by Cindi Madsen
“Take the forward seat,” Jaden said.
“Have you done this before? Because that’s not a good idea. I’m not a strong enough rower for that.” Just like Amber’s not freaking strong enough.
“Just trust me. I’ve got a plan.”
What the hell was happening? “Everyone must’ve taken crazy pills today, or maybe I did, because nothing’s making sense.”
The mayor lifted a bullhorn, outlined the rules, and before I knew it, he shouted, “On your marks…”
“Just focus on the finish line,” Jaden said as that crackling anticipation hung in the air, everyone ready to bolt the second the signal sounded out. “Don’t look back.”
I gripped the handles of the oars, figuring I’d give it my all, even if it was a useless cause. When the starting gun fired, I flinched, then dug my oars into the water.
The boat wobbled as Jaden shoved us off, and I resisted the urge to look back at him. That’d waste seconds and suddenly I thought maybe we would win. Who said we couldn’t?
The push from the oars behind me shot us forward, one stroke after another, the movement so strong I dared a glance over my shoulder.
And dropped my grip on the oars. Instead of Jaden being there, Cooper sat there instead, rowing harder than I’d ever seen him go before.
“What the what?”
He dug the oars into the water again, pushing us farther across the lake. I glanced to the right, where he’d been in a boat with Amber earlier, to find Jaden seated behind her. I blinked, tried to remember if I’d hit my head at any point during the past few days, and then returned my attention to my swapped-out partner.
“Cooper. Hello? What’s going on?”
“Just…a minute…and I’ll…” He continued to row, the exertion making every one of those sexy muscles in his arms and chest pop. “Explain.”
Since I didn’t know what else to do, I grabbed the oars and helped propel us forward. We were close to the lead, too.
But suddenly we slowed. I dug in my oars, but our progress wasn’t nearly as impressive as it’d been a minute ago. One more row and I could tell my partner wasn’t doing his part.
I glanced behind me. Cooper had abandoned his post and moved to the middle of the boat, his oars just sitting behind him, dragging in the water, which was going to totally kill our time.
“Whoa, dude, what are you doing? We’re falling behind—you need to get back to your seat.”
“I don’t care.”
“Yes you do. I’ve been in the boat with you before, remember? You’ve been training for this race for weeks, and we can still win.” I grunted as I rowed as hard as I could, the boat gliding through the water, but not nearly as well or as quickly as before my partner completely lost his mind. “You just need to help.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Okay, we’ll talk after we win the race.” I made another attempt to shoot us forward, but we were falling more behind by the second.
The boat wobbled as Cooper moved back into place, and I let out a sigh of relief.
I waited for us to start making forward motion again so we could hurry up and make up for lost ground. Instead the boat continued to wobble, and then Cooper’s chest bumped into my shoulder as he reached forward and undid the fasteners holding my oars in place.
Then he just let them drop into the water. “Are you crazy?” I noticed his oars floating away from us as well.
“Yes,” he said, and he placed his hand on my arm.
“We’re going to lose the race.” I motioned toward the other boats, now inching ahead of us—most a lot more than inches, actually.
“Yes,” he repeated. “But I’m hoping I’ll still win.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and rested my palm on my forehead. “I think this must be a dream. The weirdest things are happening, and I don’t understand it, and I’m just going to pinch myself and wake up, because this is going to be bad for my recovery.”
“Your recovery?”
I shook my head. “In case this isn’t a dream, I’m not making a fool of myself.”
Cooper straddled the seat, one knee behind me, and one pressing against the outside of my knee. “It’s not a dream. Because otherwise my heart wouldn’t be pounding like it’s about to bust out of my chest. I’ve never been so nervous in my life.” He grabbed my hand and moved it over his heart, and sure enough, I could feel the steady beat.
This close, I could smell his familiar cologne. Could see the brown and green swirling through his eyes—eyes I’d missed so badly that I wanted to cry at the sight of them. And those dimples…close enough to touch. To kiss…
“Everything got all messed up, Kate. And I take full responsibility, because I broke protocol.”
“Protocol?”
“On our mission. The deeper in I got, the harder I fell, and then I kissed you, and…” His gaze dropped to my lips and a shock of heat trembled through my core. “I can say with a certainty that you don’t suck at kissing—that was the best kiss I’ve ever had.”
Hope and happiness tingled across my skin. “Really?”
“Really.”
“It was pretty amazing.”
He nodded and leaned closer.
“Wait,” I said. “You ruined your shot at winning the race to tell me that I know how to kiss? I just need you to be as clear as possible, before I start getting the wrong idea and end up with a broken heart. Because like I accidentally mentioned earlier, my recovery from you hasn’t been going so well.”
Cooper brushed his lips against mine and my stomach drifted up and up and up. “How’s this for clear? I ship us, Kate. I want us to be Kaper or Coopte or Capote or whatever weird combination our names can make. You said something about forcing two people who were meant to be into a ship—obviously I took that very literally. You and me are my OTP, and if you don’t believe me, I’m going to spend the next several weeks trying to prove it, until you ship us as much as I do.”
