Page 56 of As They Are
“Rude,” Jude said. His voice was louder, and the town all heard him. “Come on. What I did wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Someone in the crowd scoffed. I was pretty sure it was Jade.
Wren glared over at him, and I had to resist the urge to step in.
“We’re filming thisnow,”the director said. “No more putting this off. Go down the road and run to us.”
My chest tightened when she did what they said. I didn’t want to see this, but she’d asked me to stay. The director yelledactionand Wren started to jog. I watched every movement she made as she got close to both of us.
I expected her to run to Jude and pull him into her embrace. And at first, she was. But then her eyes cut to me and she hesitated. The entire square was silent.
When she finally got moving again, she didn’t go to Jude.
Instead, she came tome.
As she got close, I opened my mouth, expecting her to ask for advice. I was going to tell her to end it for the day. Everyone was frustrated and she needed to figure out some common ground to get her out of what she didn’t want to do.
All of those words vanished in a puff of smoke when she got to me.
Because she grabbed the nape of my neck and pulled me into a searing kiss.
12
WREN
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Kerry Winsor:HENRY? KISSING WREN AT THE LIBRARY? THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!
Comments:
Dale Garrett:I SAW IT TOO! AND I CALLED IT!!! GIVE ME MY MONEY!!!
Jade Clark:I WAS A DAY OFF!
Hu Gh:All this filming ruined my coffee time!
Tammy Jane:Chill it, Hugh. We’re all talking about the cutest couple in town.
Mollie Wilson:HANG ON, WHAT?
Kerry Winsor:WAIT DID YOU NOT KNOW? YOU SAW THE BETTING POOL, RIGHT?
Mollie Wilson:I THOUGHT YOU ALL WERE ABOUT TO LOSE MONEY! Cain told me to join and I DIDN’T!
My first thought was,I can’t do this with Jude.
My second was,Henry is gonna be so mad.
And the third?It’s unfair that he’s a good kisser.
For a second, we both stood still, making for what could have been the most awkward camera kiss ever. I moved my lips against his, preparing to pull away if this last-second change didn’t work.
But then he kissed me back. One hand cupped my cheek and his lips slotted over mine. He smelled like fresh linen and oranges, and I was having a hard time remembering why I’d done this in the first place.
All I could think about was him.
“Cut!” Madison bellowed, her voice echoing off everything.
