Saratoga Falls: The Complete Love Story Series

by Pogue, Lindsey

  “Hey fellas!” Mac called merrily as she skipped over to us, the rumbling of people in tow.

  “Here they come,” Sam grumbled under her breath. I was actually happy to have a distraction from my thoughts.

  “Since you’re both sticks in the mud, I brought the party to you.” Mac sighed and snuggled into her empty camping chair beside Sam.

  A couple guys from the baseball team, Slinsky and Tompkins, came into view, as well as Anna Marie and Bethany.

  “Dude,” Tompkins said, pulling up a bench seat and plopping down beside me. “What are you doing alone over here? This is probably the last time we’ll all be here together and you’re depressing the shit out of me.”

  I laughed and glanced at Sam. She was only partially amused. “It’s all about strategy, my friend. I got you all to come over to me, did I not?” I glanced around at the group, but my eyes landed and rested on Bethany as she stared into the fire.

  Tompkins’ arm was wrapped around her shoulder territorially.

  “Touché,” he said, and pulled Bethany closer against him.

  “Well, we were bored, and Mac promised us a party if we followed her over here,” Slinsky added and put his palms up to the fire. “This doesn’t look like a party.” He peered around at all of us.

  “That’s because it hasn’t started yet,” Mac said with a smirk. “Now, does everyone have a drink, because we’re going to play a drinking game.” Her gaze shifted around the fire, nodding as she checked off everyone’s bottle or cup. Finally, she nodded satisfactorily. “Good. Now . . .” She pulled her chair up closer to Sam. “Since the team is disbanding, now that graduation has come and gone, I think we should play Truth or Dare—you know, go back to our roots.”

  There were grumbles and heads shaking, save for Slinsky. “All right!” he shouted. “This is going to be good.” He clapped his hands together and settled in.

  I could only roll my eyes. “What are we, Mac, seven?”

  “I know you’re an old man now, Nick,” she retorted. “But you all need to loosen up a bit, and this is how it’s going to happen. Plus, we’re making it a drinking game, remember? It will be fun.”

  “Even better.” Slinsky readjusted his seat on an old stump.

  “Great, then . . .” Mac surveyed the group. “Tompkins, you go first. Do you pick Truth or Dare?”

  “I’ve always hated this game,” he muttered and leaned forward in his chair.

  “We all have,” I agreed.

  Mac narrowed her eyes on me in a silent warning to shut up. “Come on. Choose. Which one will it be?”

  “Dare,” Tompkins finally said, shocking me.

  Mac’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Really?” Tompkins had no idea what he’d gotten himself into.

  He shrugged. “What? It’s Mac, how bad can it be?”

  I burst with laughter.

  Clapping her hands together, Mac leaned forward. “Okay, Dare it is.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, and eyed Tompkins closely.

  “You’re freaking me out, Mac. Pick something already,” he finally said.

  I smiled at his naiveté. “This is Mac’s favorite game—or, at least it used to be,” I amended.

  “Okay, Tompkins. I dare you to streak through the next campsite—not yours, the one to the left.”

  “What?” he nearly shrieked. “There’s like five old people in that one.”

  “If you don’t do it,” Mac said, “not only do you have to take three shots of a liquor of my choosing, you will forever be deemed a coward in my eyes.” She shrugged. “You make the call.”

  I burst out laughing again. “Dude, this is great. You were right, Mac. Truth or Dare was a fantastic idea.”

  Tompkins looked from Bethany, who was staring at him, expectant, to me, and then around the group. “As much as it will crush me to be less than a man in your eyes, Mac, I’m going to have to take the three shots and call it a day. I don’t want someone that looks like my grandma seeing my Johnson. Sorry.” The group laughed, and Bethany muttered her disappointment.

  “Somebody’s getting faded tonight,” Slinsky whispered, excited.

  “All right then. Follow me. I’ll pour you your vodka shots one by one to ensure you take them.”

  “What? Vodka? Can’t I drink something that doesn’t taste like rubbing alcohol?”

  “My choice,” Mac reminded him over her shoulder.

