CHAPTER 6
Later, I would tell myself, it couldn”t have been that amazing.
Sam Bishop wasn”t some kind of kissing virtuoso. His lips weren”t magic. He didn”t make my soul sing. This was all normal. A side-effect of waiting so long and yearning forever to be kissed. It had nothing to do with the guy himself. I could”ve kissed anyone, and this would be the end result. I”d recover once the effects wore off. Everything would be fine.
There was no way Sam altered my brain chemistry with one kiss.
Right?
Wrong.
I moved through the rest of the day on autopilot.
Teachers called on me in class, and I responded. I heard my name spoken in the hall and waved in that general direction. But I wasn”t really there.
My mind was back in that music room.
My body was still wrapped up in his.
And despite my best efforts, no matter how hard I tried to fight the truth, I was filled with a deep sense of certainty. I just knew.
My lips would never forget Sam Bishop.
I had yet to decide if this was a good or bad thing.
Probably a bit of both. Good because I had an unforgettable, heart-melting first kiss. Bad because this might make it harder to keep things professional. But it had to be done. My arrangement with Sam wasn”t some open door to try and win his affection. It was a business deal. One where the stakes were clear: he”d win back the ex he was still in love with—and I”d get to experience all the things on my list in a safe, controlled environment.
True love wasn”t an option.
In fact, it was one of the main no-no”s in fake relationships.
I knew this.
I didn”t include it in the plan—but only because it was so obvious.
Maybe that was a mistake?
Shaking my head, I strode forward, putting one foot in front of the other. It was a beautiful day. Sunny with a light breeze, nothing but blue skies and fluffy clouds as far as the eye could see. The walk was supposed to help clear my head.
And it did.
Kind of.
The more distance I put between myself and Chariot High—and a certain guy—the easier it became to focus. I mean, yeah, the kiss still played on repeat in my mind every five seconds. But at least I wasn”t stumbling into walls (yes, that happened. Thankfully, there were no witnesses). In my last class, I”d received a text.
Your car is ready for pick up.
Colton”s Auto Service Centerwas the best in town.
Luckily, it was also only a couple miles from CHS.
I stopped in front of the building.Brick walls painted black. A lot packed with cars. The garage doors were open, and light music drifted through the air, barely discernable above the other sounds coming from inside.Business was clearly booming.
None of that made me pause.
Sure, it would”ve been nice to go home, flop on my bed and daydream, spend the rest of the day reminiscing about my first kiss.
But I had to get my car.
Which was currently in there.
The only problem: Colton was Colton Bishop, Sam”s dad.
I”d met Mr. Bishop a couple times in passing.
But that was before I agreed to fake date his son.
Before the kiss.
Just…before.
School let out a while ago, and I was suddenly filled with nerves.
Was soccer practice over?
Was Sam in there now?
If so, was he obsessing over the kiss as much as me?
Did it mean anything to him?
Why was it so important that the last answer be yes?
And one final, totally-ridiculous-yet-crucial, question swirled in my mind. Regarding the kiss… Wasit too early to ask for a repeat performance?
Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the lobby—and felt my shoulders relax.
Despite the cars and flurry of activity in the garage, this room was empty. No Sam then. I wasn”t sure how to feel. Part of me was relieved, but the other part felt somewhat deflated. I wasn”t really ready to face him again—and yet, I wanted to see him more than anything.
Charlotte was right, I thought.
Kissing really does mess with your brain.
”Can I help you?” a voice said from behind the desk, and I startled.
”Uh yeah, hi,” I replied. ”Sorry, I didn”t know anyone else was here.”
”That”s okay. Everyone says I”m short, but my parents told me I should hit a growth spurt soon.”
When I walked closer to the desk and finally caught sight of the speaker, I smiled. The boy couldn”t have been much older than 10. He was seated behind the desk computer which was why I hadn”t seen him. Dark brown hair with natural hints of blond, light blue eyes, and naturally pink cheeks. He was in a word: adorable. And he was dressed like a mechanic, backward baseball cap affixed to his head, a flannel shirt over a dirty white tee, and jean overalls. In front of him, he had a set of wrenches he seemed to be polishing.
”How tall are you?” he asked.
”About 5” 6””,” I said.
”Oh, I”m going to be much taller than that.”
”Really? How do you know?”
”Well, my dad is,” he said proudly. ”And I plan to be six foot three just like my big brother.”
”What if you stop growing before then?” I asked.
”I never thought of that.Man, that would suck.”
