fav. I told her about all the dance lessons I'd had and a recital that hadn't gone so well.
In exactly twelve minutes, Marty jogged back into view, something in his hand. Actually, his jog was more like a victory leap, and he held the prize--a baseball--in the air, whooping loudly when he got back to us. He made a big show of kissing the thing, which looked a little dirty and was covered in autographs. "Pirates beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series with this very ball. Papaw was at the game. Mamaw promised I could have it when she died, but we couldn't find it anywhere." Marty zoned in on Cooper. "Dude, your woman freakin' rocks!"
They performed a complicated handshake that made me laugh. Though Cooper might've had mixed feelings about me revealing my gifts, he sure didn't have a problem with his best friend finding that ball. In fact, his grin told me he was thrilled for his buddy.
Beaming back, Marty gathered up his siblings and waved an exuberant goodbye. I turned to Cooper. "'Your woman'?"
He flushed, something he did a lot around me. "I might've exaggerated the relationship a little."
"When and why? I'm a freak , after all."
Now he winced. "You're not going to forgive me for that, are you?"
"Never, ever. And don't answer my question with a question of your own, please."
"I said it after the dance because of how Marty was acting. He'd seen us talking and thought you were so hot I was afraid he might make a move on you."
My jaw dropped. "No way."
Cooper gave me the oddest look. "Don't you have any mirrors at home?"
Huh? My blank stare must've clued him in to the fact that I still didn't understand. That's because I did have and considered myself passably cute on a good hair day.
"You're even more gorgeous now than you were at eight."
I snorted. "No one is gorgeous at eight, me most of all."
"Sure you were. Inside and out, just as you are now. No wonder I never got over you."
Aww. Though he was spouting pure BS, I couldn't help but be touched. "You were my first boyfriend, you know."
Cooper took my hand and kissed the back of it. "How do you feel about me being your last?"
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my view of him. Could this really be happening? I'd only wished for it my whole life or at least since I'd been eight.
At the sight of the impending moisture, Cooper quickly backtracked. "Or not."
What could I do but kiss him? Leaning in, I brushed my lips over his and then tried to pull back. He didn't let me. So what barely qualified as a kiss quickly became the kiss to end all kisses...at least so far. Since I planned on practicing as often as possible that was bound to change.
By the time I pulled back to catch my breath, my heart raced in my chest. "Mmm. You've really gotten better at that through the years, and I don't want to know how."
He hooted. "If I'm better than I was at eight, it's because I've been saving up."
"Good answer. Perfect, actually. And as for my answer, you can definitely be my last boyfriend if I can be your last girlfriend."
His smile lit up the park. "You've got it. Man oh man. I can't believe this is happening. It's like we never lost each other."
"We always had a connection, don't you think?"
"Yeah. Right from hello."
"Exactly." I stole a moment to memorize how he looked just then--so handsome, so happy, so very close up. Could things get any better? "Is this--" I pointed from myself to him "--going to cause problems for you at home?"
"Not if we lay low."
My heart sank just a little. "So you want me to be your secret girlfriend?"
"For now. Do you mind?"
Sensing his sincerity, I gave his question the consideration it deserved. While I understood that he wanted to avoid conflict, how could I not be who I was? And if he really cared about me at all, shouldn't he be willing to fight for us? "Honestly, I don't know."
His shoulders sagged slightly. "Just think about it, okay?"
"Okay."
Cooper drove me to my car not long after that. During the ride, neither of
In exactly twelve minutes, Marty jogged back into view, something in his hand. Actually, his jog was more like a victory leap, and he held the prize--a baseball--in the air, whooping loudly when he got back to us. He made a big show of kissing the thing, which looked a little dirty and was covered in autographs. "Pirates beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series with this very ball. Papaw was at the game. Mamaw promised I could have it when she died, but we couldn't find it anywhere." Marty zoned in on Cooper. "Dude, your woman freakin' rocks!"
They performed a complicated handshake that made me laugh. Though Cooper might've had mixed feelings about me revealing my gifts, he sure didn't have a problem with his best friend finding that ball. In fact, his grin told me he was thrilled for his buddy.
Beaming back, Marty gathered up his siblings and waved an exuberant goodbye. I turned to Cooper. "'Your woman'?"
He flushed, something he did a lot around me. "I might've exaggerated the relationship a little."
"When and why? I'm a freak , after all."
Now he winced. "You're not going to forgive me for that, are you?"
"Never, ever. And don't answer my question with a question of your own, please."
"I said it after the dance because of how Marty was acting. He'd seen us talking and thought you were so hot I was afraid he might make a move on you."
My jaw dropped. "No way."
Cooper gave me the oddest look. "Don't you have any mirrors at home?"
Huh? My blank stare must've clued him in to the fact that I still didn't understand. That's because I did have and considered myself passably cute on a good hair day.
"You're even more gorgeous now than you were at eight."
I snorted. "No one is gorgeous at eight, me most of all."
"Sure you were. Inside and out, just as you are now. No wonder I never got over you."
Aww. Though he was spouting pure BS, I couldn't help but be touched. "You were my first boyfriend, you know."
Cooper took my hand and kissed the back of it. "How do you feel about me being your last?"
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my view of him. Could this really be happening? I'd only wished for it my whole life or at least since I'd been eight.
At the sight of the impending moisture, Cooper quickly backtracked. "Or not."
What could I do but kiss him? Leaning in, I brushed my lips over his and then tried to pull back. He didn't let me. So what barely qualified as a kiss quickly became the kiss to end all kisses...at least so far. Since I planned on practicing as often as possible that was bound to change.
By the time I pulled back to catch my breath, my heart raced in my chest. "Mmm. You've really gotten better at that through the years, and I don't want to know how."
He hooted. "If I'm better than I was at eight, it's because I've been saving up."
"Good answer. Perfect, actually. And as for my answer, you can definitely be my last boyfriend if I can be your last girlfriend."
His smile lit up the park. "You've got it. Man oh man. I can't believe this is happening. It's like we never lost each other."
"We always had a connection, don't you think?"
"Yeah. Right from hello."
"Exactly." I stole a moment to memorize how he looked just then--so handsome, so happy, so very close up. Could things get any better? "Is this--" I pointed from myself to him "--going to cause problems for you at home?"
"Not if we lay low."
My heart sank just a little. "So you want me to be your secret girlfriend?"
"For now. Do you mind?"
Sensing his sincerity, I gave his question the consideration it deserved. While I understood that he wanted to avoid conflict, how could I not be who I was? And if he really cared about me at all, shouldn't he be willing to fight for us? "Honestly, I don't know."
His shoulders sagged slightly. "Just think about it, okay?"
"Okay."
Cooper drove me to my car not long after that. During the ride, neither of
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