CHAPTER 2
My silence lasted the first verse and chorus.
Then I blurted, ”I think we should talk about you and Brisa.”
”Why?” Sam asked.
”Because ignoring your feelings won”t make them go away.”
He gave me a look.
”It”s true,” I said and turned the music down. ”Trust me, Bishop. I prefer to write things out. But since that isn”t an option right now, maybe talking would help.”
”I told you I”m good,” he said.
”But how could you be?” I tilted my head. ”You just broke up with the girl you”ve been dating for the past three years.”
Sam”s lips twitched. ”Funny how you know that.”
I lifted my chin, refusing to feel embarrassed. ”Please. Everyone knows. Bam is couple goals.”
”Really wish you”d stop saying that.”
”Sorry,” I said. ”You know, several people have told me I”m a great listener. That includes my sister, dad, violin teacher, the kids in my mentoring program, and even people I just met at the grocery store.”
”So, you interrogate people at the grocery store,” he said. ”Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
”Interrogate is a strong word.”
”Is it though?”
”I just want to help.”
”And you”re dying of curiosity,” he put in.
I was.
I really was.
”Well…of course,” I admitted, ”but that doesn”t mean it won”t help you too. You”re going to have to field questions tomorrow anyway. There”s a lot of spilled tea here, Bishop, and it”s piping hot.”
He chuckled at that. ”What?”
”High school kids aren”t known for minding their own business.”
”Pot,” he said, pointing at me, ”meet kettle.”
”Point taken. Still, might as well get your answers ready.”
After a moment, Sam sighed. ”Fine. What do you want to know?”
I nearly whooped in victory but held back.
”Everything,” I said then cleared my throat, trying to tamp down my enthusiasm. ”We should be thorough, so you”re not caught by surprise. It might also help you sort out your emotions.”
He waited.
”Where did it happen?” I said.
”At a party,” he said.
My ears perked. ”Oh yeah? How was it?”
Sam gave a shrug. ”Standard. Your normal back-to-school throwdown, all the usual shenanigans.”
Well.
That told me exactly nothing.
Shaking off the disappointment, I still had to bite back a smile. Sam Bishop successfully worked the word shenanigans into conversation.Something about hearing it come from his unsmiling lips made me want to laugh.
”Hmmm,” I said, ”and who was there?”
”Lots of people.The Banger brothers invited all the upperclassmen, think most of them showed up. Everyone knows they throw the best parties.”
”I didn”t know,” I murmured.
”That”s because you don”t go to parties.”
I sniffed. ”Yeah, I do. I party all the time.”
”Okay…”
”And how would you know anyway?”
Sam shot me a glance before turning back to the road. ”I”ve never seen you at one.”
Because the truth was: I”d never been.
To a real high school party.
My schedule was jam-packed full of private violin lessons, extracurriculars, applying for scholarships, trying to book performances, running my mentoring program, and completing homework. There hadn”t been time for normal things like attending an event thrown by the Banger brothers. Actually, ”Go to a party” was #15 on my list of firsts. Not that I”d mention it to Sam—or anyone for that matter.
The list was for my eyes only.
It was private.
It was personal.
It was important—which was why I carried it with me everywhere.
Shifting, I felt the edges of the folded up piece of paper dig into my chest right next to my heart.
I was determined to check off every first on the list before graduation.
That was the goal.
The only problem was some of them—okay, most of them—were romantic. And if I hadn”t had time for parties, I definitely didn”t have time for romance.
It was a tiny issue, really.
A conundrum I”d yet to solve.
Still, giving up wasn”t in my nature.
I”d figure out a way to complete my list…somehow.
And anyway, despite Sam”s assumption, I”d been to a few small parties—which yes, okay, most of those were for my family on their birthdays, organized by myself with only my dad, Charlotte, and me in attendance. I didn”t think that would qualify as a ”party” in Sam”s eyes.
So, I just shrugged.
”Like I said, I”ve been to parties. Maybe you weren”t looking hard enough,” I added then asked my next question. ”Back to you and Brisa. Did you break up with her, or did she break up with you?”
”Does it matter?” he said.
I nodded. ”Absolutely.”
”The decision was mutual, I guess.”
”Are you sure?” I said.
”Yeah.”
”You don”t sound sure, Bishop.”
He shook his head. ”You don”t give up. Do you, Kent?”
”Nope,” I said, ”my sister tells me it”s one of my more annoying traits.”
”She”s right,” he mumbled.
”I”m sensing some hostility.” I tilted my head then said, ”Brisa broke up with you, didn”t she?”
Sam scoffed.
”I thought as much. It”s nothing to be ashamed of. People get dumped all the time.”
