“Okay,” I said blowing out a breath. “Just promise me one thing?”
“Name it.”
“If I become one of those girls that you can’t get rid of, tell me, not the guys.”
He frowned. “Frankie…you’re not going to be one of those girls.”
“You say that now, but you’re all asking me out because I got mad and said that I wanted to date. And I…I really like it, and I really like you guys, but I really don’t want to mess up our friendship. I was…” Admitting this next part was hard. “I was really lonely this summer.”
Cupping my face, he leaned in. “You’re Frankie. You’re one of us, not one of them. We’re changing, sure, but I like where we’re going. You have my word, I’m never going to talk to them like you’re of those girls. Ever. Now, will you promise me something?”
I nodded. “What?”
“You get scared like this, tell me. You need something, tell me. You’re not alone. You were never alone. We hated that you weren’t around the last few months, but I’m here whenever you need me. Deal?”
That sounded great. Spending the summer either working or researching and holed up here while Mom did—whatever it was Mom had to do—I’d made it work. I could do it. I’d learned how to take care of myself a long time ago.
“Deal.”
Didn’t mean I wanted to do it on my ownall the time.
“Now, I’m going to get donuts. Told the guys I’d grab them. Apple fritters for you, right?”
I grinned. “Yes, please.”
When he dipped his head, I was already leaning in. He brushed his lips slowly across mine, lingering as if he were breathing me in. I know I was savoring him as his lips parted, then I was gripping his shoulder as the kiss deepened. This had happened in the shower, too. My hand on him stroking as he kissed me. He’d wanted to do more, but I wasn’t quite ready for that.
I was drunk enough on what we’d already done. Dropping my heels, I pulled back and blew out a breath. “Hi.”
“Hey,” he said, grinning. “Feel better?”
“Much.”
“Good.” He winked, and then opened the door for me.
We held hands on the way to where he’d parked next to my car and Coop waited for us. The fact Jake reached for my hand whenever we walked now had my stomach doing little flip-flops. It was just nice. Kind of like when they always slung their arms around my shoulders. I’d never told them how nice it was to get those almost hugs.
“Morning, Coop,” I greeted him before extracting my hand from Jake’s cause I needed to get my keys back out and suddenly the fact I didn’t have any panties on flooded my mind. It wasn’t obvious, no one could see. But I knew, and Jake did and…probably better tonotthink about what neither of us were wearing.
“Morning,” he said, but he wasn’t quite looking at me. He stared at Jake, and it wasn’t quite a friendly stare.
“Coop.”
“Jake.”
A glance at Jake proved he hadn’t missed the coolness in Coop’s manner, but his bland stare didn’t give me any other clues. Which meant…this was about me. “I’ll see you at school, Jake?”
“Yep, see you in a bit with apple fritters.”
He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss this time, then he turned and unlocked his SUV, leaving us to get into my car. Coop continued to stare at Jake as I dropped my backpack into the backseat. Only after Jake pulled away did Coop glance my way.
I could really tell what he was thinking, not by his expression. “You ready?” Maybe playing dumb wasn’t a strategy, but I clung to Jake’s theory that we hadn’t done anything wrong with both hands and I wasn’t letting go. We were all friends, and Coop and I needed to talk.
Maybe sooner rather than later.
“Yeah,” he answered slowly and slid off his backpack. Once we were in the car, though, Coop didn’t say anything. I gave him a beat as I got out of the apartments and onto the road.
Finally, the silence having fanned the butterflies in my stomach to tsunami force, I asked, “What’s wrong?”