Page 18 of The Promposal

“Clothing’s optional.”

“Jake!” I hissed into the phone, my gaze darting over to Kenyetta, who sported an amused smile.

He laughed. “I’ll see you later. And tell my favorite ballerina she still owes me a dance.”

Given her reaction, Jake was loud enough that she could hear him. Kenyetta squealed and did a flying leap that made her smack into the table.

Oh crap. “I gotta go. See you later.” I hung up and hurried over to her. “Are you okay?” I checked her leg. She’d let Jake distract her, and now she was injured. How was I going to explain this to Dr. Drummond?

“I’m fine,” she said in that still dreamy voice.

“You are going to bruise,” I told her. And somebody was going to call the Department of Child Protective Services on me.

“Totally worth it.” She sighed.

Had I been this boy crazy when I was twelve?

“Do you think he really likes my dancing?” Kenyetta asked.

I frowned. “He’s my boyfriend, remember?”

“For now,” she replied with way too much self-assurance.

The librarian finally appeared, shushing us and telling Kenyetta to stop dancing. We sat back down at the table, and I pulled out my phone, needing to learn the correct way to do this fraction stuff.

Something she’d said earlier struck me, making it difficult for me to concentrate on the online tutorial. Jake wastotallyworth it. So was our relationship. Even if we were off right now, it didn’t mean we would be for forever.

We just needed to talk. And I was determined to make sure it happened tonight.

I got ready for my date with Ella’s help. With no direction from Jake, I decided on dressy casual. Ella lent me an olive-green top, and I wore some black jeans. I rooted around in my closet, looking for shoes. I pulled out my favorite hot-pink Converse high-tops.

“What about these?” I asked.

“Uh ...”

“What?”

“Awful.”

I looked at the shoes. “Really?”

“Hello?”

“Okay,” I mumbled, selecting a black pair instead, which got me an enthusiastic two thumbs-up from Ella.

The doorbell rang, and I was strangely nervous, as if this was my first date with Jake.

“I’ll get it!” Ella leaped off my bed and ran for the front door. Probably partially from excitement, but also to head off my father before he started one of those awkward dad conversations with my boyfriend.

Which was why Ella was the best sister in the world.

I tugged my shoes on, tied the laces, and went out to the front door. Jake and Ella both turned to look at me at the same time. Butterflies on steroids flapped in my stomach when I saw him. It was like sometimes I would forget how gorgeous he was, and then I’d suddenly get reminded.

“Darn,” Jake said with an exaggerated sigh, coming over to hug me. “You wore clothes.”

I elbowed him and told Ella I’d see her later. We headed outside, Jake’s arm around my waist. He opened the car door for me and then ran around to get in the driver’s seat. “Have I mentioned that you’re hot enough to be your own evil twin?”

That made me start to blush, and I put a hand against my cheek, as if I could stop it. “Back at you.”

---