported me. Otherwise, I could be in the same boat Peggy was. Beth seemed to come back and smiled at me.
“Are you going to kiss me or what?” she asked.
I leaned over to her and gave her a kiss. When we were done, Beth looked deep into my eyes.
“Now that was a kiss to build a dream on. David, I love you, and I want to be yours now and forever.”
◊◊◊
Junior Year: Summer
Table of Contents:
Interlude
Chapter 1 – Little Lie
Chapter 2 – Perfected Her Craft
Chapter 3 – Dirty Little Secrets
Chapter 4 – Balancing Act
Chapter 5 – That’s A Wrap
Chapter 6 – You Need A Real Man
Chapter 7 – Bang! You’re Dead
Chapter 8 – Too Close to Home
Chapter 9 – Think A Little Less
Chapter 10 – A Total Douche-Nozzle
Chapter 11 – What the Heck is NSA?
Chapter 12 – Twins?
Chapter 13 – Redneck Crazy
Chapter 14 – That Guy
Chapter 15 – Why Would You Need Tackle?
Chapter 16 – Top 40
Chapter 17 – Circles of Trust
Chapter 18 – Trust, Mistrust, And Bonding?
Chapter 19 – Bitch, Please — It’s Your Birthday
Chapter 20 – Master of The Universe
Chapter 21 – I’m Okay with This Now
Chapter 22 – I Might Be A Slut
Chapter 23 – A Piece That Fits
Chapter 24 – And the Winner Is
Chapter 25 – We’re More Than Good
Chapter 26 – Look Me in The Eyes
Chapter 27 – Breakup Song Do-Over
Chapter 28 – Get A Copy of The Mug Shot
Chapter 29 – Camp David
Chapter 30 – Houston, We Have A Problem
Chapter 31 – Capitán Cojones
Chapter 32 – You’re Not a Jedi
Chapter 33 – Big Cat
Chapter 34 – Girlfriend Tryouts
Chapter 35 – Keep the Twins Safe
Chapter 36 – I’m All Atingle
Chapter 37 – Gold Medal Game
Next Book in The Series
Notes from Author
Interlude Brook Davis
When my dad announced that he’d gotten the job at State, I wasn’t happy. I mean, who wants to move and change high schools just before their junior year? I’d be leaving everything I’d worked for, and I knew how hard it would be to make new friends wherever we moved. The cliques had already formed, and it would be almost impossible to work my way into the ‘in’ group. I should know, because I ran our ‘in’ group, and newcomers need not apply.
Then I did a little research on where we were moving. OMG! We were landing in some backwoods version of Deliverance in the Midwest. I mean, no shopping, no cool restaurants, no clubs. What was I supposed to do on a Saturday night? Sit in some cornfield and watch fireflies?
What made the move tolerable was my Grandma Davenport. Mom’s side of the family had founded L Brands, which included stores like The Limited, Bath and Body Works, and Victoria’s Secret. When I was growing up, my grandmother always called me her princess. She made me feel special and told me fairy tales. When we arrived in what I’d taken to calling ‘Pittsville,’ she was waiting for us.
“I’ve added a few things,” Grandma announced.
“What have you done now?” my mom asked.
“I’ve added some walking trails. Come, I want you to see them.”
My mom, dad, and I followed her into the woods behind the house. It was so peaceful. We emerged into an open meadow with a lake. Beside the lake stood three little cabins that looked like they’d come right out of a storybook.
“I had them build three of them so you each could have your own getaway.”
Dad’s log cabin had stone floors and a big window that overlooked the lake. Mom got a light and airy cottage painted in muted pinks and pastel greens. Mine looked like it came out of the pages of the books my grandma used to read to me, with a big fireplace. I could see myself curled up next to a crackling fire while reading a book. On one wall I found a bookcase full of the stories my grandma used to read to me.
“I thought you might want them for when you have children,” she explained.
◊◊◊
I resolved not to let my change in location ruin my junior year. The first step was to join the cheerleading squad. On the first day of tryouts, I discovered I wasn’t the only new girl. Halle James, the daughter of movie star Rita James, had also just moved into the area. The other new girl, Zoe Pearson, had been homeschooled, of all things. The three of us gravitated to one another for support.
During a break the second day, Halle admitted they’d moved here for her brother’s drug rehab. That explained a lot because I couldn’t figure out why they would move here. Then she mentioned she knew Lincoln High’s star quarterback, David Dawson. It wasn’t hard to find out about him because I think he’d dated all the cheerleaders already here at some point. Halle explained that they’d been in a movie together, and they’d gotten close.
Zoe shocked me when she admitted to having a crush on him. David had talked to her parents to get her younger brother out of homeschool hell so he could go out for football. She’d told her parents she wasn’t going to be the only one stuck at home. I admired her spunk.
When cheerleading practice finished, we’d all gone swimming at Tracy Dole’s. In walked Lincoln’s Big Man on Campus with his dog. Every girl there turned to watch him. David had a ready smile that lit up the room. My first thought was, ‘Please, Lord, don’t let him be gay.’ At my old school, all the guys who looked that good were. From the stories I’d heard, he wasn’t.