by A. R. Perry
Piper shakes her head as she hops out. “Oh, Carter, you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
No, I don’t. But I’m not going to overthink it. Tomorrow I’ll worry about what this thing is between us and whether Nash is completely out of the picture. Tonight, though, tonight will be a date she’ll never forget.
I grab the door for her before she reaches it, ushering her inside like the gentleman my mom always tells me to be.
Piper rubs her hands together, gazing around the compact space. “What’s the price limit here?”
“No limit.” I lead her to the back wall and pick the biggest cup. “But we gotta eat it all.”
“Even if it means one of us puking in the bushes outside?”
“It’s the risk you take.” I nod to the wall and she follows me to the four silver machines that house the revolving eight flavors of frozen yogurt. My mom used to bring me here when I was younger. The place is a bit run-down now after all these years, but they make the most amazing flavors.
“One or two?” Piper asks as she passes behind me to read the other handwritten cards with the flavors.
“Two.”
“Hmm.” She taps a finger on her lips before snagging the cup from me. “How about watermelon and peanut butter?”
When I pull a face, she laughs and starts to fill up the cup with the first of the two flavors.
“My mom never let me eat this stuff as a kid.” She moves on to the next machine, filling the space next to the bright pink yogurt. “She said sugar would stunt my growth or something. I only got candy when I visited my grandmother.”
“That’s a shame. I used to come here every Friday with my mom.” Back when money wasn’t as tight.
“Well, your mom lives off sugar so that makes sense.” She sets the cup down on the toppings bar, her cute little nose wrinkling as she scans all the items.
I wrap my arms around her from behind and plant a soft kiss on the side of her neck. She squeaks and tries to wiggle free, but I hold on tighter. I can’t help it. After all this time fighting my attraction to her, I have an insatiable need to touch her.
“So, you’re into PDA?” she asks as she scoops Cap’n Crunch into the container.
“Not normally. But there’s an exception to every rule.”
“And what’s the exception?”
“You.” I plant another kiss on her neck, sucking on the delicate skin above her collarbone. Goosebumps break out all down her arm and I grin.
“You’re making it hard to concentrate.”
“You’ve been making it hard to concentrate since you slammed into me in the hall so I figure it's time for payback.” I let my lips trail over the soft skin of her shoulder. “Cheesecake pieces.”
She scoops some into the container. “Since then, huh? Because I assumed you couldn’t stand me.”
“Come on. I’ve always liked you. We just grew apart there for a minute. Though for the life of me I can’t figure out why.”
“You’re Mr. Popular with half the female population hanging all over you.” She piles on Dots. “You’re the one who stopped talking to me, remember?”
I let out a heavy breath, ruffling the hair around her ear. “I guess I got caught up in everything. It was better than being at home.”
“What’s wrong with home?” Piper turns in my arms, letting her hands trail up the sides of my arms.
“Ever since I started high school, my dad’s been pushing for me to become a lawyer. Says it’s far more respectable than some bozo whose only talent is throwing a ball.” I roll my lips between my teeth. I’ve never admitted this to anyone before. Not even Nash knows about my epic blowouts with my dad. All anyone thinks is that I hate talking about college.
“Touchy subject. Makes sense now.”
“Yeah.”
“Is that why he’s never at any of the games?”
“That and he works two jobs. The bakery is starting to make a decent profit, but for a while they were worried it might go under.”
Piper’s eyes soften as she trails her thumb over my bottom lip. “My mom never mentioned anything.”
“She doesn’t know. No one does.”
“I can see why you always want to get out of forced family dinners now. Well, that and my mom’s cooking.” She fake shudders and I playfully bite down on her thumb.
Spinning around, she tosses some sour worms on top of her yogurt monstrosity. “Now the important question is, chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, or marshmallow sauce?”
“Butterscotch. Obviously.”
“Obviously.” She laughs and pumps the disgusting liquid on top. “Okay, this is horrifying enough. Grab a seat. I’ll pay.”
“Uh. No.” I snag the cup from her. “You paid for a lunch I didn’t even eat. The rest of this date is on me.
She stands still for a few seconds as the wheels turn in her head. I didn’t tell her about my family drama because I want sympathy. I didn’t plan on telling her at all, it just kinda came out. But the last thing I need is for her thinking she needs to pay for stuff.
“Go.” I nudge her with my elbow and she relents, walking over to a table away from the many windows lining the front.
I shell out the nearly twenty bucks for the cup of sugar, then join her at the table. “You brave enough to go first?” I ask, sitting down.
“Duh.” She takes the spoon I offer and digs in, her pert nose scrunching up when she shoves the mound, sour worm and all, into her mouth. “So good,” she says on a cringe.
“Believable.” I take a bite, my stomach rolling when the awful mixture of ingredients hits my taste buds.
“Why did we think this was a great idea again?” she asks.
“We’re gluttons for punishment?” I take another bite and shiver.
“So, tell me, if your dad wasn’t forcing law school, what would you want to do?”
“Football,” I respond without thinking, and then pause. “With a major in computer science or business. Something to fall back on in case the NFL doesn’t work out, or I get injured.”