I shrugged. ”Only if you wanted to play basketball.”
”I do,” he exclaimed. ”That”s in my top 10 favorite jobs.”
”Oh. Well, you”ve still got time.”
He gave me a dubious look. ”When did you stop growing?”
”At about 15—unfortunately. But I”m still hoping for a couple more inches. They say yoga might help. Too bad I”m terrible at it.”
”Well, that sucks,” he said. ”About the yoga.”
Before I could answer, the small door on the right opened and a new voice joined in, ”Stop saying suck so much, Bennet. It”s not nice.”
”Relax, Betty.” The boy rolled his eyes at the girl who took a seat on the stool beside him. ”Mom and Dad aren”t here, so I can say whatever I want.”
”Not in front of customers,” the girl said back then gave me a brilliant smile. ”Hello. What can we do for you?”
”Um…”
I stared at the two kids who were obviously twins. The little girl”s hair may have been longerand set in two long braids. But other than that, they were mirror images of each other down to the rounded cheeks and mischievous eyes.
”Are you here for pick up?” she asked.
Nodding, I said, ”Yes, I am. My car broke down the other night, so I had to get a tow.”
”Were you by yourself?”
”Yes.”
She gave me a sympathetic look. ”That sucks.”
I nearly laughed as her brother rolled his eyes; his sister”s blatant use of the word she”d just told him not to say wasn”t lost on any of us. But I was starting to wonder if any adults actually worked here.
”Which car”s yours?” the boy asked.
”The blue Mazda,” I said.
The girl made a few clicks on the computer. ”Scarlett Kent?” she asked.
”That”s me.”
”I love your name. It”s so pretty.”
”Thank you,” I said. ”I love yours too. Betty has always been one of my favorites, especially Betty White.”
She blushed prettily at the compliment. ”Thanks, I was named after my mom”s oldest friend.”
”That”s awesome.”
”Yeah, she”s 99 now.”
I blinked in surprise.
”That”ll be $10,000,” she added.
”What?!?” I squeaked. ”That can”t be right. I only got a tow and a new alternator.”
”It says so right here.”
The boy shrugged. ”The cost of labor is up these days.”
”Parts too,” she added.
”Tough break, Scarlett.”
I sputtered, but Betty talked right over me. It was clear she was the more devious of the two. With a carefree smile, the girl held her hand out and said, ”Will that be cash, check or credit card?”
Speechless, I stood there staring at them until a man walked in, spotted the two kids, then shook his head. I recognized him immediately. Even if I hadn”t, I would”ve known who he was by his strong resemblance to Sam.
”What are you guys doing?” Mr. Bishop asked.
”Nothing,” they said in unison.
He gave the two a long, hard look. ”Right. And what did I tell you about pretending to work here?”
Betty sighed. ”This is a business not a playground,” she said.
”Don”t pull pranks on the customers,” Bennet added then mumbled, ”even if it is fun.”
Mr. Bishop gave them a nod. ”Now, shouldn”t you two be doing homework? I know your mom will want to check it later. You can go in my office.”
They nodded, but just before they left, Betty poked her head back out.
”Bye, Scarlett,” she said. ”Sorry about the prank.”
”It”s okay,” I said, unable to resist those puppy-dog eyes.
Bennet stuck his head back in next. ”I hope you get better at yoga,” he said.
I laughed. ”Thanks. Probably won”t happen, but I appreciate it.”
After a moment, they closed the door, and Mr. Bishop came forward.
”Sorry about that,” he said and ran a hand through his hair.
The move was so like the one I”d seen Sam do a hundred times I couldn”t help but stare. Besides the piercings in his ears, eyebrow, and lip—Did that hurt? I wondered—Colton looked like an aged-up version of his son. Ocean blue eyes apparently ran in the family. As he stepped up to the counter, I got a better look. So, this is what Sam will look like in about 20 years, I thought. Still gorgeous, still a total heartbreaker. Oof.
”My kids aren”t…actually no, they”re always crazy.”
”We”re not crazy,” a voice called from behind the closed office door, but Mr. Bishop just said, ”Homework. Now.” And then, there was silence.
He gave me an apologetic shrug.
”Again, sorry,” he mumbled. ”Sam was never like this.”
”They”re not so bad,” I said, and when he gave me a disbelieving look, I laughed. ”Okay, they did freak me out a little. But it”s fine.”
”They like to tell people it costs sky-high amounts just to see their eyes bug out.”
I nodded. ”I run a mentoring program, so I”m used to being around kids.”