A sound between a laugh and an ecstatic cry escaped my mouth. Then I crushed my lips to his.
Somewhere in the distance, I heard shouting in the bullhorn, something about a winner—possibly the announcement of one?—and how the boat that stopped halfway through needed to get out of the middle of the lake. But none of that mattered.
I threw my arms around Cooper’s neck, parted my lips, and deepened the kiss, not caring that the whole town was watching, because I wanted them all to know that Cooper Callihan was mine.
As soon as I came up for a breath, I whispered, “I totally ship us, too.” With that I’d had plenty of oxygen, so I dove right back in and kissed him again.
And again.
And again.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Cooper
“Well, Operation Prom Date is this close to being a success,” I said as we stepped in front of the arched entrance to the dance. “Even if we ended up making a few modifications.”
“Speaking of…” Kate ran her hand down the front of my white, button-down shirt. “I really like how your tux modification shows off your tall, ripped body.” Earlier I’d complained about wearing the penguin suit, but if it meant she’d smile at me like that and run her hand down my chest, I’d wear the thing every damn day.
“If you think I look ripped in it, you should see me out of it.” I waggled my eyebrows extra big and nudged her with my elbow. “Where was that on the Kanye Douchebag Scale?”
“I wanna say a nine, but since I saw you shirtless yesterday at the lake and know that you can back up the statement—not to mention you’re literally listed in my phone as ‘Tall Ripped Prom Date’—I’ll go with a six.”
I curled her to me and kissed the shimmery lips that’d held me captive countless times over the past few months. “You are the sexiest, sweetest, best girlfriend ever. Did I tell you how amazing you look?”
“You mentioned it a few times.”
When I picked her up and saw her in the dress, I was under the same spell that cam
e over me the first time I saw her in it, back when I wanted to kick Mick’s ass because he’d get to be the one holding her while she wore it.
Now here I was, running my hands over the silky ribbon at her waist and fighting the poofy skirt to pull her closer. Losing the Spring Festival race two weekends ago was the best thing that ever happened to me. Mick could have that win, because that day I’d won something way more important. “Well, it’s worth mentioning again. You look absolutely beautiful.”
Loose curls spilled down around her shoulders, and the braid at the crown of her head had sparkly stuff woven through it, giving her a Greek goddess look. She was like my very own constellation, one that guided me through the unknown.
She turned as Jaden and Amber approached. We rode over in a limo together, because I wanted Kate to have the perfect prom experience, and I owed both Jaden and Amber big time. It helped that my dad had a big soft spot for Kate, which meant he happily shelled out the money for it.
He and I were working on our relationship and had a deal in place. I’d complete a part-time internship with his firm this summer, and when I went to college, I could explore other options. As long as I was taking classes full-time and tried out at least one political science and one government class, he’d help me financially, regardless of what major I chose.
“You guys ready?” Jaden asked, wrapping his arm around Amber.
“Ready.” Kate grabbed my hand and laced her fingers with mine.
We stepped through the star-shaped archway, into the decorated ballroom. Since Kate talked me into helping decorate, I knew way too much about what decorations had been used, and how they’d been hung. “After all,” she’d prodded, “you know more about stars than anyone on the committee.”
The things the girl talked me into.
I dodged a few low hanging stars and guided us to the open area near the edge of the dance floor. Dozens of couples filled the space, dancing under the twinkling lights. Others lined up to have their picture taken in front of the glittery shooting star. Over the top, a banner read “Wish Upon a Star.”
For the past few months I’d wanted the ability to freeze time so I could enjoy every moment possible on the water. I’d never expected to want to slow down time at a school dance, but the pure joy filling Kate’s features made me want just that.
I lifted our entwined hands and kissed the top of hers.
She snuggled in close, and I wanted to hold her and inhale her perfume and just savor every minute with this girl.
Luckily we weren’t running on limited time. We had an entire summer of afternoons on the lake, nights under the stars, and endless kisses stretched in front of us. Then, in the fall, I’d go to Harvard, and she’d attend college in Manchester. The hour drive that would separate us was longer than I preferred, but when it came to being with Kate, it was nothing. We’d already talked about meeting halfway. I loved how she spoke about our future as if the only option was for us to be together, and for me, it was.
She was mine now, and I was never going to let go.
“Kate, hey!” Mick nodded at her and approached, leaving Paris to trail behind him. I wasn’t a fan of how he addressed her but not me, as if I didn’t exist.
When he hugged her and told her she looked beautiful, I became even less of a fan. I wrapped my arm around her waist and brought her flush to my side, barely resisting adding a growl. Kate flashed me a quick smile with a hint of be nice added. I supposed I should—after all, he’d agreed to let her out of their date so she could be here with me instead.
Still, I wouldn’t be sending him a fruit basket soon or anything.
“Callihan.” The acknowledgement was hesitant, as was my return nod.