  With a groan, Tompkins followed Mac to the drink table, while we all hooted and shouted for moral support.

  Laughing, I settled back into my seat, and my eyes met Bethany’s of their own accord. Immediately, she looked away. Can’t even stand to look at me. Awesome.

  Tompkins took one shot after another, until his three were accounted for and his eyes were watering. “I should’ve streaked,” he gasped. Wiping the water from his eyes, he took his place back beside Bethany. She smiled at him, more like she laughed, but I could only wonder if they were just sleeping together or if they were an actual thing. Bethany was always seen around with guys, but I’d never actually heard of her dating anyone. I wasn’t sure what made Tompkins so special.

  “Okay, Tompkins, your turn.” Mac sat back down with a full cup, ready and waiting. “Pick your victim.”

  He nodded at Bethany. “Pick your poison. Truth or Dare?”

  “Oh yeah!” Anna Marie yipped with excitement, and took a drink from her cup.

  Bethany glanced around, her eyes resting on mine briefly, but I didn’t think she was really looking at me so much as thinking. “Truth.”

  “Truth?” Tompkins laughed. “That’s an easy one. One question I’ve always wondered—how many guys have you slept with?” He laughed and peered around at the group.

  The look on Bethany’s face was anything but amused. “Way too many to count,” she answered snidely. I couldn’t tell if she was joking or just pissed off. Quickly, she rose to her feet. “And you’re officially off the list for asking.”

  His smile vanished. “What? Wait—”

  “You might as well get my shots ready.” The mood turned from fun to awkward, and even as curious as I was to hear the answer, I was pissed for her sake, too. It might’ve been a playful question, but calling her out in front of everyone was a dick move.

  Mac and Sam exchanged a wide-eyed look, then their gazes landed on me, but I refused to look at them. Reluctantly, Tompkins poured her three shots of Patron and she took them quickly, one by one. When she was finished, she didn’t even look at him as she went to sit down on the other side of me, next to Anna Marie. They exchanged a confident look then peered back out at us, waiting.

  “That was a dick thing for him to ask,” I told her without thought.

  “Yeah, well, I’m not sure why I expected him to be any different than the rest of you.” It was a cut I hadn’t been expecting. She didn’t even bother to look at me, which was fine.

  I leaned the other direction in my chair and took a hearty swig of my beer. My sympathy for her had completely vanished.

  “Your turn, Bethany,” Mac said. “Who’s your victim?”

  “Anna,” she said with a nod to her friend. “Truth or Dare?”

  Tompkins glared into the fire, clearly not into the game anymore, but Slinsky was smiling like an expectant idiot.

  Anna Marie, who was already feeling the effects of whatever drink was in her cup, laughed. “Truth—one-hundred percent truth.”

  “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?” The question rolled easily off her tongue.

  Everyone laughed because Anna Marie was fun and flirty, and she and Bethany got themselves into predicaments every now and again. “There are so many to choose from,” she mused with a smirk. “But, I’m going to have to say skinny dipping in the fountain downtown last New Year’s.”

  Mac and Sam gaped.

  The guys and I laughed. “Hot damn, I missed it,” I teased and winked at her. I could imagine it though, and it was definitely something Anna Marie would do if she were fe
eling young and wild, with the help of her closest friend—Champagne.

  “You never told me that,” Bethany said in utter surprise.

  “You were too busy making out with—what’s his face? Todd! Yeah. Anyway,” she waved Bethany’s wide-eyed expression away. “I was with Claire and we wanted to do something crazy to ring in the New Year.”

  “I’d say,” Tompkins muttered, but he was clearly amused.

  Tompkins and Reilly were always the straight edges on the baseball team, which was another reason I was surprised that Bethany decided to date him of all people—and why I was also surprised that he asked her the question that he had. In all fairness, though, he had taken a few shots to loosen up first.

  “Now you all know something about me. Who wants to be my victim?” It wasn’t really a question. Anna Marie was staring right at Slinsky.

  “Hit me with it,” he said, and leaned forward, elbows on his knees and drink dangling in his hand. “I choose Dare.”

