Operation Prom Date (Tactics in Flirting)

by Cindi Madsen

  “Kate!” Mick patted the seat next to him, and I had a crap-ton of eyes on me. The sets belonging to the female portion of the crowd were less than friendly.

  My heart traveled up into my throat and I carefully put one foot in front of the other, terrified I’d trip and ruin a moment I’d dreamed about for longer than I cared to admit.

  As soon as I sat down, Mick put his hand high on my thigh, like we’d been dating for months instead of seconds.

  Not that we were, you know, technically dating.

  But did he really think he could just put his hand so high on my thigh? Offense bubbled up, because I wasn’t that kind of girl, but then I remembered the endgame of this whole operation meant pretending I might be.

  Just until I hook him. Then he’ll get to know the real me, and I can slowly clue him in to the fact that I move a little slower.

  “We never did have that conversation about UNH,” I tried, my voice coming out less steady than I hoped, but not as shaky as I feared it would.

  “Right.” He shifted to face me more fully, keeping his voice low enough to make it a two-person conversation despite the large group surrounding us. “I like that it’s only a forty- to fifty-minute drive. I’d still live on campus to keep up with practices, but I’d be close enough to come home when I need to.”

  Before I could tell him I was planning to stick close, mostly because it was cheaper to live at home, he added, “I’m not one of those people afraid to leave home or anything. It’s just…my little brother will be a freshman next year, and he plays football, too. I’d like to be able to at least see some of his games.”

  Aww. I thought about that day in the ice cream shop again, and how I could see how much his little brother adored him, and clearly it went both ways. “That’s sweet.”

  “Sweet.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure how I feel about being called sweet.”

  “It’s a compliment, I promise.” I glanced at my food, but knew I’d never be able to eat while he was looking at me so closely. “And UNH is a really good school. I’m actually planning on going to the branch in Manchester.” My major was still up in the air, but I was leaning toward statistics. There was a big need for it in the health field and software field, so I had a few career paths to play with.

  “It is a good school,” Mick said, but something about his posture screamed hesitance.

  “So, what’s the hang up?”

  He arched his eyebrows like I’d surprised him, and maybe I was reading more into the situation, but he seemed relieved I’d noticed. “It’s not even in the top one hundred as far as football goes. Which probably makes me sound like a total snob, but I want to play for a good school, one who wins.”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “Exactly. Penn State is top ten. It’ll be more competitive, so I might not play as much, but it’d be more recognition. It’s just farther away—like, seven hours.”

  “Hmm. I’m sure your brother will understand that playing college ball will keep you busy. And you could probably sneak in a few games still. There are these things called airplanes that get people places super fast these days.”

  A big grin broke out across his face and butterflies went to fluttering like crazy in my gut. “Thanks, Kate,” he added, and the way he said my name sent those butterflies crashing into each other.

  I glanced up to find Paris and her gang glaring at me. Except for Amber—instead of pretending I didn’t exist anymore, she gave me a small smile.

  I was in the middle of trying to decide if I should return it or attempt a polite hello, or if this was simply some kind of mean-girl trap when Mick shifted even closer. “So?” He moved his lips next to my ear. “About this weekend? You down?”

  I twisted to face him and his nose brushed my cheek. My nerve-endings went crazy, a mix of euphoria and weirdness, and I couldn’t really pick one emotion out from the other. At least I knew the answer to his question, though.

  I slowly licked my lips and then gave him my best flirty smile. “I’m down.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Cooper

  “Did that sandwich sleep with your girlfriend or something?” Jaden asked, drawing my attention back to him. He jerked his chin toward it. “Or are you just planning on mangling it into submission before you take a bite?”

  I looked down at the ham and cheese sub that now looked like a barbell, the middle flattened to a skinny handle while the ends bulged out on either side of my fist. My gaze accidentally drifted back to Kate. Kate, who was sitting so close to Pecker that there couldn’t be enough oxygen for the both of them in that bubble.

  No, my sandwich didn’t sleep with my girlfriend, but some jackass had his hands on my girl. Er, my girl friend—friend who was a girl. I wanted to go over and pry his hands off her, but I was the idiot who’d put them there. Apparently my text yesterday had worked.

  Again, go me.

  If I watched the snuggle fest any more I’d lose my breakfast, so I forced my focus back to my lunch.

  Jaden glanced from their group to me. He opened his mouth and I put up a stop-right-there hand.

  “Don’t say it. She’s just a sweet girl, and I’m afraid he’ll hurt her. That’s all.”

  “Whatever you say, man.”

  Great. Now I was acting like some kind of caveman. I’d never experienced jealousy like this before. The closest I’d come was when I heard someone got a choice in career, or when another team beat ours at one of the regattas, but even that had nothing on this toxic burning sensation eating away at my gut.

  Last night I’d let Kate in—into my house, into meeting my mom, who of course told her embarrassing childhood tales. I liked to keep all the parts of my life separate. Made things less complicated.

  If she’d merely come over, I could deal. But it was that moment after we’d tumbled off my bed, onto the floor of my room that haunted me. That jolt of electricity, that crackling connection in the air I couldn’t have imagined.

  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 th
at 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.

  We parked near the dock, and when Kate climbed out of the truck, she came my way, bumping into me when her jump down was slightly bigger than needed.

  “Just so you know,” I said, “if you try to knock me into the water today, I’m going to perform a ninja move and make sure you’re the only one who falls in.”

  “Ooh, a ninja move. I’m so impressed, Space Case.”

