Page 14 of Stealing for Keeps
“It’s not a conversation that needs to happen at all. Vaughn and I aren’t together, but you’d be smart to stay on his good side. The guys respect him, even if they like to mess with him from time to time.”
“Like daring me to kiss his ex?”
I nod. “Exactly.”
“I’ll be all right.” He gives me another shrug. “What year are you?”
I’m surprised by his determination. Most guys would have given up by now. After a moment of silence, I say, “Junior.”
“Me too.”
I shift my weight. My foot is bugging me a little from being on it more today than I have previously.
His gaze drops to the boot. “What’d you do to your foot?”
“I broke my fibula and tore the ligaments in my ankle.” I move to go around him. I’d rather talk about Vaughn than my injury.
Lacey is coming inside as I head toward the door. She smiles at me, then her expression morphs to confusion when she sees Austin behind me.
“Sorry,” she says, a smile slowly forming on her lips. “I can wait outside for you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m ready to go.”
“Wait,” Austin calls as both Lacey and I turn to go through the house to the front door. “Can I get your number?”
“Why?” I ask, genuinely surprised that he thinks that’s a good idea. Did he not hear me? Vaughn is the captain this year. And the best player on the team. Making him mad would be stupid.
“So I can text you. Maybe you could show me around next week.”
Lacey giggles, and when I glance over at her, she is fighting to keep it together. I can’t help but smile back at her. The new guy is incorrigible.
“Student council has volunteers to help acclimate new students,” I tell him.
“Or you could just volunteer.”
“I don’t think so.”
Austin is following us toward the door, but he stops when we reach it. Lacey pats him on the chest as she goes by him. “I admire your determination in the face of certainsocial ruin.”
She opens the door and steps outside. I hesitate in front of Austin. I don’t know what to say to this guy. I can’t believe he’s for real.
“You don’t even know me,” I say.
“That’s the point. I want to get to know you.”
I don’t want to be flattered that he’s so determined in his pursuit of me, but a spark of excitement flickers inside me anyway.
I can’t think of a single thing to say as I move out the front door.
“See you around,” he says to my back.
And it feels like a promise.
Chapter Five
Austin
The girls’ soccer team is still on the field when I arrive to practice the next day. A few of the other guys are stretching. I look around for Vaughn, but he isn’t here yet. I need to make sure there’s no hard feelings about what happened last night.
