Emma stayed planted on the ice but watched me intently. Her brown eyes got bigger, and she practically salivated to hear what came out of my mouth next. She’d said Maiken had never had a girlfriend or liked a girl before me. I was relieved to hear him say he’d never been on a date before. That had made me feel a little less awkward. Okay, a lot less awkward since I’d made the first move.
Celia huffed beside me, crossing one leg over the other. “Well, chica? Dish and fast before I erupt.”
Celia and I had always talked about boys for as long as I could remember. It had all started when we caught Carter making out with a girl in the barn. That incident had sparked thoughts about boys and girls and kissing and groping because Carter had been feeling the girl’s breasts. Suddenly, a light bulb came on in my head. That was the reason Carter was so adamant about a boy not getting near me. He knew that a guy would do the same to me. Still, it wasn’t for him to decide. If I wanted to make out with a boy, then it was my decision.
“If I know my brother,” Emma said, “he won’t tell anyone. He’s quiet like that. I don’t want to hear the details either. I get you two are best friends.” She wagged a finger between Celia and me. “But make sure it stays between you two because kids are notorious for taking things out of context, and before you know it, a kiss has turned into full-blown sex.”
I was getting advice from a freshman who seemed older than her fifteen years of age. Nevertheless, she was right. I didn’t want Carter and Liam to get wind of Maiken and me. If the rumor spread that Maiken and I had had sex… I didn’t want to think about that. My parents would find out, and I would have to explain myself, even if the rumor wasn’t true. While that wasn’t a big issue, Daddy would look at me weird. I couldn’t handle that. I was his little girl. Sure, Maiken and I had only kissed, but Daddy’s mind would wander anytime he saw Maiken, especially since Maiken worked for him. That would be bad for both of us.
“I would never tell anyone or put Quinn in a tight spot,” Celia said. I imagined she was remembering the rumor she’d started about me.
Emma pressed her pink lips into a thin line. “You sure about that, Celia? Is it true that you hurt Quinn by dumping her to be besties with Tessa? I overheard that in gym class the other day.”
Celia hung her head. “I would never do that again.” Her tone was filled with sorrow and regret.
A pang of hurt sat heavy on my chest. Sometimes best friends did stupid things. I felt the need to stick up for my bestie. “Don’t worry, Emma. What I tell Celia will stay between us.” I wasn’t one hundred percent sure about that, but Celia deserved a second chance.
A curly black-haired girl wobbled toward us on skates, coming up behind Emma.
Emma raised her fingerless gloved hands as though the curly-haired girl were about to arrest her. “I’m just saying. Keep your make-out sessions with Maiken to yourself.”
The girl’s eyes got big as she stumbled off the ice, practically falling into Emma. “Who’s making out with Maiken?”
Emma whirled around and steadied the girl. “Where did you come from, Dana?”
Celia and I exchanged an amused look. All Emma’s advice had just backfired on her. Hopefully, Dana wasn’t the type to gossip. Then again, most kids I knew gossiped.
Irony at its finest.
Emma waved at Celia and me then grabbed Dana’s hand as the two skated off.
Celia laughed. “Kind of funny that Emma could be responsible for the rumor. You know I wouldn’t say a word to anyone.”
I was ninety-eight percent sure she wouldn’t. Celia and I had built a little trust since we’d made up, but the nagging voice in my head wouldn’t let me be completely comfortable. Still, it wasn’t as if Maiken and I had gotten naked.
Silence stretched between us while we watched the skaters. Some were giggling, some were breezing around in their own little world, while others fell or bumped into kids in front of them.
“Do you know Dana?” I asked. “Do you think she will spread the rumor?” Worry gripped my belly. I couldn’t have a rumor about me floating around school, especially one that involved sex.
“I don’t. After what Emma just said, I’m sure she’ll talk to Dana.” Celia pushed up her glasses higher on her nose. “Now answer me. You believe that I wouldn’t spread rumors about you anymore?” She pinned me with a hard look.