“Hey, Paris,” Amber said, and I think Paris tried to smile, but she didn’t genuinely make the move enough for it to really work on her. Apparently she didn’t mind being Pecker’s backup option, but she didn’t exactly look like she was doing cartwheels over it, either.
“You said we were going to dance.” Paris tugged on Mick’s sleeve and he sighed.
“Fine, let’s dance.” He rolled his eyes at me, like I’d get the hardship, and took Paris onto the floor.
Kate wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned in for a kiss. “Looks like I picked the right date.”
“Looks like?”
She giggled. “Well, I haven’t seen your dance moves yet.”
“Oh, it’s on.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the floor, anticipating spending all night with her pressed against me as we swayed to the beat. “Just remember you asked for it.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Kate
Of all the times I’d imagined this moment, it’d never included a friend who’d helped me get ready—Amber and I started talking more after the Spring Festival race, and while we might not ever be the same, she’d apologized for the past and we’d renewed our friendship; a sense of accomplishment—I was at prom, feeling like a princess and wearing a dress I loved, and I swore I could feel my dad smiling down on me for pulling off my mission; and a boyfriend who I loved—even though I was still working up the courage to tell him.
In other words, tonight exceeded my wildest dreams.
Amber grinned at me as she and Jaden danced past us, and I returned her smile and snuggled closer to Cooper.
“And just so you never question my dance moves again…” He grabbed my hand, twirled me away fast enough that my skirt flared, and then spun me back into his embrace.
I laughed and put my hand on the side of his cheek, running my thumb down that delicious dimple. “Now I have no doubt I picked the right date. But I’ll tell you a secret…” I tipped onto my toes. “There never actually was any question. You could be a horrible dancer and I’d still pick you.”
“What if I stepped on your toes?”
“Who needs use of their toes? Totally overrated.”
His grin widened. “What if my knee-jerk reaction is to…?” He slid his hand a couple inches lower on my back, and glanced around before moving it to cop a feel. Not that he could get much of one through the skirt.
Funny enough, that was when I felt offended, but more at the dress than the boy. “I’d be scandalized, but then I’d just teach you some better manners. Like it’s really better to get both cheeks at once.” I slid my hands around his waist and cupped his backside.
His wide-eyed expression made me burst out laughing.
Then we got a dirty look from the chaperones, so I moved my hands back to his chest and he moved his back up to the respectable range.
After the coast was clear and another couple was the target of the chaperones, I wound my arms around Cooper’s neck and linked my fingertips. It brought our bodies close enough together that I could feel the rapid beating of his heart. Or maybe that was mine.
Our chests rose and fell together, and for a few magical minutes, every movement we made, we made as one.
The love I felt for this boy swelled, until every inch of me tingled with it. Once I’d thought that all boys were basically the same, but after spending time with Cooper, I knew that wasn’t true. He was good and kind and smart and funny and he embraced my fandom side and told me that he shipped us. Was it any wonder I’d fallen in love with him?
As the song came to a close, I locked eyes with him. “I’m going to say something cheesy now… Just go with it.”
The music transitioned to a faster beat, but Cooper kept the slower pace.
“I don’t need to wish upon a star,” I said, “because this entire night is perfect, and being here with you is a wish come true.”
Cooper drew me closer, kissed me, and rested his forehead against mine. “You should probably also know, Kate Hamilton, that I’m in love with you.”
Euphoria surged through me, leaving every part of me pleasantly fuzzy. “I love you, too.”
We kissed again, taking our time to do it right, with enough lips and tongues to gain the attention of the chaperones, as well as our classmat
es.
“So, I might not need any more shooting stars, but will you take me stargazing anyway?” I asked.
Cooper swept a curl out of my face and cupped my cheek. “Until you beg me to stop.”
“Guess it’ll be forever, then.”
“I’m definitely okay with that.”
And just like that, Operation Prom Date got classified as mission accomplished, and Operation Together Forever was a go.
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Acknowledgments
This book was so much fun to write! Is it weird to thank your characters for being so fun to hang out with and easy to write? Well, I’m doing it anyway, because I’m weird like that. Working on this book also reminded me how much I love YA novels.
First off, I want to give a big shout out to all the fangirls out there. You’re my people. May all the couples you ship find their way to each other. :)
I’d like to thank Stacy Abrams for all her hints about how she’d love for me to write a book for the Crush line, and then for making that book even better and shinier with all of her editing prowess once I’d written it. Big thanks to the Entangled Teen team. Alexa, Melissa, Crystal, and all the people involved in publicity, marketing, formatting, and cover design—I LOVE my pretty cover like whoa! I’ve worked with so many people on several lines at Entangled Publishing, and I’m always blown away by how amazing everyone is. I appreciate you all for giving me a home, and for the hard work you do to get my books into the hands of readers.
Gina Maxwell and Rebecca Yarros, on top of helping me brainstorm and plot, you girls keep me laughing and get credit for keeping me sane(ish). I’m so grateful to have such amazing friends! Rachel Harris, Melissa West, and Evangeline Denmark, thanks for taking the time to read a few chapters when I needed feedback ASAP, and for your friendship.