The Boyfriend Project

by Rachel Hawthorne

  “See you later,” she said, and wandered off.

  I looked back toward the front of the room. Kendall was gone and so was my chance to talk with her. It was probably for the best. Or at least that’s what I told myself.

  Chapter 35

  KENDALL

  I texted Avery to let her know I was running late. I’d finally managed to answer all the questions that some of the volunteers had and slipped out without catching Jeremy’s eye. Not that he would have noticed me. He was pretty focused on Jade.

  Chase was waiting for me, leaning against my car, feet crossed at the ankles, arms folded over his chest. “Hey,” he said.

  I arrived a little breathless. “Hi.”

  “Want to hit a pancake house?”

  “Thanks, but I’m meeting Avery. We need to work out some details regarding Bark in the Park.”

  “This fund-raiser is really keeping you hopping.”

  We’d only seen each other when we worked the same shift at the shelter. We hadn’t had any dates since Sunday. “Yeah, but I love it.”

  “How about we catch dinner Saturday after the event?”

  I welcomed the chance to have a distraction. I didn’t want to sit around at home and have flashbacks of all the flirting I was certain Jade and Jeremy would do during the gun show. I smiled. “I’d love to.”

  “Okay, then. It’s a date.”

  He walked off. I opened my car door, climbed behind the wheel, set the thick notebook with everything that needed to be done for the weekend on the seat beside me, and sighed. I’d been a little worried that Jeremy might try to corner me tonight, might talk to me, and I wasn’t sure I could be totally cool about it. He’d looked so wonderful sitting there with Fletcher, so confident. It occurred to me that he might really have a chance of beating Chase and Fletcher. As far as I was concerned, of the six gunslingers, they were the top contenders.

  My phone buzzed.

  Avery:

  Where are you?

  I quickly texted back that I was on my way. Then I started the car and headed out. I’d almost said no when she invited me to grab a burger with her, except that I was hungry and didn’t want to eat alone. She was always trying to include me in things she and Fletcher did but it was awkward being the third wheel. I couldn’t believe she’d done it for months before she started falling for Fletcher. It was hard being the odd-numbered one in a group. Briefly I thought about inviting Chase, but I wanted to relax and totally be myself. For some reason, I couldn’t do that with him. At least not yet. I told myself it was because we were still in that uncomfortable just-starting-to-date stage. Even though I’d never experienced that stage with Jeremy. I’d been comfortable with him from the moment I met him.

  I pulled into the B. S. parking lot, got out of the car, and walked into the restaurant. I staggered to a stop when I saw Avery and Fletcher sitting in a booth with Jeremy. His back was to me. I glanced quickly around for Jade but didn’t see her. Maybe she was in the restroom. She seemed to like hallways with restrooms.

  I thought about retracing my steps and getting out of here, but Avery smiled and waved at me. Jeremy turned around and surprise washed over his face. He quickly masked it. I walked forward as though I were going to my execution. How could Avery do this to me? I was going to kill her.

  Fletcher got out of the booth and slid onto the bench next to Jeremy. Avery glided over and stood up. She gave me a welcoming hug. “I’ll sit across from Fletcher.”

  I wanted to ask her if this had been a setup, if she was trying to play matchmaker and get us back together, but my voice box seemed to be locked. Besides I knew if I said anything at all that it would come out snarky.

  “Saturday is going to be so much fun,” Avery said as we settled into the booth. Fletcher reached for the saltshaker, set it in the middle of the table, and gave it a spin.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I thought you wanted to talk about that.”

  “I do, but why don’t we grab some food first? I’m starving.”

  “Got it covered,” Fletcher said as he climbed out of the booth. I reached for the shaker he’d abandoned, then pulled my hands back and sat on them, as I remembered Jeremy pointing out some of my control issues. I was working not to have them, but salt and pepper were supposed to stay together, not be separated.

  Of course, I’d thought Jeremy and I would stay together forever, too. Look how that turned out. Maybe nothing stayed together.