”How much did they tell you?” he said.
”$10,000,” I replied.”For a tow and alternator. Oh, and the high cost of labor and parts.”
Mr. Bishop chuckled. ”Nice touch.”
”It did up the believability factor,” I said.
”What”s your name?”
”Scarlett Kent.”
”Ah, so you”re Scarlett.”
My eyes widened, wondering what he meant.
”My son, Sam, mentioned you”d be coming in,” he added.
”Oh,” I said and tried to play it cool. ”Did he say anything else?”
”No.”
I exhaled and shook my head. What had I expected? Sam didn”t seem the type to kiss and tell—or to pick up a girl in the middle of the night, drive her home, and then agree to be her list partner. Even if he did, it wasn”t like he”d tell his parents about it.
”He called you a friend.” Mr. Bishop sent me a small half-grin. ”Also, said you were pretty.”
”He did not,” I said.
Mr. Bishop nodded. ”He did.”
”Well, he obviously just said that to be nice.”
”That doesn”t sound like Sam,” he said. ”My son doesn”t say things he doesn”t mean.”
As if he”d heard, the door opened behind me and in walked Sam. His hair was slightly wet as if he”d just taken a shower. He looked a little flushed as if he”d been running—which he probably had during practice. I didn”t think I”d seen anyone look so good in sweats and a t-shirt.
”Hey,” he said to me, ”you”re here.”
”Yep,” I said.
To his dad, he lifted his chin. ”What were you guys talking about?”
Mr. Bishop threw his son a smile. ”Nothing much, just getting acquainted.”
When Sam looked to me, I said, ”Your dad was just telling me how you called me pretty.”
”He was?” Sam said.
I nodded.
”Well, then he lied.”
My heart fell a bit, but I forced a laugh. ”I knew it.”
”I said you were beautiful,” he said, shrugging like it was nothing, just a fact. ”Come on, Dad. You gotta get the facts right.”
”My mistake,” Mr. Bishop said, grinning full on now.
”The fumes from the garage must be getting to you.”
”Must be.”
Sam turned to me and ran a hand through his hair. ”Did you need me for something? Or just here to get your car?”
I cleared my throat. ”Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”
The sound of the printer whirred, and a moment later, Mr. Bishop pushed something across the counter to me.
”I”ll take that as my cue,” he said with a nod. ”Here”s your bill—with the real total. Sam, if you”ll finish checking Scarlett out, I”ll get someone to pull her car around.”
”Sure,” Sam said with a nod.
”It was nice seeing you, Scarlett.”
”You too, Mr. Bishop. Thanks,” I said. As he disappeared back into the garage, leaving Sam and I alone in the lobby, I looked away and tried not to wince as I caught sight of the bill.”Well, at least, it”s not 10k,” I mumbled.
Amusement was clear in Sam”s voice as he said, ”Ah, sounds like you met the twins.”
”Yeah, they”re adorable but a little devious.”
”Only a little?”
I looked up with a shrug and passed him my credit card. ”I like Betty and Bennet—even if they did try to swindle me.”
”Yeah, everyone does,” Sam said. ”They”re too cute for their own good.”
I shot him a look.
”What?”
”Must run in the family,” I said.
Sam shook his head. ”I”ll take that as a compliment.”
”Please don”t.”
He released a quiet laugh then looked at the bill and frowned. ”Hey, are you okay to cover this? I didn”t know it would be that much.”
”I”m fine,” I said.
”Because I can work overtime, ask my dad if he”ll give you a discount—”
”No, but thanks.” I tried to sound lighter than I felt. Money wasn”t a sore subject. But with the normal expenses, my sister in college and me preparing to go, it wasn”t something my family just had lying around either. ”I”ve been saving up for a new bow. It will put me back a little, but that”s why I have a job.”
”Oh yeah?” Sam asked. ”Where do you work?”
”At the diner by the highway,” I said. ”Plus, my cousins and I have a performance coming up.”
”You gonna get paid this time?”
”I hope so.”
He nodded. ”Okay, if you”re sure…”
”I am.”
Sam ran my card then handed me a receipt. ”You said you wanted to talk?”
”Yeah, I”ve been thinking about what happened earlier. In the music room.”
”Me too,” he said.
”Really?” Realizing I sounded way too curious, I brought my voice back down to regular volume. ”Anyway, I thought about it and decided that, from here on out, we should try to keep things more professional.”
Sam crossed his arms. ”Professional?”
”Well, it was kind of unplanned,” I said.