  “Sweet,” Anna chirped, all too happy to oblige. She took a swig of her drink and nestled it into the dirt. “I double dare you to let one of us girls put makeup on you.”

  “What?” He glanced around the fire. “Why can’t I run around naked or something cooler than that?”

  I shook my head. “No one wants to see you naked, Slinsky,” I reminded him.

  “Sam does,” he said with a wink.

  I narrowed my eyes in warning. Mac and Sam were off limits, the entire team knew that much.

  “I don’t think Reilly would appreciate you saying that,” Mac added.

  “Geez, it was just a joke,” he said with a groan. “Okay, fine. Who would like to do the honors?”

  “Anna Marie,” Mac said, “you get first dibs.”

  “I’d prefer to watch,” she says with a wink at Slinsky.

  “Then, I’d love the honor.” Mac jumped from her seat. “I’ll grab my stuff.”

  Slinsky sighed, his shoulders rising up around his ears, as if life was so wicked. He took a few swigs from his cup in preparation. “You all better watch this, because it ain’t ever happening again.”

  “Oh, don’t worry,” Tompkins said. “We’re getting pictures.”

  “Well, then.” Anna turned back to the group and rubbed her bare legs. “While we wait, Slinsky, it’s your turn. Who is your victim?”

  He smiled directly at me. “Turner.”

  “Great,” I muttered. Fantastic.

  “What will it be?”

  “Dare,” I said, reluctant. I’d never chosen Truth before, and I wasn’t going to start now. Even if I was actually a little nervous this time.

  “Oooh, keeping it exciting, as always, Nick.” Anna winked at me.

  A grin spread across Slinsky’s mouth, a sly and conniving one. “It’s time to bring this party up to a whole new level,” he said manically.

  “Spit it out, Slinsky. What do you want me to do?” For me, dares were like a Band-Aid, you had to tear them off before you thought too much about them.

  “You have to pick someone in this group to kiss—and I’m not talking about a peck on the lips, Turner.”

  “This isn’t Spin the Bottle,” Sam retorted, but Slinsky didn’t budge.

  “Hey, it’s a Dare, Turner. You going to kiss one of the girls or drink?” He shrugged. “Completely up to you.” Slinsky said that knowing I wouldn’t back down. A kiss was actually an easy dare, just awkward given my choices, which is what he was going for.

  I glanced around at the girls, knowing Sam and Mac were out of the question, and Bethany was a bad choice for a number of reasons, the first being that she would probably refuse. But Anna Marie was my choice anyway. She was cute and fun, and wouldn’t take this too seriously, which would make the experience all the more enjoyable. I could tell by the giant-ass grin on her face.

  “I choose Anna,” I finally said, offering her a cocky smile. “You wanna make out with me?” I winked at her, unable to resist. If it was a show that Slinsky wanted, I had no problem giving it to him.

  “Why, Nick Turner, I’d love to make out with you.” We both laughed, but when I got to my feet, so did Bethany.

  “Bathroom break,” she muttered and hurriedly stepped through the campsite toward the outbuilding. She seemed a little too eager to get away as I watched her disappear through the trees.

  Anna stepped over to me. “Well then, Turner, shall we?”

  I barely had time to process before Anna pressed her mouth to mine. All I could think about through Anna’s vanilla scent that filled my nostrils was Bethany and what, exactly, had just happened.

  Seven

  The Kissing Booth

  Nick

  Four Years Ago

  Trying to find parking in the school lot was ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as the fundraiser was going to be by the time I got inside.

  “Nick, where are you?” Mac chided through the phone. The crowd was loud behind her, and the impatience in her voice meant they were in a tight spot, especially if they needed a good ol’ alum, like me, to save the day. “Seriously, I needed coverage, like, twenty minutes ago—”

  “Okay, okay. I’m parking right now. I’ll be there in two minutes. Hold your horses.”

  Mac groaned. “Fine. I’m behind the stage.” She hung up the phone.

  Behind the stage? I didn’t like the sound of that. I had no idea what I was signing myself up for when I answered her frazzled plea, and I was starting to have my doubts.

