“You need to get that fixed,” Hunter said.
“Why can’tyoufix it for me?” Jessica asked.
“I’ve been too busy.”
“You’re just sunbathing right now,” she pointed out.
“I’m trying to relax. This is the first weekend I’ve had off inmonths. The last thing I want to do is fix up more cars in my free time.”
“Hmm,” she hummed. “What if I made itworth your while?”
Hunter rumbled with laughter. “I’m listening.”
The two of them whispered and giggled for another half hour. In the end, Hunter insisted he wasn’t going to fix her side mirror, no matterwhatshe offered to do. I stayed for as long as I could stand it, then excused myself. I showered and changed clothes, then called Lizzy.
“Can you pick me up on the way to the movies?” I asked.
My friend groaned into the phone. “You live on the other side of town. It’ll take twice as long and we’ll be late for the movie. Just drive your car.”
I groaned and debated what to do. My parents would be at church all day, and I knew my brother wouldn’t give me a ride. That left Hunter, but even if he wasn’t preoccupied with Jessica, I didn’t want to impose on him again,
“Guess I’m going to sweat,” I mumbled while going out to my car. A wave of heat hit me as soon as I opened the door. I gave it a few seconds to air out, then slid inside and started the engine. Hot air immediately buffeted my face from the vents.
I was about to crank the air down when suddenly it got colder.
And colder.
Andcolder,until it felt like I was sticking my head in an open freezer door.
I laughed at the miracle of my fixed air conditioner. Then I saw a sticky-note attached to one of the air vents, flapping up and down. I peeled it off.
You’re already cool, but this will keep you cooler ;-)
-H
It took me several heartbeats to realize what the note meant. Hunter had fixed my air conditioner. And he had done it after complaining to Jessica about not wanting to work on cars on his day off. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to me.
I drove away, grinning all the way to the movies.
5
Hunter
Guys had a code.
Sometimes the code was spoken. Brad had told me not to eat the Twizzlers in the pantry because he saved those for after lacrosse practice. The hot water heater in the house struggled to accommodate five people in the morning, so Mr. P asked if I could take most of my showers in the evenings.
However, most of the code was unspoken. The kind of rules everyone knew about without needing to be told. Don’t mess with a guy’s car. Don’t go after a dude’s ex without asking him first.
And never, I meannever, get the hots for your best friend’s sister.
There was no scenario where it was okay to be interested in Erica Porter. She was off limits, forever and ever, amen. But goddamn, this girl was making it awfully hard to abide by the code.
Even though she was a grade younger than me and Brad, we were both seventeen until my birthday this summer. She also looked as mature as any high school senior, with a heart-shaped face, thick eyelashes, and long, athletic legs. I’d never seen a girl wear a pair of jeans the way she did. I had only been living with the Porters for a few weeks, and trying not to ogle her was a challenge that strained my willpower. Whenever Erica entered a room, my eyes were drawn to her like a magnet, drinking in the sight of her for as long as possible.
Her body wasn’t what really drew me, though. It was her personality. The way she danced to music in her room with the door open, blonde hair flowing around her head, happy and free. The way she squinted at me suspiciously whenever I made a deadpan joke. And she was ambitious,oh soambitious! This girl was an idea machine, constantly thinking up business ventures and ways to make money.
Sure, most of those ideas didn’t pan out, but that drive was sexy in a woman. I knew she was going to be successful in life, whatever she ended up doing.