  “The usual?” Jeremy asked.

  “Yeah, but I’ll get it.” I gave Avery a little nudge.

  “I’ve got it,” Jeremy said.

  “At least let me give you some money.” I started to open the small wallet that also housed my phone.

  “I’ve got it,” Jeremy repeated.

  “I wouldn’t feel right.”

  With a shake of his head, he slid out of the booth and followed Fletcher before I could give him anything. I turned to Avery. “Was this setup on purpose?”

  “No, I didn’t know Fletcher had invited him until he got here.”

  “You could have texted and warned me off.”

  “He’s still my friend. Besides you can’t avoid him forever. He’s one of your gunslingers.”

  “He’s not mine.” Not anymore, anyway.

  “You’re going to run into him at college. Probably a lot since you’re living in the same dorm. You might as well start practicing how you’ll act when you run into each other.”

  Easy for her to say. She hadn’t seen her boyfriend in a lip-lock with Jade.

  When the guys returned, they distributed the food. A burger to me and a basket of fries to share with Jeremy. Only I wasn’t going to share with him. I’d just have the burger. I checked it out. Layered just the way I liked it. Then my gaze shifted to that lone saltshaker, my fingers itched—

  Jeremy picked it up and set it back into its place. My heart did this stupid, dumb flutter because that was so Jeremy—to know what was bugging me and to try to make it right. Then his gaze settled on mine, and he nudged the basket toward me. “Help yourself.”

  Just one. Maybe two.

  “So I wanted to run this by you. Dot would like to feed the crew readying the park on Friday,” Avery finally said.

  “What do you mean?” I asked. “Have them go to the restaurant on the beach afterward?”

  “No, she’ll bring the food to the park.”

  “That’s awfully generous.”

  “You know she’s an animal lover. So she wanted to do something to help out this weekend.”

  “I don’t think it will be a problem, but we’ll need to talk to Terri.”

  “That’s what I thought but I wanted to get your opinion on it.”

  Right. Like we were going to turn down free food. I knew a lame excuse for getting me here when I heard it. If she hadn’t told me that she needed to talk to me about something regarding Bark in the Park, I might have walked out when I saw Jeremy sitting here. Yeah, this had definitely been a setup.

  Although I wasn’t sure what she thought she would accomplish. Maybe letting us both put the breakup behind us. As she’d said, he was still her friend. While her first loyalty was to me, our breaking up had to make things difficult for her. I hadn’t even considered that.

  Nor had I considered how nice it would be to just be with Jeremy. He’d been my friend before he’d ever been my boyfriend. As we started talking about how we’d begin packing for college right after Bark in the Park, I feasted on French fries and finished off my burger. In a way I wished Jeremy and I had chosen different schools. It might have made things easier. On the other hand, I knew that if I ever needed him for anything, he’d be there. And I’d be there for him.

  It was nearly eleven o’clock when Fletcher said he needed to go because he had to get to work in the morning. So did Jeremy.

  “I enjoyed tonight,” he said as we walked out to the parking lot.

  “Me too. I thought it would be awkward when I saw you sitting there.”

 
“I think they set us up.”

  With a smile, I leaned against the hood of my car. “You didn’t know I was meeting them here?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Would you have come if you’d known?”

  “I don’t know.” He shifted his stance, studied the ground for a few seconds before looking up. “It’s strange not having you around. I keep writing texts to you and then deleting them.”

  “I wrote you some emails, but I didn’t send them.”

  “What did they say?”

  “Little things, silly things. Nothing really important. I’m glad we had tonight.”

  “Me too.”

  I shoved myself away from the car. “I should go.”

  He opened the door for me, and my chest tightened at the gesture. So Jeremy. I wondered if Jade appreciated all the small things he did.

  I slid behind the wheel. He closed the door, and I rolled down the window. “Good luck Saturday.”

  “I’ll see you before then.”

  “But we might not talk before then.”