  Climbing out of the Explorer, I hurried through the lot and headed for the baseball field. The Booster Club threw some sort of fundraiser at least once a year, something the baseball team often got wrangled into doing as part of their community project. I thought I was finished with all of that, since I’d graduated almost two years ago, but alas, I was back. Even though it was a Saturday afternoon, and I had a dozen other things I would have preferred doing, what was a couple hours of ticket handling or working at one of the game booths for a friend in need?

  When I finally made it to the stage, I stopped, dead in my tracks. “No,” I said.

  Mac came running out toward me, her face lit up. “You’re here!”

  I took a few hurried steps back, shaking my head. “No. No. No—I am not working the kissing booth, Mac.”

  The fear in her eyes darkened, and she reached for me. “Nick, please? You have to help.”

  “I don’t mind helping, but I’m not kissing a bunch of high school girls.”

  “Oh, come on. Some of them are cute. Besides, they aren’t all high schoolers. We’ll sell so many more tickets if you are the one doing all the kissing.”

  I gaped at her. “All the kissing? No, Mac.”

  “Pleeeease, Nick? Only for an hour until we can find a replacement? Kensington, the main cheese in our senior class, was going to do it, but he bailed at the last minute. So far, it’s only been the girl’s booth. Which I’m rocking by the way.” She simpered, but then her eyes widened again and she frowned. “Please, Nick. Pretty, pretty please? I would owe you forever if you did this.” Mac clasped her hands against her heart, actually begging.

  “Gah. Fine. But yes, you owe me so big, you don’t even know.”

  “Yay! Fine—anything.” She flung her arms around me, and kissed my cheek. “Follow me.” Mac took my hand and led me up the back of the stage, a definite pep in her step again.

  “How the hell did you get mixed up in the baseball team’s fundraiser, anyway?”

  Mac waved my question away. “When you have to pick a senior project and your best friends are busy with their own lives, that’s how. Reilly’s deployed, you’re busy with college, and Sam’s sneaking off every waking moment to be with her new boyfriend she doesn’t think I know about. So, you find things to do, hence, helping the Booster Club with all their fundraisers this year.” She ran her fingers through her hair as she opened the back of a small booth. “This one’s a doozy though. I promise there will be no more kissing booths in the future. I didn’t realize ho
w difficult this would be. Lesson officially learned.”

  “Thank God,” I grumbled, but Mac was right about my being MIA, which made me feel all the more guilty and bendable to her will. Working at Lick’s and taking classes at Benton U had kept me more than busy over the past year.

  “Come on,” she said, turning me to face her. She eyed me up and down. “Well, you don’t look like a complete wreck,” she muttered, and ran her fingers through my hair and smoothed out my t-shirt. “I think you’ll do just fine.” She smiled and reached into her bag.

  “Well, thanks. I guess.” I tilted my head, realizing I’d never seen her so frantic before.

  “Here.” She handed me a case of mints. “You’ll need these, no doubt. Pop one in now, and maybe after the next few kisses.”

  “What? I’m not making out with them, Mac.”

  She laughed. “Of course you’re not, but girls can be greedy. And you’re a legend here. Trust me, you will need them.”

  “Oh my God.” I cursed myself for ever answering my phone as she pushed me into the private booth from the back, closed to the ladies waiting in the line outside. I could hear their curious murmurs and impatient grumbles.

  Mac kissed my cheek. “I’ll introduce you and send the first one back.”

  “I can’t wait,” I groused and sat down on a patio chair with a cushion on it. Not only would it be the most awkward experience of my life, it would likely scar me forever.

  “Okay, ladies,” Mac simpered into a microphone. “Sorry for the delay, but as promised, we have some yummy eye candy for you inside. He’s not only a looker, but a baseball legend.”

  I had no idea how many girls were out there, what they looked like, or how old any of them were and it made me sweat just thinking about it.

  “If you haven’t already, purchase your tickets at the booth to the right of the stage and you’ll get a kiss with one of the baseball legend-makers himself. And, remember, this is for a good cause, so if you’re happy with your kiss, buy another ticket for a round two!”