Page 43 of My Return to the Walter Boys
“What a gentleman,” I replied as he helped me from the car. “Who knew?”
Teasing Cole helped me focus on something other than how my pulse was fluttering a mile a minute. He was one of those photogenic, effortlessly beautiful people, even when he wore grungy jeans and faded T-shirts. So tonight, when he styled his hair and put on a suit with a tie that matched his eyes? He was dazzling.
Cole clutched his chest, eyes wide with false affront. “Goddess, you wound me! Is my chivalry only worthy of poisoned words? A mortal dagger disguised as a compliment?”
I barely managed to keep myself from doubling over with laughter, because what in the terrible Regency romance wasthat? Maybe I wasn’t the only one with nerves. “Are you feeling okay?” I asked as I tried to press the back of my hand to his forehead. “I think that’s the cheesiest, most dramatic thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth.”
“Damn, Jackie,” he said, leaning out of reach. “When did you get so mean?”
“Not long after moving to Colorado,” I quipped. “There are so many unsavory characters here that I quickly learned to toughen up. Besides, I’m pretty sure you like it.”
The corners of his mouth turned up at the implication.
Even from the back of the parking lot, I could feel thethump thump thumpof bass from inside the school gymnasium. It matched the rhythm of my racing heart as Cole studied me, his eyes flitting backand forth across my face. For a brief instant, I thought he would lean down and kiss me, but the slam of a car door from a few stalls over shattered the moment.
“Yo, Walter!” called a guy from Isaac’s class I vaguely recognized. Ethan something? “Good to see you, man. Whatcha doing here?”
Cole held my gaze and smirked. “Jackie asked me to go to the dance with her,” he said, then looked up to address Possibly Ethan as he tucked me into his side. My cheeks instantly flushed. “It was oh so earnest, and I couldn’t possibly pass up a chance to—”
A smalloofescaped Cole’s mouth as my elbow connected with his ribs. “Dangerous footwear, remember?” I whispered. “If you don’t shut up, I’ll put my heel through your foot.”
“Meanandviolent? How did I get so lucky?” Cole waggled his brows at me but thankfully heeded my warning. “Hey, Evan. We’re going to head inside, but let’s catch up later?”
The dance had started over an hour ago, but Cole couldn’t get off work on such short notice, so when we entered the lobby, it was mostly empty. With the exception of a couple having a whispered argument in the corner of the room and a bored-looking chaperone studying the trophy case, the only other person there was Erin. She sat at the ticket collection table, gaze fixed on her phone as she scrolled. The sound of my heels clicking against the floor must have caught her attention, because she looked up, a friendly smile spreading across her face as she prepared to greet a late arrival.
Then our eyes met. She glanced from me to Cole, her smilefaltering. Our relationship had improved ever since she was elected president, but Cole’s absence was a major part of that truce.
This was going to beawkward.
“Hey, Erin,” I said as cordially as possible when we reached the table.
Three never-ending seconds passed before she released a deep sigh.
“Hi, Jackie. Hi, Cole.” Her mouth hitched up in an approximation of the friendly expression she previously wore. “Do you have your tickets?”
Cole reached into his suit coat and then handed them over without a word, his face inscrutable. I almost elbowed him again so he’d stop being rude, but I didn’t want to make things more uncomfortable than they already were. I wished I knew what was going on inside his head. Normally, he was brash in uncomfortable situations. For him to be silent now was strange.
“Do you need any help?” I asked, pushing my thoughts about Cole to the side in an effort to be polite. “I’m more than happy to give you a break.” I ignored the tiny scoff that came from Cole’s direction.
“That’s nice of you to offer,” Erin replied, “but Mateo will be here soon to relieve me. I’ve got things covered. Go enjoy the dance.”
“Okay, see you later.” I turned to go, Cole tugging me toward the gym like he couldn’t get away fast enough, but then Erin called out to me.
“Oh! Jackie, hold on! I totally forgot to mention this. The lead singer of the band is looking for you. Her name is…Paula, I think?”
I frowned, unsure why someone I’d never heard of wanted to talk.“Did she say why?”
Erin shook her head. “No, but they’re taking a break right now, so you can ask her. I’m pretty sure they’re in the courtyard.”
“What does she look like?” I asked.
“Don’t worry,” Erin said, a real smile returning to her face. “You can’t miss her.”
***
After dropping me off at the entrance to the courtyard, Cole promised to be back in five minutes and went to catch up with Evan. The band was standing around in a circle sharing a joint when I stepped outside. Of the four members, only one appeared to be a girl, and I instantly understood what Erin meant: her purple, chin-length bob was held back with an assemblage of butterfly clips; she had on a sleeveless, lime green trench coat covered in safety pins; and on her feet, she wore a pair of sparkly Crocs.
“Hi, are you Paula?” I asked as I sidled over to the group.
