Page 3 of To Love Jason Thorn

His smile picked up a notch, and I felt myface flush again. Tucking a loose hair behind my ear, I smiled bigger.

Oh, boy.

He was so cute.

I cleared my throat and extended my hand,just like I saw my dad do when he was meeting someone new. “I’m Olive. My friendscall me Liv or Oli because they think I have a weird name.”

Quirking his brow, he looked at my handthen up to my eyes as he gave it a good shake. “Do they now?” he asked, and Inodded enthusiastically, hiding my hand behind my back again. “I think you havea good name, little Olive. It would be hard for someone to forget a name like Olive.You have very beautiful green eyes; I’d say the name suits you.”

Beautiful?

Beautiful?!

I was never going to wash my hand again.

My smile got bigger, and I believe it wasthe first moment I fell in love with the mysterious boy who had an adorabledimple and was going to spend the night right across from my room.

“Are you our new neighbor?” I asked. He hadto be our new neighbor. I had to see him again.

“Yes, we moved in last week.”

I nodded. That was good news—more time forus to be together.

“Since you like my name, would you like tomarry me?” I asked.

His face turned red and he opened andclosed his mouth a few times.

Finally he laughed and said, “What?”

I shrugged. “My dad doesn’t want me to getmarried for at least another thirty years, but I don’t think we should waitthat long. So, can we get married sooner?”

He scratched his head and even made thatlook cute. “I think we are too young to get married, little one.”

Crushed, I looked down at my feet. “My dadsays that, too. I’ve always thought I would marry Noah, our neighbor, but mydad is pretty set against that. Even my mom thinks he is too old for me. Ithink I can wait for you to get older, though.” I nodded to myself. “Make sureyou wait for me too. Okay. I’m gonna go down and help mom with dinner. Dylanalways screws it up. You know,” I started, clutching my hands behind my back asmy eyes fell to his shoes. “I helped her bake the apple pie and the vanillasauce earlier. I’ll make sure you’ll get the biggest slice. You’ll love it, andI’ll give it to you first.”

I knew guys cared about food because my dadhad always appreciated a good home-cooked meal. My little heart had fallen inlove for the first time and I was hoping Jason would fall for me, too, after hetasted the pie.

He chuckled and touched his finger to my chin.Surprised at the contact, my head flew up, my eyes huge. When I saw his smilingface, I had to bite down on my lip so I wouldn’t grin like a little girl, whichwould surely be a dead giveaway that I was in love with him.

“Thank you, little one. I’m sure it’s deliciousif you had a hand in it. I better let you go then. I’ll look forward to seeingyou at dinner.”

Passing by me, he tugged a piece of myhair, his smile still going strong on his lips as he headed for the bathroom.

I fidgeted with my hands so I wouldn’t wavehim a goodbye and sigh like my friend Amanda did whenever she saw Dylan.

Inside, I was dancing on the clouds.

He had touched my hair.

He had touched my chin and looked into myeyes.

Jason.

Our one-dimpled new neighbor. Had. Touched.Me.

Ah…

I was pretty sure he’d fallen in love withme, too. I mean why else would he smile, look into my eyes, and touch me, if hehadn’t?

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