Read The Boyfriend Deal for Free Online Page B

has seen a lot of action, and she figured you wouldn’t fool around in her car.”
    He snorted then laughed. “I think you may be right. I told her about you last night, and there was a change in the way she looked at me. So maybe you helped me get my truck back, to which I owe you more than just breakfast.”
    “Speaking of, if we sit in my driveway much longer, we’ll miss breakfast and have to head to class.”
    He winked at me, backed out of the driveway, and headed toward the diner. The radio was turned up enough that we could hear the songs but could still talk if we wanted to. We’d nearly reached the diner when he took my hand in his, threading our fingers together. I loved the way my heart kicked in my chest every time he took my hand, and I was certain there was a goofy grin on my face, but I just couldn’t help it. No matter how many times I told myself this was all for pretend, I couldn’t help but enjoy the attention Tyler gave me. It made me want more, to want it to be real.
    At the diner, we claimed a booth by the window. A waitress dropped two menus on the table, then wandered off. Tyler didn’t even look at his.
    “You already know what you want?” I asked.
    “I eat here several times a week and always order the same thing.”
    My nose wrinkled. “Isn’t that kind of boring? What about all the things you’re missing out on?”
    “I guess I never thought of that.” With his eyebrows up, he reached for the menu and looked it over. “What are you going to order?”
    “I can’t decide between the biscuits with gravy or the waffles with hash browns.”
    “Definitely the biscuits. Mom used to order those when she came with me and swore they were the best in the state.”
    I nodded. “Then that’s what I’ll get.”
    “You should probably get some eggs or something to go with it though. It’s more of a side item than a meal.”
    My cheeks warmed. “Are you saying I’m too fat to want to eat something small?”
    His head jerked up and his eyes were wide. “What? No! I never thought you were fat.”
    I wasn’t entirely sure I believed him, but his shock seemed real enough.
    “Who’s called you fat?” he asked.
    “Hunter used to say I ate too much. Or if I ordered a burger instead of a salad, he’d make a comment. I don’t understand why he’s been such a pest. It wasn’t like what we had was all that great. He was always criticizing me, like I wasn’t good enough for him just the way I was.”
    “Hunter was an idiot.”
    I couldn’t argue with that.
    “What’s he been doing?” Tyler asked.
    “He pinned me to my locker a few days ago and tried to force me to kiss him. He’s badgered me to take him back, saying that he’d made a mistake and I should forgive him. Then there were the roses I found in my locker with a creepy note. I’m not sure if he thought it was romantic or if he was trying to freak me out.”
    “Has he put his hands on you, other than to pin you to your locker?”
    I shook my head. “It’s mostly verbal.”
    “Well, it’s about to stop. If seeing the two of us together won’t do it, I have no problem having a little chat with the guy. I’m not going to let him harass you anymore. You should be able to go to school without worrying about dealing with that jerk.”
    Hope welled inside of me. Tyler wouldn’t offer to do something like that if he didn’t really like me, would he? I supposed it could have been a way to make him look good to everyone else, but I didn’t think that was it.
    “Do you have to write an essay in English about where you see yourself in ten years?” he asked.
    “Yeah. I think they gave the same assignment to all of the senior English classes. Something about preparing us for those college application essays. Have you applied anywhere yet?”
    “A few places. You?”
    “I’m debating between staying in state and going to University of Tennessee, or going to University of Texas. Both have an excellent music program, and I