If the tables were turned, I would want to hear all about Celia’s encounter with a boy. Oh, wait. I had. She’d kissed my brother. But that was all she’d told me. She hadn’t given me details such as how my brother kissed. Like Emma, I really didn’t want to know about my brother’s make-out sessions.
“You promise not to say anything to anyone? My brothers would flip a switch if they heard any rumor about me and Maiken.” I held my breath, even though I knew she would promise.
Her cheeks reddened as she frowned. “I’m sorry about spreading the rumor about you at the beginning of school. But you can’t hang that over my head forever.”
I hooked my arm in hers. “I don’t like the attention, Celia. And I don’t want to ruin whatever is happening between Maiken and me.”
“If anyone is going to ruin you and Maiken, it will be Tessa.” She pointed a blue-painted nail at the entrance.
My night just went downhill. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Tessa was there. Most of the freshmen and sophomores made the rink their hang-out spot on Saturday nights during the winter.
I didn’t get a chance to dwell on Tessa after I laid eyes on the person behind my enemy. Maiken swaggered in, wearing that blue knit hat with his hair sticking out in the front. I loved that hat on him.
Celia bumped her shoulder into mine as I dug my nails into her arm. Good thing she was wearing a thick sweater. Otherwise, I might have drawn blood.
“Swoon,” Celia said on a sigh.
Jealousy reared its ugly head. I wanted to shout, “He’s mine.” But then my gaze came unglued from Maiken and settled on my brother Liam. Both boys towered over Tessa, who flipped her inky-black hair behind her as if she had both boys in the palm of her hand. At that thought, I stiffened even more.
Celia peeled my hand off of her arm. “I love you, Quinn. But I do need my arm.”
I let go, balling my hands into fists in my lap.
“Do you want to leave?” Celia asked.
Yes. No. Maybe.
Liam said something in Maiken’s ear. Maiken’s head turned slowly around the rink as though he were looking for someone, probably Emma. Tessa twirled around and planted her hands on his chest.
I snarled.
Celia did the same. “If she touches Liam, I’m not holding back.”
Maiken grinned down at her. My heart sank to the floor, and any ounce of valor I had, which was close to nil, crawled into a hole and died.
I remembered what Emma had said that first day in the hall at school. Maiken was just being polite.
Tessa shimmied her hips closer to him, and I felt as if someone had stomped on my heart with the sharp blade of a skate.
“You should go over there,” Celia said.
“I don’t want to start trouble.” Tessa would eat me alive. “I don’t have your courage anyway.”
“I promise you. By the end of the school year, if not before, you will have confidence and courage.”
“How? Do you have some magic potion?”
Her head bobbed. “Maiken is your magic potion. You stood up to Chase with Maiken at your side. And as the two of you get closer, you’ll see.”
I spied Emma heading over to her brother with Dana on her tail.
“This should be good,” Celia muttered.
Emma said something to Maiken, and then Tessa sneered our way. Maiken’s face brightened as he waved.
My heart wasn’t on the floor anymore. In fact, it was beating so hard, I was afraid I might have bruised ribs the next day.
Nevertheless, my mind suddenly raced through every moment Maiken and I had spent in the funhouse: the anticipation, my dry
mouth, the wild tingles in my belly, his masculine scent, and the thing that had me dreaming about him the night before—his erection, or boner as I’d heard my brothers say. The proper term was phallus or tumescence. Note to self: Don’t spit out facts about an erection in front of Maiken. I would absolutely die.
“You’re turning red,” Celia whispered.
That was an understatement. My dreams had been laden with me sitting on top of Maiken while his penis grew. Father Thomas would give me a hefty penance when I went to confession the next day for thinking lewd thoughts about a boy.
But thoughts of confession faded as I worried about the darn rumor. For sure, if Carter and Liam found out about my make-out session with Maiken, they would beat him until he was black and blue. Then he would lose his job. Then I would have to tell them that I was the one who’d had my way with Maiken.