He cocked a brow.
”The kiss, I mean.”
”I knew what you meant,” he said.
”I just thought we should bring back some order.”
He tilted his head. ”And how would we do that?”
”We stay focused,” I said. ”No more flying by the seat of our pants. I”ve divided up the list, and I figure if we complete three or four items a day, we can accomplish our goals in a timely manner.”
”Sounds fun,” Sam said.
I nodded. ”I”m glad you agree.”
He made some noise in the back of his throat, but I didn”t know what it meant. Seeing my car pulling up outside, I tucked the receipt in my pocket.
”So, we stick to the plan,” I said. ”No more kissing. Everything will be good.”
Sam”s mouth opened, but before he could respond, a squeak sounded then the office door opened, revealing Betty and Bennet.
”You guys kissed?” Bennet said, sounding equal parts shocked and disgusted. ”Gross.”
”Not how I”d describe it, bud,” Sam said then turned to me. ”How about you, Kent?”
”It was…definitely not gross,” I said, trying and failing to fight back a blush.
Sam laughed quietly while Betty cocked her head at me.
”Why are you blushing?” she asked.
Because I”m embarrassed. And I have a feeling Sam knows just how ”not gross” I found his kissing abilities.
”Is it because of the kiss?”
”No,” I said. ”It”s hot in here.”
”I”m good,” Sam said.
”Me too,” Bennet said.
”Anyway,” Betty cut in, ”what”s swindle?”
”It”s when you try to cheat someone out of their money,” Sam said sternly. ”Basically what you and Bennet do on a weekly basis and why Dad won”t leave you alone in here.”
”Oh—but we never really take the money.”
”Yeah,” Bennet said, ”we”re just joking. Not swindling.”
”We”ll let the courts decide,” Sam said.
”Well, bye,” I said with a wave, sliding out the door as the twins started talking over each other. Was I trying to make a quick escape? Yes. But could you blame me? The twins were way too inquisitive, and Sam”s knowing gaze seemed to follow me as I walked away.
I”d just gotten into my car, was about to drive off, when the passenger door opened. Sam slipped into the seat and shut the door like it was the most normal thing ever. Which it definitely was not.
”Did I forget something? I asked.
”No,” he said.
”Okay, then why are you here?”
”You never let me answer.”
My brows furrowed.
”I disagree with what you said.”
I crossed my arms. ”Which part?”
”All of it,” he said. ”Or at least, most of it. I think we should just go with the flow.”
”But—”
”If we don”t, no one will buy it,” he said.
”So, you think we should just play everything by ear?” I asked.
”Yes and no.”
I waited for him to continue.
”We go by your list,” he said with a wave of his hand. ”However many items you want a day, but we do what comes natural. This is supposed to be a relationship, right?”
”Yeah.”
”Well, no one will believe us if we don”t act like a couple.”
I laughed, couldn”t help it. ”It almost sounds like you want to kiss me again.”
”Yeah, that might happen.” I choked as he added, ”Unless you”re totally opposed.”
Taking a deep breath, I tried to think about this rationally even if my brain was currently mush. ”I”m not opposed, but…aren”t you scared?”
”Of what?” Sam said.
”Catching feelings,” I said. ”If we don”t set concrete ground rules, someone might get hurt.”
He grinned. ”Oh, I get it. You”re scared of falling in love with me.”
”You wish.”
”You sound scared, Kent.”
”Oh please,” I said with a scoff. ”You”ll fall in love with me before I ever fall for you.”
”Then I guess, we have nothing to worry about,” he said.
”Absolutely nothing.”
”So we”re good?”
”We”re perfect,” I said.
”Good.” Sam”s brow furrowed as he looked to my stereo. ”What are you”re listening to?”
I lifted my chin. ”It”s a romance novel.”
”One of your favorites?”
”Maybe,” I said while the scene in my audiobook got increasingly more passionate. It had started immediately when I got in the car, syncing with my phone and picking up right where I”d left off. The romance had been playing the whole time in the background, not that I”d noticed. I was too distracted by the guy in front of me. ”Need anything else, Bishop?”
”Nope,” he said, opened the door and got out of the car. ”Enjoy your book, Kent.”
”Oh, I will.”
”See you tomorrow.”
”See you then,” I said.
As I pulled out of the lot, I could see Sam in the rearview mirror. It looked like he was smiling, but I wasn”t sure if it was because of the audiobook or the fact that he”d gotten his way. One thing I did know: I could not allow myself to fall for Sam Bishop.