Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
I leaned forward until there were about six inches between our faces, and he didn’t move, which thrilled me. “Or I can ask her and tell her you asked me first, and when I said I had plans, I told you I’d check with her for you.” I grinned.
Gah!
Again, he stared at my mouth, and I could practically taste his lips. My heart skipped so many beats that I wasn’t sure it would recover.
His gaze inched up to mine. “Can you watch Josh tomorrow night for me?”
“No.” I grinned.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m going out with friends. But I can see if Gabby can watch him for you.”
He smiled. “Attagirl.”
“I’m going to be your best unofficial student, Mr. Collins.”
“Straight A’s?”
I hopped off the fence. “I’ve never gotten straight A’s.” I headed toward the house so he wouldn’t see me drool over him, melt at his feet, and lose all my dignity because I had an incurable crush on my neighbor.
“You’ve never had me as your teacher,” he said.
Oh my god …
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAKA KHAN, “I FEEL FOR YOU”
Eve
“Eve? You’re going to be late. What are you doing?” Mom called upstairs the next morning.
Gabby was an easy sell to watch Josh. My parents didn’t think twice about my plans to go out with friends. But before any of that could happen, I had motel rooms to clean and babysitting to do while Kyle coached.
However, my infatuation with Coach Collins grew exponentially overnight, and I couldn’t show up to his place looking like the previous day’s version of myself. I needed to curl my hair, lotion my legs (in case he wanted to touch them again), and wear something nice.
“Why is your hair down? And why are you wearing that white blouse to work?” Mom quizzed me the second I stepped into the kitchen to grab a quick bowl of cereal.
I didn’t need my mom to grill me. I’d already met my quota of lies, yet she insisted I tell one more.
“I’m going to change my clothes before I go to work. Most of my work clothes have stains, and I think they smell like Pledge even though they’ve been washed. I’m just putting my best foot forward so Kyle trusts that I’m responsible and presentable while I babysit Josh.”
I didn’t believe my lie and never imagined my mom would.
But she did. “That’s very mature of you.” She smiled with pride.
“Thanks. I’m trying.”
“Martha Wertz, Tali Rae, and Denise Overton have all called me about Kyle,” Mom said.
“Why?” I screwed the cap back on the milk.
Mom dried her hands and grinned. “Because they are single and found out he is too.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Are you serious?”
“Why the look?” She sat next to me at the table and sipped her coffee.
“He just moved in. Talk about vultures.” I shoveled cereal into my mouth so I wouldn’t be late to Kyle’s.
“Eve, they’re not stalking his place. And I’m sure he doesn’t want to stay single for the rest of his life. Josh deserves a motherly figure in his life, and Kyle deserves a wife.”
“So why did they call you? Are you supposed to be a matchmaker?”
“No. They just wanted to know if he was divorced or widowed.”
“And what did you say?” I mumbled over a mouthful of cereal while milk dribbled down my chin.
Mom frowned and handed me a napkin. “I said he’s neither.”
“What do you mean? And how do you know?”
“Your dad talked to Fred the other day. Josh’s mom wasn’t ready to be a mother, but she had him anyway.”
“And then what?”
Mom shrugged. “Fred said she left.”
“Left? When? Recently? Or when he was a baby?”
Mom shook her head. “Your dad didn’t ask. He didn’t want to pry. It’s nobody’s business.”
I couldn’t imagine leaving a child at any age.
“Maybe he didn’t want Josh’s mom to leave. Maybe he’s heartbroken. I wouldn’t play matchmaker quite yet.”
Mom shook her head. “I’m not. But it’s a free world. If they call him and one thing leads to another, then I guess it’s God’s plan.”
No.
God’s plan was for Kyle to be my crush.
My obsession.
My favorite dream.
I didn’t want to share him, even if he wasn’t mine to not share.
And he didn’t have time to date because he was too busy teaching me things.
“Good morning,” Kyle said with an irresistible smile as I approached his house.
He was sitting on the porch swing with a steaming cup of coffee.
My gaze devoured every inch of him in his Devil’s Head T-shirt, jogging shorts, and black Nikes.
“Morning. Where’s Josh?”
“Still asleep. But he’ll wake up soon. Do you drink coffee?”
I shook my head. “It tastes grody, even with sugar.”
“Have you tried it with cream?”
“Why?” I leaned against the wooden post.
“Because it tastes better with cream.”
“Better than what? If something tastes nasty, why try to make it less nasty unless it’s something like broccoli or Brussels sprouts that are good for you?”