“Where would you want to go?” The white spoon in her hand swirls the butterscotch around in the peanut butter yogurt, making it resemble puke.
“I’d probably stay close in case my mom needs help at the bakery. But if that wasn’t a concern, I’d want to attend the University of Mississippi.”
“Football?” She cocks an eyebrow.
“Of course. What about you?”
“What about me?” She plucks one of the red Dots out of the cup and pops it into her mouth.
“Where do you want to go to college?”
She blows a strand of hair out of her face, staring off into the distance. “No clue. Everyone has solid five-year plans, and I’m over here with no clue what I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m not passionate about one thing. Committing to something that will last the majority of my life is terrifying.” Her ocean-blue eyes flick back to me. “I wish I had even an ounce of your passion. Hell, I’d take an ounce of my mother’s crystal healing, hippie vibes.”
“She tried to light sage at our house one time.”
Piper snorts, taking another bite. “Sounds about right.”
My fingers trail over hers in small circles. “You’ll figure out what you want. At least you have endless options.”
“You should talk to your dad.”
Been there. Done that. The conversation ended with me punching a tree and almost fracturing my middle finger.
Time for a more lighthearted topic. I don’t want to sour our first date. “The real question is, who can eat the most of this?” I motion to the melting glob of gunk and raise a challenging eyebrow.
“Oh, you’re so on, Jackson.”
Hours later, we’re sprawled out on a blanket in the bed of my truck, stargazing at the edge of town and fighting terrible stomachaches. We’ve covered a lot of ground when it comes to first date inquisitions. Favorite bands—she shocked the hell out of me when she named Rob Zo
mbie. Though I shouldn’t be surprised. Her dad used to blare it when he worked in the garage. Favorite food was obvious. Tacos for me and for her, it will always be Chinese food, though she admitted tacos are a close second. A lot of these things we’ve known about each other and even after three years, it appears we haven’t changed as much as we want people to think.
“I’ll never eat sugar again.” Piper rolls toward me, resting her head on my shoulder. “Forget stunting growth, I think that stuff might be lethal in such a large quantity.”
“That can’t be true. My mom’s still alive and I’ve watched her sample every single thing she bakes since I was six.”
“Has to be her superpower.”
I laugh, tucking her closer to me. “Must be.”
Her arm rests across my stomach, fingers playing with the edge of my shirt. “Tell me football star…what’s it like out there on the field?”
“Amazing.” The same excited rush I get before a game rolls up from my toes until every inch of me is buzzing. “Unexplainable. It’s home. I feel it here.” I knock my fist against my chest, over my heart. “Then the game starts, and every color is brighter. Every noise is louder. Some sort of instinct kicks in and I know a player’s move before he makes it.” I laugh, scrubbing a hand across my face. “I’m not explaining it right.”
“No, makes sense. Though I’ve never felt anything close to that…well okay, that’s not exactly true. When you kissed me earlier tonight, I swear the world burst into a kaleidoscope of color.”
“Is that so?” I roll over, pinning her underneath me. God, I could get used to this.
“True story.”
“Think it was a one-time thing?”
“There’s only one way to find out.” She grins, tangling her fingers in my hair and tugging my face to hers.
Instead of going in for the kiss, I trail my nose along her jaw, inhaling the fruity scent of whatever body wash she uses. No lie, I might need to buy some and keep it on hand because it’s addicting. A moan escapes her when I press my lips to her pulse point, feeling it speed up on contact.
“Would you just kiss me already? I’m dying over here.”
“So bossy.” This time when I align my face with hers, I give her what she wants. What can I say? I’m a nice guy.
If heaven had a taste, it would be this. Her cherry lip gloss is the kicker, making her tastier than any pastry. I nip at her bottom lip and she sucks in a sharp breath, arching into me as she wraps her arms around the back of my neck.
We lose ourselves in each other for I don’t know how long. It could have been hours or mere minutes. The only thing I do know is we’re interrupted when the grating voice of Taylor Swift blares from somewhere in Piper’s purse.
She pulls back, panting. “That’s probably my mom. What time is it?”
When she rolls away, reaching for her bag, I lean on an elbow, trying to catch my breath. I’ve kissed plenty of girls before, but that…it almost matches the rush of being on the field. It’s gonna take me all night to calm down.
“Hey, Mom.” Cringing, she drags a hand through her mussed hair. “I lost track of time. I know. I’ll be home in twenty minutes.” Her eyes find me, sparkling with a repressed smile. “With Carter. Yes, that Carter.” This time she lets the smile loose, rolling her eyes. “Schoolwork, Mom. I’ll be home in twenty, I promise. Okay. Love you, too.”
With a huff, she tosses her phone into her bag. “Well, I’m pretty sure I’ll be in for an interrogation when I get home. Specifically about why it will take me twenty minutes to get home when our houses are five minutes apart.”
“What are you gonna tell her?” I stand, offering my hand.
“I don’t know. Is there…something to tell?”
“I hope so.” I tug her to me by the hem of her shirt. “Unless my girlfriend is embarrassed by me?” I see the exact moment my words dawn on her because her mouth falls open. Sure, it’s a big step after one date, but we’ve spent pretty much all our extra time together for the past few weeks. I’m the type of guy who goes after what he wants. And I want her. All of her.
