The Danger With Fireworks (Holiday Romance Book 3)

by Robin Daniels

  “How could you?” Chloe got in his face and yelled. Marissa and I stopped at the edge of the beach, waiting to intervene until it was absolutely necessary. Chloe turned her disapproval on Shelly. With much less ferocity, she asked, “And how could you let him?” Shelly stood there for a moment, completely stunned by the outburst, then broke into tears and ran off.

  “Simmer down, Chloe,” Clint responded in his annoyingly calm demeanor. “Did you think I’d wait around all summer?” Way wrong choice of words. She unleashed, shoving him double handed in the chest. “What the hell?” he cried.

  “What happened to I miss you Chloe and Let’s get back together, Chloe? Did you even mean any of it, or were you hoping I’d agree so you could double dip?”

  “It’s not like that.” He put his hands out, as if making a peace offering. “Shelly and I aren’t serious.” Chloe shoved him again. He braced himself this time and barely moved. But it was easy to see he was struggling to contain his temper.

  “So you’re leading her on, then?”

  “Don’t twist my words around. That’s not what I said.” He took a step back. Chloe matched it.

  “Really? Because what it looks like to me is that you’re taking advantage of an eighteen-year-old girl. One that you know has had a crush on you for the last four freaking years.” Now I was starting to see red. If Chloe didn’t beat him up, I might.

  Clint went on the offensive. “I’m not taking advantage of anyone. Shelly’s into me. I’m into her. She’s an adult. She can make her own decisions.”

  “Oh yeah? And just how long have you been into Shelly?” Chloe exaggerated the word, not believing for one second that he actually liked her. “You can’t be that sincere, if you were keeping her in your back pocket while openly hitting on me. I ought to punch you on her behalf.”

  Clint sucked his cheeks in and drew a huge breath through his nose. “What’s happening between me and Shelly is none of your business. Why do you care anyway? You’ve spent the last three weeks throwing yourself at Garland.” If he knew I was there, he didn’t let on.

  “I haven’t been throwing myself at Garland.”

  “Nice try. Everyone knows you want him.” Clint laughed nefariously. “That is, everyone except for him. You’re so obvious, with all the touching and giggling and flirty banter. But it’s all for nothing, because he hasn’t done jack about it. Either he’s a big sissy, a complete idiot, or he doesn’t like you and wasted your chance with me for nothing.”

  Chloe scoffed. “The only thing that’s been wasted is poor Shelly’s heart and probably her self-respect. Pursuing me while kissing her. I don’t know what she sees in you, but it’s certainly not chivalry or basic human decency. Tell me, if I’d given in, would you have dropped her like she was nothing? Or would you have played both of us?”

  Clint didn’t answer. Chloe glared at him; he seethed at her. Both looked like volcanoes, ready to erupt at any moment, but he succumbed first. “I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

  Chloe stepped back, hands on her hips in that motherly, scolding stance. “No, you don’t. But good luck defending your actions to Shelly. I hope she smartens up and dumps your sorry ass.” Clint gave her one last glower, then turned around and headed in the direction Shelly had run. Chloe yelled to his back, “If you hurt her any worse, I’ll break your face!”

  Instead of leaving the beach, she walked down to the end of the dock. “You go get her, I’ll check on Shelly,” Marissa mumbled.

  Chloe must have heard me coming, but she didn’t acknowledge me until I sat next to her and dropped my legs over the edge, swinging them back and forth. I stayed quiet, figuring she’d say something when she was ready. “How long were you standing there?” she eventually asked.

  “I was fortunate enough to see you drag Clint from the sand by his shirt.”

  She laughed morosely. “Well, that’s embarrassing.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I was genuinely in awe. “It had to be among the top ten awesomest things I’ve ever seen.”

  “Oh, I know the butt-chewing was awesome.” She laughed again, only this time some of her normal levity was back. “It’s the part where Clint outed me that I’m referring to.”

  “Chloe, it’s—”

  She cut me off. “Stop. Please. I have to tell you something. And I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, but I’m going say it anyway.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve had this weird crush on you for months.”

  “You what?” I was taken back by her admission, seeing as we hadn’t known each other that long.

  She glanced up. “Let me finish before you say anything, okay?” I nodded, and her eyes darted back to the water. “It started before Abby and Evan got together, back when you guys were all just hanging out and the dating drama hadn’t happened yet.”

  “Ugh,” I moaned. “Don’t remind me.”

  Chloe smiled and kept talking. “She would call me multiple times a week, going on and on, telling me about your personalities and how cute you both were and what a good time you were having. She’d text me pictures of everyone together, so it kind of felt like I was getting to know you. When she told me that she wanted to date Evan, I thought she was stupid, because you were hotter and sounded like a lot more fun.”

  “You preferred me to Evan?” I teased. “I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

  She shrugged. “It’s the truth. I’ve met you both now, and I stand by my opinion.”

  I chuckled. “Thanks.”

  “Secretly, I was glad that she picked him. If you two had ever dated, that would make you off limits for me. I pushed her to suggest you get a job here this summer because I wanted to meet you.” Chloe’s mouth held a guilty smile. “And when she told me you’d applied, I may have e-mailed Vivian to put in a good word for you...or two…or three.”

