Page 30 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

“I knew he was the one!” she crowed, hands clapping in delight. “When I saw the two of you together, I thought to myself, now there’s a young man who’d be a great guide.”

I rolled my eyes, but she kept going.

“A young Richard Gere in the making. He was such a gentleman as he led me around the dance floor,” she said. “A little tense, but I could tell he was nervous. And oh, the chemistry!”

“Good Lord,” Cora said, “chemistry? From what I saw, Betty, that boy could be your great grandson.”

Betty sniffed. “I wasn’t talking about me, you ninny. I was talking about Sadie and the boy.”

I choked, nearly spitting tea everywhere. “Me and Colton? You’ve got to be kidding. Betty, there’s absolutely no chemistry. We hate each other. We always have.”

“Ah,” Cora sighed. “Sometimes hate can turn to like, and like turns to love. He must like you, Sadie, if he agreed to help.”

“He agreed to help because Betty told him she was dying,” I said flatly.

Cora gasped, her eyes bright with laughter. “You didn’t?”

“I did,” Betty confirmed. “And I have to say, I regret nothing because now Sadie has a coach who will show her the ways of the world.”

“Oh, you are good, my friend,” Cora said. “Devious and brilliant at the same time. I only wish I could’ve gotten a better look at him.”

“He was beyond gorgeous, a perfect match for our girl. I’d love to see him again as well.” Betty turned to me. “Do you think he might come by the studio sometime?”

I mumbled into my tea, hoping they wouldn’t press.

“What was that?” she asked.

“He’s coming by later,” I said and winced at their too-bright smiles. “It doesn’t mean anything, though. We’re just doing more of the list.”

“Ooh, how fun,” Cora said. “Wish I could come with you.”

“Me, too,” Betty said. “What are you going to do?”

I shrugged. “Not sure. Colton didn’t say.”

Betty tapped her fingernail against her cup. “If I recall correctly, there were a lot of fantastic things on your list. Maybe he’ll take you out dancing.”

“Doubtful,” I said. Colton hadn’t seemed big on dancing the one time he’d been to Corner Street Ballroom. I didn’t want to tell Betty that, afraid I’d hurt her feelings.

“What about that tattoo?” Cora said. “I’m sure he’d know just where to go. Have you decided yet what you’re going to get”—she waggled her eyebrows at me—”or where you’d like it?”

I laughed. “No, not yet. But I’ve got it narrowed down to a few choices.”

“Cora’s right.” Betty smiled. “Colton did say he has a tattoo and multiple piercings—though he wouldn’t tell me how many which vexed me greatly. I mean, how am I supposed to find out more about him if he’s so closed off?”

“Oh, I know!” Cora said, a glint in her eye. “It’s got to be a kiss. There were a few on the list about kissing, right?”

I could feel my cheeks heat and knew even before she said anything that I’d given myself away. Betty had told me once when we’d been playing cards that my poker face was non-existent. The blush betrayed me every time.

“Well,” Betty said, her voice filled with excitement, “something tells me there’s already been a bit of kissing going on. I think our Sadie’s been holding out on us, Cora.”

“Sadie,” Cora said sternly, “tell the truth now. Did you kiss this Colton fella?”

“Yes,” I said quietly.

“Good Lord, girl, you’ve been here nearly an hour, and we’re just now getting to the good stuff.”

Betty nodded. “Her first kiss, too. Oh my goodness, Sadie, I can’t wait to hear all about it. Okay, how did it happen? Did he kiss you, or did you kiss him? Was it in the library like you’d always wanted or somewhere else? Did you enjoy it? Or was it terrible? Did you remember to wear the lip gloss I bought you?”

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