It was more important than ever that I didn’t tell Celia anything, even though I was dying to. Considering she liked Liam, she might accidentally tell him.
Celia’s voice ended my misery. “Oh, look. Maiken and Liam are coming this way.”
But my misery multiplied when Tessa bounced over on Maiken’s heels with her hands on him and a look on her face that said he was hers.
In her dreams. The problem was I was all talk in my head. I had to find that courage I so wanted that Celia had promised.
Mr. Thompson had let me off work early since the tree business had slowed during my last hour. I’d protested since I could use the money. But Mr. Thompson had informed me he would pay me for my full shift. I couldn’t argue too much with the man. Besides, Liam wanted me to tag along with him to the rink. He’d said the basketball team would be there. Plus, I’d never been to an ice rink before, and I was curious about the venue.
The place was chilly, loud, and had a certain odor I couldn’t put my finger on. Aside from that, skaters of all shapes, genders, and sizes glided around the ice. I figuratively scratched my head at how circling a big piece of ice could be fun, although I’d enjoyed watching Quinn on the lake.
As we started for Quinn and Celia, Tessa kept a tight hold on my right arm. Tell her to bug off, a small voice in my head prodded. Instead, I gently tugged my arm away. “I need to use the bathroom.”
“I’ll go with,” Liam said in a rush.
I didn’t wait to look at Tessa or see her reaction. I practically bolted as fast as I could, not even knowing where the bathroom was located.
Thankfully, Liam led the way.
I’d had girls come up to me at my last school, but none had overtly thrown themselves at me. Those girls had tried to get my attention by talking to me without putting their hands all over me.
As soon as Liam and I were inside, he checked the two stalls. I let out the huge breath I’d been holding.
“We’re clear,” he said.
I laughed. “Clear from what?” I didn’t care if any guys were in the bathroom.
Liam hopped up onto the counter in between two sinks. “I was just making sure Chase wasn’t in here.”
Even Chase being in the restroom wouldn’t have bothered me. I would’ve welcomed that for sure. I could have used an outlet to relieve some frustration. Maybe he could’ve helped me by telling his sister to take a hike.
I leaned against a wall not far from Liam. “How many times do I have to tell Tessa that I’m not going to her party?” If she asked me one more time, I might explode.
Liam pulled out his phone from his coat pocket. “She’s aggressive. Always has been.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Man, if it’s not Chase up my ass, I have to have his sister all over me.” It may have been for very different reasons, but either way, I wasn’t a Stevens fan.
Liam read something on his phone.
“Are you going?” From the way everyone was talking about the party, I suspected that the whole town would be there.
He typed on his phone. “Celia asked if I could help her mom out that night. You know, her mom is catering the event.”
“So what’s up with you and Celia anyway?” That day outside the gym, they’d been in a heated discussion.
He set his phone in his lap. “She likes me, but she’s my sister’s friend and a year younger than me.”
“So you’re a junior, and she’s a sophomore. So what? Do you like her?”
“I’m not into girls who are aggressive,” he said. “I like to make the first move.”
I harrumphed and cringed at the same time. If he knew that Quinn had made the first move with me, then he might not be too happy. I debated whether to tell him that I liked his sister. Considering how Carter was a crazy man when it came to guys around Quinn, I didn’t want to deal with Liam going all nuts too.
“You didn’t answer my question. Do you like her?”
He flicked his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes. “Yeah. I think she’s cute. I’m not ready to date, though. I got basketball and school.”
Boy, did I understand where he was coming from. I needed to get my grades up, or I wouldn’t be playing basketball.
“Anyway,” he said, “the party is the Saturday before Christmas, and my dad wants Carter and me to be at the Christmas tree stand. Well, if he doesn’t sell out by then. You’re working that day, right?”
My shift that day started at nine in the morning. “Does he usually sell out of trees?” If he did, then I wouldn’t have a job anymore.
Liam jumped down. “Sometimes. The coast is probably clear. Let’s go find the team, and I’m hungry too.”
