Page 86 of Clued in to Love
The person who knew everything about her, the good and bad. Hugo. Her hands felt clammy.
He moved toward the punch table and set her drink down. Then he extended his hand. “Olivia, you’re the best thing in my life. I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to admit this. I guess because I was scared, but senior year is ending, and I’m not going to waste my shot. You are the coolest, hottest, goofiest, smartest, most by-the-book-planning, get-shit-done girl I’ve ever known.”
Olivia gulped, trying to process whether this was really happening. The signs had all been there. Why hadn’t she paid more attention to them? To Hugo?
“Hugo, you’re the best person I know, too, but what if this doesn’t work? I would hate to lose you as a friend,” Olivia admitted, holding the book like a security blanket.
“I think it’s worth the risk.” Hugo’s eyes made it hard for her to swallow. He held out his hand again, urging her to take it.
Olivia released her grasp on his gift, set it next to her untouched punch, and placed her hand in his. An immediate surge of warmth rushed up her arm. Her hand felt right linked with his, perfectly normal like it was always meant to be there.
He led her to the dance floor, let go of her hand, and pulled her close to him as they began moving to the music. “My holiday wish has come true. What about you?”
Olivia wanted him to kiss her—now, in the middle of the dance floor. She didn’t care if Mr. Graff, Mrs. Reynolds, Marissa, or anyone else saw them. Hugo, her Hugo, had a protective arm wrapped tightly around her waist and smelled like minty gum. She needed his lips on hers.
He was right. They’d been in the friend zone too long. It was time for something new.
“Hugo, I think you should kiss me.” She craned her neck to meet his eyes.
His voice was thick and deep, unlike the kid she’d spent summers exploring the lava caves with. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Olivia pulled his head toward her. “Kiss me already.”
FORTY-NINE
MARISSA
Marissa sobbed all the way home. She had honestly thought that they had a chance of winning the cash. This was it—the end of a dream.
Yes, Cheese was toast.
She was going to have to break down and beg for her old job back.
Without the influx of money from winning Passport to the Holidays, the harsh reality was that growing Yes, Cheese into anything other than a hobby was dead.
Marissa wasn’t even angry at William.
Why bother?
He wasn’t worth the energy. She still didn’t understand what his end game had been. He must have decided to go to Parker’s on purpose. He had to have known that they would be disqualified. Had she offended him so badly at his parents’ gala that he and Parker had conspired to make her look like an idiot?
Scratch that.
She was angry.
She was furious.
And mainly with herself.
She should have trusted her instincts.
How could she have let him in?
She had honestly thought that maybe there was something between them. How could she have been so wrong?
A text came in as she pulled into her parents’ driveway.
She stopped the car and opened the message. It was from Hilary, the scavenger hunt director. For a moment, Marissa felt a surge of hope that there had been a mistake and they hadn’t been kicked out of the hunt. When she read the text, she realized that wasn’t true.
