Page 29 of The Apple Tree

“Hey!” She stumbled a few steps. “What was that for?”

“I can’t believe you think the only reason he would be interested in me is because he’s lonely. Maybe he thinks I’m hot. Maybe he thinks I’m sweet with an irresistibly dry humor. Maybe he likes my cooking.”

“I’m totally not saying there’s anything wrong with you, Eve. Exceptyou’re eighteen.And we just graduated. And he’s a teacher and coach at our school. What if he had come last year? Would you have made a case for having a crush on him had he beenyourmath teacher?”

She had a point, but it wasn’t a good one.

As soon as we finished our run, we collapsed on the field and stared at the last bit of sunlight and an orange and pink hew in the cloudless western sky.

I sighed. “I want him to kiss me.”

Erin rolled her head to look at me, but I kept my gaze on the sky and grinned.

When I pulledinto the drive and parked next to the propane tank, I could see a figure in my headlights just past the fence. I climbed out of my car as Kyle rested his forearms on the fence.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“Where’s Josh?”

“Asleep.”

“What are you sorry for?” I slid my key ring onto my finger, taking slow steps toward the fence.

“For touching your leg. It wasn’t intentional.” Kyle closed his eyes for a second and shook his head. “I was tired after a long day. And I was hungry, but you threw my dinner in the trash. And my mind was somewhere else after I put on your shoe. I don’t know why I was touching your leg. But it was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

I bowed my head, fiddling with my keys. “You know, I’m a legal adult. You didn’t molest me. You’re not my teacher. It was my calf, not like my boob. So, I don’t know why you’re apologizing for that.”

“It was—” he started to speak, but I cut him off.

“If you’re going to apologize for something, apologize for treating me like a child. I know I’m young, but I’m a youngadult.You’re not that old. Don’t you remember what it was like to be my age? Did you want people treating you like a child? Whenyou graduated college and got your first job, did you want people to treat you like you were unqualified even though you earned a degree?”

“I’m ten years older, by the way.” A slow grin bloomed along his face.

“So. And what’s that look for?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nothing. You just always surprise me.”

“Well, why don’t you try a little harder to surprise me because you’ve been predictable so far.”

He scraped his teeth along his lower lip. “You want me to be unpredictable?”

“Yes. Everything and everyone in my life is boring and predictable. Be a little more inappropriate with me.”

He coughed on a laugh. “You mean unpredictable.”

“Same difference.”

“Uh … it’s not. But I understand what you’re saying, however, not everyone will, so we need to set boundaries.”

“What do you mean?”

“You babysit for me, and I’ll teach you things. But we don’t tell anyone that we’re bartering.”

“You mean my parents?”

“I meananyone.”

I knew I would tell Erin.

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