Page 75 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

I frowned at his tone. “What’s that supposed to mean? You were the one who pushed for Colton to be my coach in the first place. I didn’t even want to work with him, remember? Completing this list is important to me, Kyle.”

A moment passed…then another….and another.

Kyle sighed then said, “Sadie, just tell me when you want to meet, and I’ll make time to be there.”

“Don’t bother,” I said, feeling tears well up in my eyes. “I’ve got other things to cross off my list anyway. Thanks for your half-assed offer to help though.”

“Sadie, wait—did you just say ass?”

I hung up.

So much for being able to depend on my best friend.

Pulling up Colton’s name on my phone, I fired off a text.

Me:Want to meet up tomorrow? The forecast says it looks like rain.

His response was immediate.

Colton Freakin’ Bishop:Can’t wait to kiss me again, huh? When and where?

I rolled my eyes at that but responded anyway.

Me:My house, after school.

Colton Freakin’ Bishop:No, your house during last period. #19

I read the text again, not that I really needed to. I knew what he meant. Nineteen on my list was “Skip school,” and I had P.E. that period, the same as Kyle and Colton. But I was hesitant about actually skipping a class.

Me:I’m not sure…

Colton Freakin’ Bishop:Not asking. Your list is 1st priority. Skip P.E. That’s an order from the Greatest Coach Of All Time.

I grinned as I typed out a reply.

Me:Whatever you say, Coach.

My hands were unsteady as I unlocked the door to let us into the house. Colton had followed me home from school. I’d been sure someone was going to stop us before we left the building—a teacher, staff member, security. I’d nearly had a panic attack just walking out the school’s front doors. But we didn’t run into anyone.

No alarms went off when we got into our cars and left the parking lot.

Mom had gone in early to teach a private lesson, so no one was home.

That meant it was just me and Colton Bishop, who I was sure had skipped school tons of times, some of them quite possibly to go make out with girls. Unlike me, he didn’t look perturbed at all. About the skipping or the kissing. He was cool as a freaking cucumber as we walked into the backyard, the grey clouds overhead roiling, ready to open up at any moment.

“So, you skipped school,” Colton said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You’re officially a rulebreaker, Sadie. How’s it feel?”

I looked up at the darkening sky. “Honestly? It feels like Mother Nature is preparing to strike me down for leaving early.”

He chuckled then said, “What’s the deal with that anyway? The rain? I get that you’re kiss-obsessed or something. But why rain?”

“It’s romantic.” I shrugged as I sat in one of the lawn chairs we had outside. Colton took the chair opposite me. “You know Betty?”

He nodded. “She’s a hard one to forget.”

“Betty would absolutely love hearing you say that,” I smiled. “Well, she and I have a thing for movies. One day we made a list of our top 10 favorite movie kisses—”

“You and your lists,” he said.

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