”Not me,” he said. ”I”ve never been dumped.”
”Never?” I repeated. ”Really?”
”Really. And why would you assume she”d dump me anyway?”
”Lots of reasons,” I said. ”For one, Brisa isuniversally liked. Literally everyone loves her.”
”People love me,” he muttered.
”Yeah, but not as much as they love Brisa.”
He had no response to that.
”Two, she”s super smart. I heard she got accepted to every college she applied to, including three Ivy leagues which awarded her scholarships.And three, she”s gorgeous. I mean, she”s like the most beautiful girl in our graduating class.”
”That”s debatable,” he muttered.
I shook my head. ”No, Brisa was voted Most Beautiful four years running, ever since our freshman year.”
Sam said nothing, so I went on.
”I just can”t see anyone breaking up with her,” I finished.
”But you can see someone breaking up with me?”
When I remained silent, Sam released a quiet laugh.
”Ouch, Kent. You really go for the jugular, huh?”
I frowned. ”That”s not what I meant.”
”Right,” Sam said.
”It”s not,” I said. ”As awesome as Brisa is, you have good qualities too.”
”Do I?”
”Yeah.” Afraid I”d hurt his feelings and struck by the very real possibility that maybe he was heartbroken and needed some cheering up, I spoke quickly. ”Anyone would be lucky to have you, Bishop. You”re a real catch.”
Sam shot me a dubious look.
”You”re a nice guy with a kind heart. A real gentleman.” He gave another scoff, but I ignored the sound. ”You are. I don”t know anyone else who”d pick up a stranger on the side of the road and offer them a ride.”
”Serial killers do that,” he muttered.
”That”s true,” I said with a frown, ”but still.”
”And we”re not strangers.”
”Mmm. You”re smart too—though honestly, I did notice you sleeping through precalculus last year. Still, you somehow managed to get an A in that class—which was kind of unfair, but good on you.”
He stayed silent as I continued.
”You”re also awesome at sports. My sister made me go to some of the soccer games last year, so I”ve seen it for myself. You definitely know how to kick a ball.”
”Thanks,” Sam said sounding amused.
”Welcome,” I said. ”And of course, you know you”re stunning.”
My mouth snapped shut after that, hoping he hadn”t heard.
But his deep, warm chuckle told me he had.
”Stunning?” he repeated. ”Don”t think I”ve ever heard that one before.”
I tried to disappear into the dark upholstery, but Sam glanced my way.
”Please, continue.”
When I shot him a questioning look, he grinned.
”I like hearing what you think about me.”
Cheeks still red, I scoffed. ”I don”t think about you, Bishop.”
”Sounds like you do,” he said.
”Listen, you know you”re—”
”Stunning,” he put in. ”Yeah, I”ve been told.”
Closing my eyes, I tried again. ”Listen, you know what you look like. I”m sure it”s gotten you out of tons of trouble.”
”It has,” he agreed.
”But you being attractive means nothing, okay? I”m immune to your charms.”
”Oh yeah?”
I nodded.
”I feel like there was an insult in there somewhere,” he said then held up a hand to stop my next words. ”But you did such a good job boosting my ego. Be a shame to undo all that now.”
Brow furrowed, I said, ”You”re playing with me aren”t you?”
Sam shrugged. ”You”re a lot of fun to play with, Kent.”
With a sigh, I sat back.
”Done with your questions?” he asked.
”I”ve actually got one more,” I said, finally asking the thing I”d been wondering from the start. It always baffled me when it came to relationships. ”Why did you and Brisa break up?”
”It”s complicated.”
”But you two seemed happy together. I thought you were friends.”
Sam released a long exhale then said, ”We”re still friends—at least, I hope so. Brisa can hold a grudge.Honestly, that”s what I”ll miss most, our friendship.” He said all this with affection before his tone sobered. ”But this has been coming for a while now. The truth is we just weren”t right for each other.”
”Didn”t look that way from the outside.”
He laughed softly. ”Looks can be deceiving, Starlet.”
Instead of correcting him again, I let that one slide. So what if the guy couldn”t remember my name? He was clearly going through something.
We drove for a few more minutes in silence before Sam gestured to a gas station up ahead.
”Need anything?” he asked.
I suddenly realized that yes, I did need something. A couple things, in fact.
”Yeah,” I said, ”I haven”t eaten anything since before the wedding, had to leave my cake behind, so I”m starving. And I really have to use the restroom. That okay?”
”Sure.”
”Also, do you have a phone charger?”
Sam nodded, opening the center console and holding up a cord.
”Awesome,” I said, leaning forward, reaching into my bra and dragging out my phone. ”I”ve got to charge mine. My cell always dies at the worst times, you know?”
