Page 158 of Love in Riverbend
“Me too. I made it out without bodily injury.”
Devan laughs. “I’ll see you at the game.”
“You could ride with me to the game.”
“Marilyn is picking me up.”
“I told my mom about us,” I confess. “She said to tell you she’s happy and would like to get to know you.”
Devan opens her eyes wide. “This is really happening.”
“It is. And I don’t care how you get to the game. Just be prepared. I’m going to walk up those bleachers and kiss the most beautiful girl I know, in front of all of Riverbend.”
“Why?”
“Because I can.”
My answer seems to satisfy her.
“I’ll see you tonight,” she says, leaning toward me.
Cupping her cheek, I bring our lips together. We’ve had more passionate kisses, but this one says more than our earlier hello kiss did. It says that Devan Dunn is my girl. My woman. My lady. She’s mine, and I don’t mind if the whole damn world knows.
Chapter 22
Devan
“Bye, I’m leaving,” I yell to Mom and Dad before going outside.
Marilyn’s car comes to a stop behind mine out by the garages. Before I get to her car, she and Jill both open their doors wide and jump out. Wearing their Riverbend tank tops, they’re both screaming, waving their arms in the air, and running in place. My cheeks warm as I get closer.
“Oh, she’s blushing,” Jill says.
“Tell us everything,” Marilyn adds.
Tilting my head, I grin. “Tell you what? Oh, about my classroom. I’ve been working on it for days and you?—”
“Shut up,” Marilyn interrupts as she puts her fist on her hip. “Are you really officially dating Justin Sheers?”
I nod.
My quiet response earns me more screams.
“Does this have anything to do with the text message I received last night?” Jill asks.
“Yes. We had our first official date.” I peer back at my house. “Could we maybe talk about it in the car on the way to the game?”
My two best friends open their eyes wide as they stare at one another and then at me. “This is going to be good,” Jill says.
“Juicy good,” Marilyn replies. She looks again at my house. “And your text said that your family knows?”
“I told Mom last night. She told Dad. Ricky found out today.”
“And Justin is still alive?” Jill asks.
“It went better than I anticipated,” I say truthfully. “Oh, and Justin said he told his mom.”
Jill opens the door to the back seat. “You take shotgun, Devan. We want to hear every word you say.”