  He gave a quick nod. “Right.”

  When he stepped back, I started the car, backed up, and headed for the street. Just before I reached it, I glanced into my rearview mirror to see Jeremy still standing there, hands shoved into his jeans pockets, watching me.

  Chapter 36

  JEREMY

  I barely saw Kendall for the remainder of the week. Two reasons. Number one: she wasn’t taking dogs out into the play area. I figured she was busy getting all the last-minute things done for Bark in the Park. Number two: most of the work I was doing was now taking place inside because the structure of the new wing was finished.

  Jade was also scarce. All the emphasis this week was on the event that would raise money for the shelter.

  So I was glad when Friday arrived and the crew headed to the park to begin setting up various stands and platforms, including the short stage on which the gun show would take place. I had to smile when I saw Kendall marching around, clipboard in hand, checking things off her list. She might have control issues but sometimes that was what was needed to get the job done. I couldn’t have been more proud of everything she was getting accomplished.

  “Hey,” Jade said as she walked over and watched us putting the last planks in place on the stage. “Kendall says that we’ll wait until morning to put up the canopies. Apparently there is some concern that they will get stolen.”

  “Unfortunately, I think she’s right,” Tommy said. He unfolded his body from its crouched position so he could better hammer nails into the platform and wandered over to Jade. “So is Darla around?”

  “Yeah. She’s helping to set up the food.” I watched as Jade ran her hands along Tommy’s chest, and wondered why I wasn’t jealous or fuming or upset. I’d never seen her give him any attention before. Was it because he was suddenly expressing an interest in Darla? “I’m thinking you might win tomorrow.”

  He laughed. “And I’m thinking you’re a tease.”

  Heading back over to the platform, he went to work. “Might want to keep your girlfriend on a leash,” Tommy said to me when I joined him.

  “She’s not my girlfriend,” I said.

  “Thought you liked her.”

  “I do.” I did. “But I don’t love her. Sounds like you might have an interest in Darla.”

  “Like her, don’t love her.” He stopped swinging the hammer and grinned. “But I’d really like to kiss her.”

  “Go for it.”

  “Maybe I will.”

  When we finished with the platform, we helped build some booths. Dusk was settling in when Kendall blew a whistle, announced we were done for the night, and it was time to grab some food.

  A long line of picnic tables had assorted seafood and vegetables laid out on them. I started to reach for a plate when I noticed Kendall inspecting the platform. I headed over.

  “It’s solid,” I said.

  She spun around, looked guilty. “I know. I just wanted to look it over before I checked it off my list.”

  “How much more do you have to check?”

  “This is it.”

  “Come get some food.”

  “I will in a little while.”

  “Why don’t you save us a spot here and I’ll pile some food onto a plate that we can share?”

  “That’s sweet but—”

  “You ready to eat?” Chase asked as he came to stand beside her.

  What had I been thinking? She wasn’t mine anymore.

  “Yeah, I am,” she said. “Jeremy, do you want to join us?”

  I shook my head. “Nah. I’m good.”

  Chase winked at me as he started to walk off with the girl I had once loved. “Tomorrow, dude. May the best man win.”

  I had a feeling he wasn’t just talking about the gun show. Before then I needed to decide if I wanted to win Kendall back or let her go completely.

  Chapter 37

  KENDALL

  I couldn’t get out of working at Bark in the Park. Not that I really wanted to. I believed in the fund-raiser, understood the importance of the money we’d raise. The new wing was coming along nicely, most of the work being done on the inside now. Or so it seemed. I spent a lot of my shifts at the shelter avoiding looking over at the construction site, trying very hard not to search for Jeremy.

  He’d be here today with the other gunslingers. They each had a designated director’s chair with their name taped to the back, a jar for donations. This wasn’t a bodybuilding competition. We didn’t expect them to stand around flexing their muscles. They were welcome to play with any dogs that came up to them.