  I shook my head. “You didn’t.”

  “I did.” She beamed at me.

  “I’m never letting you speak to my mother again.”

  “Oh, come on. I like her. She promised baby pictures next time I came over.”

  “Another point for never letting you come over again.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Did she really?”

  Kate laughed. “No, but your face was priceless.” She jabbed a finger into my cheek. “And I do want to see the dimples on baby Cooper. It’s got to be the cutest thing ever.”

  I playfully smacked her hand away, and she giggled and poked at my cheek again.

  “Are we ever going to get in the water?” Jaden asked.

  Kate glanced from him to me and gave a long-suffering sigh. “Oh great, two Coach Grouchy Pants to deal with. Just what I needed.”

  She started over to the boat, and I watched the sway of her hips, like I had that fateful day we’d struck our bargain.

  She thought she had it bad with two rowers around to bark orders at her? I was falling for a girl who liked someone else.

  Talk about just what I needed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kate

  “But, Cooper, what if everyone there is mean? And what if I don’t know what to say and I freeze up and ruin everything?” The closer the clock inched toward seven on Friday evening, the more frayed my nerves became. Yes, Mick and I’d had a few promising interactions and one decent conversation about college, but that just meant the stakes were that much higher if I blew it tonight.

  “Then don’t go,” he said, and I scowled across the cab of his truck at him. He was being even more stubborn than usual.

  “We had a deal.”

  “Hey, I got you invited over to Mick’s house—I’m fulfilling my side. You were too distracted to row this afternoon, so if anyone should be complaining it’s me.”

  I gasped. “You did not just say that to me.”

  “I did.” He flashed me a smile, clearly thinking he was clever, using the words on me that I’d used on him yesterday. Once we rowed out on the lake with Jaden, Cooper had hardly spoken—Jaden gave me tips and we made a joke about how he could row the left side while I did the right. Cooper hadn’t objected or told us to focus like I’d expected him to. He merely kept rowing, remaining far quieter than usual. Even during today’s training sesh, he hadn’t said much. He was careful not to bark orders, at least, but something was missing from our usual light banter. Sadness edged into his smile. “But I didn’t mean it. I’m happy with our times this afternoon. As for tonight…you’ll do fine, Kate. You’ve got this.”

  I gripped the handle above the window as he turned onto my road—the winter had turned it into half potholes, and the city didn’t seem to be in any hurry to fill them. I wished life came with one of these “oh shit” handles so you could hold on to it when the road ahead turned bumpy. Cooper was the closest thing I had to one, and I liked having him nearby so I could cling on as needed. “I’d feel better if you came with me. Or, I guess that might give Mick the wrong idea, but can’t you just show up?”

  Cooper pulled into my driveway. Sunlight filtered through the trees and gave his profile a glowing effect. “It’s not a big party. It’d be weird for me to show up.”

  Mick personally invited me, which was a huge freaking victory. We were just starting to get to know each other—to get to a place where he could see how much fun I could be and our connection could grow into more—and the pressure for everything to go perfectly weighed on me. History proved I didn’t do the best under pressure. Or in Mick’s presence. We’re talking like 80 percent awkward, with a high chance of tripping over my words.

  I could tell Cooper had made up his mind about not going, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t give me some extra tools to ensure success. “Can you at least help me pick out an outfit? Like I said, my mom has a late showing.” Which was why I didn’t have a vehicle to use and had that minor meltdown about how I finally got invited out with Mick, and I’d have to go over there all sweaty and gross, wearing the same clothes he’d seen me in at school.

  Cooper eyed the door to my house as if going inside would be akin to going to battle. Maybe asking for fashion advice was too
much—after all, he’d already offered to drop me off at Mick’s so I could come home after training and freshen up. As I opened my mouth to tell him never mind, he said, “Okay. But only to say yay or nay. There will be no advice on accessories or makeup, and I will deny this ever happening.”

  “I hope you’ll deny all of this ever happening. It’s a top-secret operation, and the only people who have clearance are you and me.”

  He shook his head, but his smile turned genuine again. I dove across the cab of the truck and hugged him. “Thank you, Sergeant Callihan.”

  “You’re going to be the death of me, Hamilton,” he said, and I hugged him harder and added a smacking kiss on his cheek.

  Even though it’d been an over-the-top cheesy gesture, I froze, worried awkwardness would creep in and he’d run screaming. Instead he laughed and put his hand on my back, and I got that fresh from the rollercoaster feeling.

  Which I took as an omen that tonight was going to go well, and nothing more. Because I couldn’t start having conflicted feelings about my secret mission partner right as I was about to land the guy I’d spent literally years crushing on.

  That’d make things way too complicated, and the more complicated, the higher risk that I’d trip and fall on my face or butt. Then I’d end up lonely and alone, just like I was before Cooper and I made our deal.

  …

  “Are you sure you won’t come in?” I asked Cooper when he pulled up in front of Mick’s house.

  “Remember how you said that would give Pecker the wrong idea?”

  “But we could stagger our arrivals. It’d be so spy-like. We could make up badass call signs and secret signals…”

  “You snagged his attention, Kate.” Cooper’s eyes flicked to me for the briefest moment. “And in that outfit, trust me, you’ll keep it.”

  I swallowed, but my throat still felt too tight. And it’s not like there was any fabric close to it, so it was definitely all nerves. Not that my clothing usually came up in the turtleneck range, but the slinky red tank with the tiny ribbon straps dipped lower than I was used to. “Are you sure the bright lipstick doesn’t look silly?”