  I was overflowing with feelings I’d never experienced, and I didn’t know how to express them. I nudged Chloe’s shoulder. “You know, there were easier ways to meet me.”

  She ducked her chin down to her chest. “Maybe. But this way, I really got to know you.” I could barely remember why I was angry an hour ago. This whole situation was surreal. “Anyway, I’m sorry for stalking you.”

  I laughed. “Chloe.” She was expertly avoiding eye contact. “Look at me, please.” She peered up. My hand went to her cheek, my thumb brushed her jaw, and I knew we were in another perfect kissing moment. Only this time I wouldn’t wimp out.

  She met me as I leaned in. The kiss wasn’t full of passion like the one we’d shared in our dance. It was soft and slow and perfect. I felt grounded, at ease, like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I pulled away, murmuring against her lips. “I’m glad you’re a stalker.”

  “I’m glad you’re glad,” she whispered back through a smile. Though the holiday fireworks display was long over, the fireworks in my heart were just beginning.

  “What on Earth did you put in this thing?” I asked Chloe as I hefted a giant suitcase up the stairs to her dorm room. “Rocks? Bowling balls?”

  “Both,” she replied. “A girl can never be too prepared.”

  It was moving day, and my emotions were all over the place. Knowing that I’d tipped the scale in Chloe’s decision to attend Dunhurst College made me nervous about screwing things up. But it also made me happy beyond reason, and that outweighed the nerves. In the month we’d been apart since leaving Singing Oak, we proved to the world that two people can have a successful long-distance relationship. Maybe we’d proven it a little too well. My sister Chrissy said I’d become insufferably sappy.

  “Keep moving. You’re backing up traffic,” Chrissy called from the landing below me.

  “Well, if Chloe hadn’t shoved Abby in her suitcase, it might be easier to carry.” I glanced over my shoulder at Abby, who was snickering. “Just kidding. You’d be way easier to carry than whatever she packed in here.”

  “I think that’s the bag with all her leotards and yoga pants,” Abby
said.

  I turned back to Chloe. “Geez, woman. How many leotards do you own?”

  We finally made it to the top of the stairs, and she held the door open for me. “I told you, it’s rocks and bowling balls.”

  “Haha. Which room is yours?”

  “This one.” She led me to a nearby door and opened it.

  “Not too bad.” I surveyed the space with approval. The room was on the corner and much larger than average. It also had two windows instead of one.

  “Yeah, it’s one of the perks of the triple room. Proportionate to the number of people, it’s way bigger than a two-person suite.”

  Chloe had come to visit me in Rudolph the first weekend after camp ended. She and my sister Chrissy became instant besties. It shouldn’t have surprised me, knowing how spirited they are. When the girls found out that they’d both be at Dunhurst, Chloe immediately called Abby and told her she was petitioning the housing department to put them in a triple room.

  Naturally, I went over to Nate’s house and freaked out. All three of them living together sounded like a recipe for disaster. Especially given the somewhat twisted history of intra-group dating. Not to mention that Chrissy and Abby had only met briefly. They were trusting Chloe when she promised they’d like one another. I didn’t even want to think about how the whole sisters share everything element could make for dangerous conversation.

  Plus, wherever Chrissy went, Nate went. He’d be living in the same dorm that Evan and I lived in last year. Evan and Nate tolerated each other for my sake, but there would always be this unspoken competition between them. If they’d both put a lid on their testosterone for like five seconds, they’d probably get along fine. But that would make my life way too easy.

  Chrissy and Abby piled into the room behind me. “I can’t believe I’m in college,” Chrissy said.

  “Me either.” Chloe grinned.

  Abby sighed at her sister. “I can’t believe you convinced me to live in the dorms again.”

  “Aww, that means you love me too much to live without me.” Chloe pulled Abby in for a hug with one arm and grabbed my sister with the other. “And now you love me, too,” she cooed at Chrissy before squishing her and Abby together. “Pretty soon, you’ll love each other, and we’ll all be one big happy family.” She looked at over me. “You want in on the group hug action?”

  I shook my head adamantly and swirled my hand in a circle to encompass all of them. “I’m disturbed by the amount of love in this room. Not sure I can handle a group hug.”

  “Stop being such a big baby,” Chloe chided. “I don’t care what you say; this was a phenomenal idea.”

  “We shall see.” I chuckled. “Now, if there’s nothing else rivaling a mammoth in weight, which you need me to carry, I told Nate I’d help him unload his stuff.”

  “No more mammoths,” Chloe said.

  “We’ll be fine,” Abby confirmed. “Evan will be here soon if we need anything.”

  “Good.” I gave them a single nod. “Remember, barbecue at our place, six o’clock. Don’t be late, bring dessert.”

  “Get out of here, bossy pants.” Chrissy shoved me toward the door. I grabbed her and gave her a big squeeze. Then I gave one to my best girl friend, followed by one to my actual girlfriend. Chloe got a kiss, too. A big smoochy one that made Abby giggle and Chrissy gag.

  I left their room, excited for what lay ahead. The people I cared about most were all here with me. Despite the potential challenges—and drama—I had a feeling this would be a great year. Or, at least, an unforgettable one.

  THE END

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  Read the series out of order? That’s okay. Books 1 & 2 will still be fun. Check them out today!