“Whoa. Dropping the G-word already?”
“Points for being extra ballsy?”
Booping me on the nose, she turns around. “We’ll see,” she calls over her shoulder as she jumps to the ground. “If I’m not grounded, I might let my boyfriend take me on another date. But he’ll have to break like every speed limit to get me home in time.”
Grinning like a freaking idiot, I follow her, refraining from pressing her against the side of my truck and kissing the stuffing out of her. Those words from her mouth made me the happiest I’ve ever been.
I manage to get her home in time, but just barely, which means I don’t have time to taste her lips again before heading home. Doesn’t matter though. I’m still riding high as I park my truck in the driveway.
If someone told me when i woke up this morning this is how the day would end, I would have laughed in their face. Never in a million years did I think a girl like Piper would pass up a chance to be with Nash and chose me. Hell, if Nash ever gave Cristy the time of day we never would have been a thing. I’m not blind, and I definitely saw the longing glances she would shoot his way whenever we all were together. Same with Piper, and yet…she chose me.
Consider my mind blown.
I push open the front door, wincing at the loud creak. One of these days I need to fix or replace it because it makes it difficult to sneak in past curfew when the door is screaming like a freaking alarm system.
Seconds away from my bedroom door, I hear footsteps behind me. And they aren’t the dainty feet of my mom.
“Carter.” My dad’s voice is harsh and rough with sleep.
Repressing a groan, I spin to face him. His blue checkered sleep pants are hanging low and his white shirt is wrinkled only at the waist, telling me he must have fallen asleep at his office desk.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Are you just getting in? It’s almost midnight.”
“Yeah.” I scratch my head, focusing on the ground. My first instinct is to lie and say I was out doing homework with the guys, but Piper told her mom we were together. “Piper and I got a bite to eat and lost track of time.”
Even from a few feet away, I can see his jaw clench. “Shouldn’t you have used the day off to study?”
“I did, this morning. Then I did something fun.”
“So, fun to you is bailing on work and lying to your mother?”
Freaking hell.
I forgot Jordan told my mom we were studying. “Jordan and I were together earlier. Afterward, Piper and I went out.” Well, it’s not a complete lie.
He stalks toward me, lowering his voice even though I can tell he wants to yell the house down. “I think it’s time you reevaluate your priorities. You wasted enough time with that other girl who was always hanging around here. Now is not the time to be goofing off and forcing your mother to spend the entire day at the shop.
“A shop she owns?”
He continues on as if I haven’t even spoken. “And as for Piper, well, that girl has enough issues with staying on track. For crying out loud she can’t even decide on a major, let alone what college she’s going to attend. All she’ll do is distract you.”
My blood boils and I have to keep my hands from curling into fists. “Everyone can’t be lucky enough to have their future planned out by the time they turn eight.”
“Watch your mouth.” He steps into me, using his body to force me into the wall. Never once has he hit me, but he uses whatever intimidation factor he has at his disposal. “I’ve heard enough complaints out of you. You’re going to law school and you’re going to make something out of yourself.”
“Yeah? And what if I say no?”
His jaw works back and forth. I swear I can almost hear his molars grinding. “This discussion is over.” He turns to leave, but I’m so worked up and can’t let it ride.
“I’m gonna play college ball.”
&nbs
p; Before I can blink, he’s in front of me again. “If you ever want to step foot in this house again, then this fantasy of being some big NFL hotshot ends in high school.”
“I’m playing college ball. And I’m gonna get a degree in something practical. Something I enjoy doing. I get that your life didn’t turn out how you planned, but that doesn’t give you free rein on mine.” I gulp in air, so worked up from saying the exact words I’ve replayed over and over in my head that I feel like I’m suffocating.
He opens his mouth, but before he has time to lay into me, the hall light flicks on and my mother’s sleepy gaze falls on us.
“What are you two doing up so late?”
“Hey, Ma. Sorry we woke you.” I push off the wall and because Mom is here, Dad lets me go. “I’m gonna hit the hay.”
“Okay, sugar. Sweet dreams.”
She smiles groggily at us before heading toward their room. I use the moment of distraction to slip into my bedroom and flick the lock. Now that he’s been busted, Dad won’t push the subject again tonight, but I can’t wait to face his wrath tomorrow morning. We’ve had our back-and-forths but for the most part I let him rant and try to tune it out.
I’ve worked for years at the bakery without complaint, even though I’ve never been paid a dime. I do all the yard work after Dad threw out his back and even when it got better he didn’t try to assist anymore. I get good grades. I’ve never once been in serious trouble. So I guess I’ve reached my breaking point. I wanted to go to bed riding high on the fact that Piper is officially my girlfriend. Guess that’s out now.
Leave it to my dad to ruin what could have gone down in history as the best dang night of my life.
“And then what?” Blythe asks as we walk up the front steps of school.
“And then what, what?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb.” She gives me a little shove, almost knocking me into a passing student. “You went over there. Had a breakdown on the phone with me. Had lunch with him and Jordan and then…”