A Is for Abstinence by Kelly Oram Page A

blubbered.
    Val hugged the girl back and brushed her thumb over the girl’s wet cheeks. “Dry those tears now, Colleen. Everything’s going to be okay.”
    The girl nodded, gaping up at Val with a look of hero worship. I could relate. Val was amazing. Watching her with those people stirred something in my chest. I could understand why Robin had been so hesitant before. This was about more than just an abstinence challenge. Val really did make a difference in people’s lives. I could help her with that…or I could screw it up for her. I absolutely couldn’t screw it up for her. Not now, not ever. No matter what I had to sacrifice.
    “She’s definitely worth it.”
    I didn’t realize I’d spoken out loud until Rain patted my knee and said, “Yes, she is.”
    Our conversation caught the attention of Val and her clients. “Kyle?” Val gasped at the same time the teenager shrieked.
    “ Kyle Hamilton? Mom! Dad! That’s Kyle Hamilton !”
    The girl bounded over to me with fresh tears in her eyes, ignoring her parents’ protests. “I’m sorry! I just love you soooooo much!” she cried.
    “Thank you, Colleen, was it?”
    I stood and opened my arms—an invitation for the girl to hug me. She screamed again and plastered herself to me as if she planned on staying there forever. “I can’t believe I’m meeting you! You’re my favorite singer in the whole world! I was so sad when Tralse broke up!”
    I laughed and hugged the girl back. I winked at her parents over her shoulder to let them know it was okay. They gave me matching, chagrined smiles. “Have you heard the new song yet?” I asked Colleen, my eyes drifting to Val as I spoke.
    “Yes!” Colleen squealed. “I saw you on the Connie Parker Show last week! It’s amazing! And so romantic!”
    “ Amazing, you say? And romantic ?” I couldn’t help the grin I shot Val. “Imagine that.”
    When I chuckled, Colleen pulled her face out of my chest and glanced down at the A dangling from my wrist, nearly swooning from shock. “I still can’t believe you’re doing the abstinence challenge.”
    Maybe her disbelief should have been insulting, but it made me laugh. “A necessary evil if I want to date the fair virgin.”
    The girl’s eyes widened.
    “All right. I think that’s enough of that.” Val stepped between Colleen and me. After giving me an exasperated look, she apologized to Colleen’s parents for the interruption and marched them to the front desk. “The Mastersons have been approved and need to schedule an appointment.”
    Rain’s answering smile was sincere. “Wonderful.”
    Once the family was out of the building, Val whirled on me. “What are you doing here?” she hissed.
    “Taking you to lunch.” I held my hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Why am I in trouble? What did I do?”
    My questions made Val realize she’d just snapped at me and startled her out of her bad mood. She rubbed her temples and sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just surprised to see you.”
    “You didn’t call me. I waited for two weeks. I don’t have your number anymore, so what else was I supposed to do?”
    She looked at me with that same sad expression she’d worn at the studio. “You shouldn’t have come.”
    “Why?” I demanded. I knew she’d try to blow me off, and I wasn’t going to let her get away with it.
    Val glanced around the room at our growing audience. Everyone in the office had stepped out of their cubicles to see what was going on. Rain watched us, transfixed. Val’s face pinched again and she grabbed my hand. “Let’s go talk in my office.”
    I yanked my fingers from her grip. “So you can blow me off before giving me a chance? No way. Not this time.”
    “Kyle, we can’t do this.”
    I reeled her in and slipped my arms around her waist so she couldn’t escape me. “Tell me you haven’t been thinking about me since the second you saw me.”
    She didn’t answer, but the truth was in her eyes.
    Her brows fell into a frown