Page 65 of A Class of Her Own

“Scorched,” he replied as he walked through the door and closed it behind him.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“He saved your life?” Ruby squealed over brunch the next morning. “That’s so romantic. One time I was doing the monkey bars at school, and my hand slipped off. As I was falling I hit my head on the post, and it knocked me out cold. When I came to, there was this cute boy from my class sitting next to me. I still have a little bit of a crush on him.”

“How old were you?” Aryn asked, smiling.

“Fifth grade, so ten or eleven. Man, he still makes my heart pitter-patter. I love a good rescue.”

“I’d rather be the one doing the rescuing, thank you very much,” I replied as I buttered a warm biscuit. “But yeah, it was unexpectedly attractive.”

Aryn, Ruby, and Hailey all stopped to stare at me with big eyes.

“Did you admit he’s attractive?” Aryn asked.

“Mm-hmm.” I took a bite of biscuit.

“Well, well, well.” Hailey smiled.

We were in Hailey’s sunny kitchen, the four of us enjoying a preholiday get-together. We’d be busy with family for the next couple of days, so we’d brought gifts to exchange and cooked a delicious breakfast. I didn’t really like cooking much, but I was proficient enough to contribute something. Today it had been bacon and orange juice. Staples, in my opinion.

Hailey passed me some jam for the rest of my biscuit and said, “The idea of Ford jumping in to help me does kind of make my heart race. Remember when I was on that ice-skating date and he helped me home after the guy gave me a concussion? I think that’s when things shifted for us.”

“Yeah, that is romantic. But we’re not in love or even headed that way,” I replied, proud of myself for keeping my tone light and not blushing.

While I didn’t think last night’s kisses meant we were headed for an actual coupleship, I couldn’t help but remember how his lips had felt against mine, how firm and strong his arms and shoulders had felt as he’d wrapped himself around me. I took a bite of biscuit and had to chug some juice to get it past the tightening of my throat.

Aryn poured herself a glass of orange juice and leaned back in her chair to sip it. “Him having a knife and cutting you free is seriously masculine, and I’m strong enough to admit that I’m here for that kind of thing.”

Ruby grinned. “There is nothing more attractive than a man who knows a woman can do anything but still wants to help her out because he loves her. Give me a macho guy who’s a big old cuddly bear on the inside, and I’ll love him every day of the week.”

“You know, Rubes, it’s going to be very interesting to see what kind of guy you end up with,” Hailey said with a soft smile.

Ruby clapped. “Ooh, I like this game. Let’s make predictions. Aryn is going to end up with a sports star who lives for basketball and goes to find her in the crowd for a kiss when his team wins. He’ll be super outgoing and up for anything she wants to do. King of the adventure jocks.”

Aryn laughed. “I wouldn’t hate that.”

Hailey shook her head. “My guess is that Aryn ends up with a quiet type to balance out her sports-crazed, outgoing, sarcastic personality. He’ll be soft-spoken, a little shy, but totally devoted to her in every way. In sports terms, she’ll be the bouncing basketball, but he’ll be the hoop she always comes home to.”

She’d said it in a teasing tone, but Aryn surprised me by ducking her head and blushing. It wasn’t a deep blush, but it colored the tops of her cheeks and made her blue eyes stand out. I wasn’t the only one to notice, and we all set down whatever food we’d been eating to lean forward.

“Aryn, is there something you want to tell us?” Hailey asked in a coaxing tone.

Aryn bit her lips and looked up. “No, it’s just so far off when it comes to what I honestly want in a partner. I like to put on a good show, but those guys that Ruby described aren’t for me. I’m surrounded by them all the time, and I find them off-putting.”

I pointed at her with the jam knife. “Okay, we accept that, but that is not why you’re blushing like a twelve-year-old. I think it has something to do with Wesley.”

“Wesley?” Hailey asked.

“Didn’t you notice them together at Lizzie’s wedding reception?”

Hailey shook her head and looked to Aryn as she tossed her red curls over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Well what about Meredith?” Aryn deflected. “If Ruby’s guy will be interesting, Meredith’s is going to be one in a million. He has to respect her as a fierce woman and support her need to control everything and understand that she doesn’t mean half the things she says.”

I frowned, a little stung. “I’m not a monster.” Even if some of her description rang true.

Hailey patted my hand. “Of course you aren’t. Aryn is striking out because we got a little too close to something she isn’t ready to talk about yet.”

Aryn’s jaw dropped. “Stop analyzing me. There’s nothing to tell.” She looked to Ruby. “What do you think about Meredith’s future guy?”

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