Page 22 of The Perfect Steal

I shook my head, smiling. “Yeah, who knows? I stay out of the politics.”

Brynn’s expression softened to a half-smile. “I get that. Thank you so much for going through all that work. I was convinced I would be up until one or two in the morning trying to get a paper written and studying for my calc test.”

Pride surged through me at her words. I’d helped someone have a better day. That sounded super cheesy, but I was usually the cause of trouble, not good.

“No problem. I’ll get it all written up, with pictures, and have it ready for tomorrow.”

“You’re the best, Nate.” She paused, that same redness creeping into her cheeks, like she’d said too much.

Instead of using the arrogant Nate persona she’d mentioned the night before, I said, “Thanks. It feels good to be appreciated.”

She beamed at me, and all the feelings I usually got on the rides at Six Flags ran through me. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Take my place at all my father’s mayoral events,” I joked. Tuesday was when elections were taking place, and I didn’t want to go to any of the after-parties, no matter the outcome.

Brynn cringed. “Sorry, I’m pretty sure even though we’re the same height, my long hair would give it away.” We both laughed.

“Well, you’re better-looking than me, so I don’t think they’d mind.” It was my turn to feel embarrassed for what I’d said, and I hoped she wouldn’t get weirded out. To cover it up, I said, “My scar makes me look rugged, though.”

Brynn just laughed and said, “Oh, please. Who’s the guy all the girls talk about when he walks by? That would be you. And I think your scar looks great, considering the way you got it.”

Hurtling through a window on accident would do that to a person.

I turned her words over in my mind, playing around with the underlying meanings and wondering if she’d meant them.

“Let’s just hope I don’t have any more surgeries in the future.”

“Yes, you should avoid that.” We sat there staring at one another for several seconds, and then suddenly it was like the relaxed Brynn had been kicked out and replaced by the task-oriented one.

“Okay, I’m going to go tackle all the other stuff on my list, but I’ll see you tomorrow?” There was a hint of hope in her words, and I grinned.

“No problem. Good luck, and let me know if you need any help with it.”

She nodded, signing off.

Over the past two years, I’d avoided anything permanent or any big relationships that would tear me away from moving out of Pecan Flatts once graduation came. But there was something about Brynn that told me I needed to make the leap.

I was in big trouble.

13

Brynn

“Good afternoon, class,” Mrs. Rhodes said from her desk on Monday. “Please bring your first assignment up here and leave it in the basket. Once that’s done, we’ll start going over the next section of your project.”

I twisted a hair tie around my fingers, watching the door. Nate’s desk next to me was empty, and I’d already texted him a couple times, hoping I wouldn’t come off as some crazy girl overly worried about her grades. But if he was not going to show up, the least he could have done was send me a message so I could pick up the assignment. This was why I was somewhat of a control freak. I had a hard time trusting other people.

I thought about our conversation yesterday, and that helped me relax a smidge. He’d been so sweet, trying to make things easier for me. And from the things he’d said, I had the slightest hope that he was just as interested in me as I was in him.

If I’d told myself I would be crushing on Nate Everton, even at the dance last week, I would have a six-pack from laughing.

And then reality set in.Seconds ticked by, and all the other students had returned to their desks. My stomach dropped. That’s all I needed, a subpar grade in a class that should be a piece of cake.

The door opened, and Nate walked in, a pile of papers in hand. “Sorry I’m late, Mrs. Rhodes. My computer ran out of ink last night, and I had to wait for the copy machine in the library.”

He placed the stack of papers into the bin and turned, striding toward his desk with a smile for me. Relief washed over me like a wave.

“Are you okay?” he asked, whispering to me as Mrs. Rhodes passed out a paper to the rows, starting at the other side of the room.

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