  But I imagined Jeremy flirting with the girls who brought their dogs over. Single-purpose Jeremy, who had always given me all his attention. I missed him so much. And that was crazy. Things were over between us. I was never going to get back what I’d had. We’d both changed.

  I spent two hours assisting with the last-minute setup. Just before the event began, I took my place at the area where we had dogs for adoption crated. I would work two hours here, trying to entice people to adopt one of the dozen dogs we’d brought. I was pretty sure the puppies would go, but as always the challenge was finding a forever home for the older dogs.

  I could see the canopy of the gun show tent from where I was, but just barely. I wouldn’t be able to see the guys strutting their stuff. I wouldn’t be able to see Jeremy.

  “Ready for the big day?” Chase asked as he sauntered over.

  “You bet.” I squeezed his arm playfully. “Good luck raising the most.”

  He bent his arm, flexed those biceps, and grinned. “Not even a competition.” Crouching, he ruffled the bichon that I had on a leash. “We still on for a date afterward?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He straightened. “Great. It’ll help me get through the long day.”

  “I only have two more hours and then I’m free to go.”

  “You’re not going to leave all this, are you? Get your face painted or get a balloon animal from the clown.” His specialty was creating poodles.

  “When my shift is done I’m going home to get Bogart. Then I’ll be back.”

  “That works.” He tapped his finger to my lips. “Kiss for luck?”

  Why didn’t I jump on that, jump on him, plaster my mouth to his? Why did a small part of me niggle and nag that I should be supporting Jeremy, that I should want him to win?

  Waiting patiently, Chase angled his head at me like a thoughtful dog. What was wrong with me? When this whole thing had started, I’d wanted Jeremy to win. Now I was seeing Chase. Of course I wanted him to win.

  Throwing my arms around him, I gave him a quick, hard kiss. Embarrassed by my enthusiasm, I stepped away, felt the heat warm my face. “Good luck.”

  He grinned. “I’ll take another one of those when I win. See you later.”

  He sauntered off, toward the canopy. I could see the shadows of a couple of guys. I couldn’t see them clearly,
but I could have sworn that I recognized how one of them moved. I was pretty sure it was Jeremy.

  I wondered if he’d be doing something with Jade later. I could see her sashaying around with a bullhorn and issuing orders to the guys.

  “If the early arrivals are any indication, we’re going to have quite the turnout,” Terri said. She’d set up a little pen for the puppies. Now she was holding one of the goldens, letting it lick her face.

  “Looks like,” I admitted.

  “I can’t decide if the gun show really belongs,” she said. “Seemed like a good idea when Chase suggested it, but now I don’t know.”

  “If it brings in money . . .”

  She shrugged. “You’re right, although part of me thinks Chase just wanted to show off. He is so proud of those muscles.”

  “They are pretty impressive.”

  “So are you two dating?” she asked.

  I felt the heat warm my face. “We have plans for afterward.”

  “He’s a nice guy,” she said. “Makes it easier after a breakup if there’s someone to catch you. But then you have to worry about rebound feelings.”

  “We’re just friends, really. I leave for school in two weeks.”

  “I’m going to miss you,” she said.

  “I’ll miss you, too. And the dogs.”

  I glanced toward the canopied area. Jade rushed over to Chase as he approached, grabbed his arm, and began to propel him toward the stage. For all her flirtatious faults, she did seem to have a handle on how the gun show should be run.

  I saw Jeremy, felt his gaze on me, wondered if he’d seen me kiss Chase. What did it matter? We both needed to move on.

  Turning away, I got busy opening crates for people so they could get to know the dogs better. Today was about finding homes for these animals and raising money so we could help more of them. It wasn’t about my crazy, confused heart.

  Or wishing that I’d given Jeremy a kiss for luck instead.

  Chapter 38

  JEREMY

  Seeing Kendall kiss Chase—even from here it was obvious that she initiated the move—had been like taking a punch to the solar plexus. Under any other circumstance, I might have liked the guy, but today I totally wanted to kick his butt.