Operation Prom Date (Tactics in Flirting, #1)(32)

If only I’d stuck to keeping my life in those separate boxes.

While I was wishing for things, I also wished my mom had come home about ten minutes later so I’d know if anything would’ve happened if Kate and I had a little more time alone. Or that Mom would’ve shown up sooner, so I didn’t know what it felt like to have Kate in my arms, her body pressed against mine.

My sandwich seemed to be taking the abuse pretty well, so I shoved it in my mouth a couple giant bites at a time. Then I eyed Jaden, struggling with his spoon.

“I was going to ask if you thought you could row, but it looks like you can’t even eat.”

“If I could flip you off, I’d do that. Oh, wait, I have another hand.” He held up his middle finger.

Despite my sour mood, I laughed.

“Ooh, I’m so gonna tell that you’re making crude gestures at school.” Alana sat next to her brother and stole one of his potato chips.

Jaden smacked her hand away. “Go hang out with your own friends. Oh, that’s right, you only care about grades.”

She frowned and shoved his injured arm, clearly not caring about the injured part. “I do not. My boyfriend’s just not here today.”

“Yeah, I really don’t want to hear about your boring boyfriend.”

“Because you don’t have a girlfriend? Now who’s got the lame social life?”

They always went back and forth like this, which I assumed was a sibling thing. The twins thing probably made it even stronger, although giving each other a hard time and their similar complexion and hair color was about all they had in common. Jaden rarely took things very seriously, and Alana made Kate’s serious nature seem mild. She was forever talking about earning scholarships, saving money, and being at the top of her classes. She and the junior class president had been dating forever, but all I ever saw them do was study together.

“Do you have a couple dollars?” she asked Jaden. “I need to hit the vending machine.”

“Sorry. I don’t have any cash. Not that I’d give it to you if I did.”

Before another argument broke out, I pulled out my wallet and handed her a five.

“Thanks, Coop. You’re the best.” She gave me a quick hug. She was the closest thing to a sibling I had, and as she walked toward the vending machine, I noticed she seemed weighed down, like she’d given up faking being okay. I made a note to double-check that that boyfriend of hers was treating her right.

Jaden lifted his splinted arm and turned his elbow. “The wrist doesn’t even hurt much anymore; I’m just wearing the splint because of doctor’s orders. But by the end of this week, I’m going to ditch it, and another week of icing and rest, and I should be back to my old self. I miss being out on the water.”

I missed our impressive times, and he was easy enough to talk to, but I couldn’t say I was in a huge hurry to exchange my current partner for him—he just wasn’t as nice to look at.

Jaden renewed his struggle with eating with his left hand. “How about today I come help your girl out in the boat? I could at least do that much.”

My eyes automatically searched her out, because they didn’t learn from their mistakes. Another surge of jealousy pumped through my veins. If Kate thought I was grouchy yesterday, my irritation level had jumped at least three levels from seeing her with him. I didn’t want to yell at her, or for her to end up deciding we couldn’t even be friends. Regardless of how things turned out with her and Pecker, I didn’t want to lose having her in my life during my last few months of freedom.

If having Jaden there to act as a filter until I could get my frustration under control would help maintain that friendship, I’d make it work. Even if it would throw off the weight and strokes. As a bonus, I bet she wouldn’t talk about Pecker in front of Jaden. “Meet me at my truck after school.” I stood, more than ready to get out of here. “And bring your game face.”

…

When I accepted Jaden’s offer—rather proud of my mad coping skills—I’d neglected to play the scenario all the way out. As in, I failed to factor in that with Jaden in the truck, Kate would have to sit in the middle, which meant the side of her body pressed against mine, and I couldn’t escape the scent of her perfume.

Both windows were cracked, the wind swirling her hair around her face and occasionally into mine.

Finally, I rolled mine up. When I returned my left hand to the steering wheel and put my other one back down, it landed right on her thigh. I picked it up like I’d been burned.

“You okay?” She had that shimmery lip-gloss on her lips and one strand of her hair stuck in it. She reached up, swiping at all the wrong strands, while blowing air out of her mouth.

“Yeah. I’m good.” As if they had a mind of their own, my fingers reached out and brushed the hair free.

“Thanks.” She gave a happy sigh as she leaned back and rested her head on my shoulder.

My heart expanded against my rib cage, and I inhaled. Her perfume, the scent of her strawberry lip-gloss—everything Kate went to my head, leaving me dizzy. I shifted my arm, draping it behind her and curling my hand around her shoulder.

Jaden looked over her head, giving me a what are you doing type expression, and I silently sent one back telling him to mind his own business. Was it so bad to enjoy having her next to me for a short little ride? After we were out of the truck and in the boat I’d work on the distance thing.