I was saving it for college—even though my dad and Haley have said they’ll pay my tuition and expenses, I want to at least contribute—but something about this decision feelsright.
Tyler doesn’t have that kind of cash, but he’s also proud. This is something he’d never ask for, something I want to do forhim.
All week, he’s been helping me practice. In the mornings, after school, whenever we can sneak in amoment.
My performance in rehearsal is improving. I focus on my technique, on connecting to what I’m doing, and tune out the bullshit. I don’t make eye contact with Carly, and I keep my bag and water bottle at the corner of the stage where she can’t get to them. I have less than a week until when Norelli promised to render a verdict on keeping me in the lead, and I’m not going to wasteit.
As I walk, my phonerings.
“Hey,” I answer, breathless. “I was just thinking aboutyou.”
“Good things, I hope.” Tyler’s smooth voice comes down the line, sending tingles through mystomach.
Lately, his voice does that tome.
Not only his voice—his touch. Hell, even his presence in the same room. I can’t so much as brush up next to him making coffee in the morning without wishing Dad and Haley would drop into some alternate dimension so I could stare at him longer, memorize the feel of his body when he reaches over me to grab something from thefridge.
But the part I can’t forget when I’m lying awake at night is the way he let me hold him in the hallway at school on Monday. His body was filled with tension, but the tighter I wrapped my arms around him, the more those muscles gave, the more deeply hebreathed.
“You hang up on me?” heasks.
“Sorry, I’mhere.”
His low chuckle has me flushing as I get into thecar.
“What’sup?”
“Your dad left a note inviting me fordinner.”
“Haley’s best friend, Serena, is in town. The whole family’s going out to this steakhouse. Even Sophie.” I start the car, and the purr of the engine iscomforting.
“If this place is fancy, I’m screwed. My tux is at the drycleaners.”
“Like you care. You could walk into a restaurant in boxers and have the entire staff falling over eachother.”
“I’ll have to try that.” His voice lifts with humor, and my lips curve too. “Tell me what you’rewearing.”
I glance down at my clothes, which I changed into after school. “A dress. Black. Tight. It’s kind ofshort.”
“Not the one from the frat party. You looked way too grown-up.”
Indignation sets in. “I am grown-up.”
He mutters something inaudible before clearing his throat. “I should bring brass knuckles if I’m gonna need to deck the waiter for hitting onyou.”
The protectiveness in his voice has the hairs lifting on my arms. “You know you can’t take down every guy who looks atme.”
“Whynot?”
I trace a finger along the stitching on my leather steering wheel, my heart thudding dully in my chest. “Because sometimes I want to be lookedat.”
For a moment, I think Tyler’s gone, but eventually, his hard exhale tells me he’s still on theline.
“See you at dinner,Six.”
He hangs up before I can respond, but the nickname leaves me biting mycheek.
* * *