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)
“It was fun.”
“Well, I’m going to start dinner, and you can tell me all about it. Macaroni and cheese?”
Josh nodded.
I stood. “See you tomorrow,” I said to Josh.
Kyle followed me to the front door. “Thanks for being here for him.”
“Of course.” I slipped on my shoes and turned toward him.
“Are you going to the game Friday?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Can Josh hang out with you if you are, like we talked about? Although, he won’t watch much of it. You’ll just have to chase him around and get snacks. But you don’t have to watch him at all, if you—”
“Of course, I want to watch the game with him. Or chase him. Snacks. Whatever.”
“Great. I’ll be home after school and get him dinner. He can come with me to the game early. Maybe while the team warms up, he can run around and burn off a little energy so he’s worn out by the time the game starts. As long as you’re there by 6:40 or so.”
“Sounds good.”
“Thanks, I’ll uh—”
“What are you doing tonight?” I blurted before he could say goodbye.
“Laundry. You?” He grinned.
“I’m thinking of walking down to the creek before it gets dark. Does Josh want to go with me?”
“You’re so bored that you’re willing to hang out with a five-year-old when you’re not being paid?”
“Hey. He’s better company than most of the guys I’ve dated.”
“Are you sure it’s not because you can run faster?”
“What?” I wrinkled my nose. “Oh!” I laughed, forgetting for a few seconds what I’d said about the bears and running faster than my friends.
“I’ll guard him with my life. I’ll offer myself to the bear so he can get away.”
“Or I can go with you too.”
Yes!
“Um, sure. I mean, if you want to. Don’t feel you have to if you’re busy doing laundry. I’d hate for you to wear dirty underwear to school Friday since you’re supposed to look your best on game days.”
“I’d just go without underwear if I didn’t have clean ones.”
I pressed my lips together, trying not to imagine him without underwear.
“You’re not picturing me naked, are you?”
“Stop.” I coughed a laugh. “No. I’m not.”
“Liar,” he mouthed.
I narrowed my eyes, but my flaming cheeks told the truth.
“So you’ll be back over after dinner?”
“Yes.” I was so giddy my voice shook.
“See you in a bit.”
“Eve!” Josh called, running toward the door after I stepped outside. He had my Walkman and headphones.
“Oh, thanks. I almost forgot that,” I said as he handed it to Kyle and ran back into the kitchen.
“Thought you were watching Josh, not listening to music,” Kyle said.
I rolled my eyes, holding out my hand. “I can do both when he’s playing with his toys.”
Kyle narrowed his eyes. “What tape?”
I stepped closer to the door, keeping my hand out in a silent demand. “Just stuff I record off the radio.”
“Like what?” He put the headphones on his head.
“NO!” I lunged for him, but the partially closed screen door caught my shoulder.
It was too late. He pressed Play.
Life as I knew it ended when his eyebrows peaked. I had stopped in the middle of a song. There were many songs on that tape, but the one he was hearing was not the one I was most proud of—George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex.”
Click.
He shut off the cassette player and slowly removed the headphones, winding the cord around my Walkman before handing it to me.
“See ya in a bit,” he said with a wink!
After dinner, I changed from shorts to jeans and grabbed a sweatshirt before shoving my feet into my shoes at the door. “I’m taking Josh to the creek,” I called.
“Is Kyle okay with that?” Dad called from the living room.
“Uh-huh.”
“Okay. Be careful.”
“Uh-huh.” I ran out the door, hopped the fence, and ran toward his house, slowing to gain my composure as I reached the top of the hill.
It was just a song with a catchy beat. I wouldn’t mention it or make direct eye contact and we’d be fine.
Josh and Kyle were playing catch with a Nerf football in the front yard.
“Heads up!” Kyle called, throwing the ball to me.
I caught it, and his grin swelled to the corners of his eyes, which I told myself not to look at. Then I threw it back to him, and that grin faded.
“Nice duck,” he said, catching the wobbly ball.
“I’m out of practice.”
He laughed.
“Ready to skip to the creek?” I held out my hand to Josh.
He took it, and we skipped toward the far end of the orchard and the hill that led to the creek while Kyle followed us.
“Look!” Josh pointed to the hut I built from old branches and brush near the bank. He let go of my hand and ran to it as Kyle stopped beside me.
“Your dad said that hut needs to go before spring when the creek floods.”