I shifted on my feet. “Before we go out there, I wanted to tell you that Coach wants me to play point guard.”
He did a double take. “For real? That means Chase gets his way. Fucker. Are you going to?”
“Yes,” I said without any hesitation. “I think it would be better. Besides, if I played shooting guard and Chase was point guard, he would never pass the ball to me. Now I’m in control.”
“I get the tension between you two, but don’t fuck up the game because of him.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Can he shoot?”
“As I mentioned to you before, he’s an okay shooter. Whether you’re better than him is still to be determined. No offense.”
“It’s all good. And not to worry. I’m not a complete ass. I want to win games too.” This would be my first game with a new team, and I would be damned if I would screw it up, especially since I was filling a dead boy’s shoes. I had to be perfect.
Tessa was waiting outside the men’s room.
Holy shit. The woman was relentless.
Liam slapped me on the back. “I’m getting food.” Then he ambled toward the food court.
Tessa had her arms folded over her small chest. Yeah, I noticed. I was a schmuck. The town and school were causing me to do things that I hadn’t done before like stare at a girl’s breasts.
She followed my line of sight, then her red lips slowly parted. “You like, huh?” She closed the short distance between us until she was again too close for my comfort. “We could go somewhere.”
I took a step back. “Not happening.”
She took a step forward.
We danced this awkward tango until my back was plastered against the wall outside the men’s room
The word fuck blared in my head. I swallowed a rock as sweat beaded on my neck. “Tessa, do you understand the word no?”
Her hands slid around my waist. “Wow. You really are as toned as I imagined.”
I was also tense until a voice, soft and melodic, jolted me.
“M-Maiken,” Quinn said in horror.
“Oh my word,” Celia added. “Tessa, are you really groping him in public? Figures that you hold true to the slutty rumors about you.”
“What’s going on here?” a deep male voice asked out of nowhere.
I knew that voice. I hated that voice.
I spotted Chase near Quinn with his head cocked to one side and a scowl on his face. “Sis, are you really touching him?�
� He sounded disgusted.
“None of your business, brother.” Tessa glued her hands to me.
“Maxwell.” Chase said my name in warning as though he were trying to scare me, which wasn’t working. “I would suggest you move away from my sister.”
I rolled my eyes. “Kind of hard to do when I’m pinned to the wall.”
Quinn ran up to us. Her big amber eyes had fear floating in them. Nevertheless, she pushed Tessa, who staggered in the direction of her brother.
I could’ve done what Quinn had, but if I did, then I might have been accused of hurting a girl.
Celia clapped.
My jaw went slack.
When Tessa was steady, she asked in a not-so-nice voice, “Did you just push me, Quinn Thompson? Tell me you didn’t.”
Quinn stuck up her middle finger.
I grinned like an ass.
In a blur, Tessa ran with her fist primed to punch Quinn. I had little time to think, but Chase beat me to it by grabbing his sister around the waist. “Not today, Tessa.”
I gritted my teeth. “‘Not today?’ Not ever, you mean.” I inserted myself in front of Quinn, but she nudged me out of her way. She was braver than I gave her credit for.
“It’s inevitable that Tessa and Quinn will duel,” Chase said very matter of factly. “You can’t stop something that is already planned.”
Quinn let out a noise that sounded like a growl. “So you’ll let your sister beat me up,” she said in a confident tone. “And you want to go out with me? All those nice things you said to me were a lie, then?”
I wanted to kiss her for not stuttering and standing up for herself. I also wanted to hug her because hurt threaded through her last sentence. I didn’t like that she felt hurt, and for that, I took one step toward Chase, ready to get in his face, until Tessa stomped on his booted foot.
Chase winced. “Ow. What’s that for?”
“You like that pig-smelling girl?” Tessa all but shouted.
I chanced a glance at the rink. Most of the skaters were eyeing us.
Chase’s gaze pierced his sister. “What if I do?”
Tessa pursed her lips hard. “Then we’re not related.”
My Heart To Touch: A Maxwell Family Saga - Book One Page 14