Looking up, I found his eyes locked on…my breasts.
Warmth and something fluttery filled my stomach as I straightened.
He was still looking.
”Bishop?”
”Yeah?” he murmured.
”If you”re done staring, can you plug this in for me?” I said, trying not to laugh.
Sam”s eyes flew to mine, and I had the pleasure of watching a pink flush rise to his cheeks. ”Uh, yeah. No problem.”
Handing him my phone, I said, ”I”ll be back in a minute.”
He cleared his throat. ”Want me to come with you?”
”No, that”s okay.”
”Right,” Sam said gruffly. ”Be safe in there.”
I hopped out of the car, shut the door, then turned back to point at him. ”Guard my violin with your life.”
Sam grinned. ”You got it.”
As I was walking away, he called out to me.
”Hey, Kent. You always keep electronics in your bra?”
I looked back at him over my shoulder. ”I keep lots of important things in there.”
”Interesting,” he said smoothly. ”We”ll have to discuss further when you get back.”
Shaking my head, I went into the station, found the restrooms and relieved myself, washed my hands, and stood for a moment, staring at my reflection in the mirror. The dress was still blue and poofy. My hair was windblown; my makeup needed a refresh; and despite Sam”s appreciative gaze, my boobs remained a modest B-cup. But there was a light in my eyes that I hadn”t expected to see. Was that because of Sam? I knew the answer and didn”t know what I”d do if he kept flirting with me. I wasn”t exactly well-versed in these matters.
But I liked it.
Grabbing a few snacks and two waters, I walked up to the cash register and dug a ten out of my top. The gas station attendant”s gaze didn”t bring any of the flutters Sam”s had, so I kept my gaze averted. I didn”t realize it until I was putting the change back. But as I felt inside…my list wasn”t anywhere to be found.
Okay, don”t panic, I thought.
I just needed to retrace my steps.
Walking back to the bathroom, I looked around but saw nothing. I walked to the register again with my eyes locked on the floor…but no luck. I went back again just to make sure, but as I made my way out to the car,searching the ground and coming up empty, my shoulders felt heavy. Maybe I”d been wrong before. Maybe it came loose when I was walking in the dark. If that was the case, then I guess it was lost forever.
There was no way I could ask Sam to go back.
He”d already done more than enough.
And besides, it was a windy night. What were the chances that we”d be able to find my list anyway?
Maybe it was for the best, I reasoned.
It wasn”t like I”d found a solution.
The list was still full of unachieved dreams.
I could just make another one with more manageable items.
For some reason, that thought felt like accepting defeat, and I couldn”t even muster a smile to meet the grin Sam threw me as I got back into the car.
”You good?” he asked.
”I guess,” I mumbled as I put on my seatbelt.
”You sound sad, Kent. Did something happen?”
”No.”
”Really? I saw you walking around in there, looking at the ground. You lose something?”
I sighed. ”Yeah, but it doesn”t matter. Let”s just go.”
”Okay,” he said, ”but first can we talk about this list?”
Whipping around to face him, I saw Sam sitting there, eyebrow cocked, grin in place. And between his fingers, he had…my list of firsts.
”Where”d you get that?” I said then reached forward to grab it—only to have him pull his hand back, out of my reach. ”Oh my God, Bishop. Give it here.”
”Well, it was in my car, so…finders keepers, Kent.”
I tried to get it again, but my dress prevented me. ”You”re a jerk.”
”Thought I had a kind heart,” he said.
”I was just being nice to make you feel better,” I said, crossing my arms. ”Go ahead. Make fun of me and my list. I don”t care.”
”Why would I do that?I think it”s awesome.”
My eyes shot to his, and he grinned again.
”Never knew you were such a romantic.”
I grumbled, sitting lower in my seat. ”You didn”t even know my name, Bishop. I bet there”s a lot you don”t know.”
”Wow,” he said, easing the car back onto the road. ”That was kinda harsh. Weren”t you named miss congeniality two years ago?”
I blinked. The fact that he knew I”d been in the Miss Chariot High pageant—it was a moment of insanity that ended up being a fun experience—was a shock. Again, he”d gotten my name wrong twice already. But somehow, he remembered that little detail…. ”How did you—”
”It”s a long ride back, and I look forward to proving you wrong.”
Sam lifted my list again.
”Right after you explain what a back hug is,” he said. ”Is that some kind of weird fetish or what?”
With another sigh, I said, ”If I tell you, do you promise to give my list back?”
”Of course, Kent.”
He shot me a wink, the dim light of the dash catching the twinkle in his eyes.
”After all, I”m a gentleman.”