always gone during the day. She won’t notice until later I skipped, and by then I’ll already be in trouble for something else.”
“Haven—”
He put a finger over my lips. “I shouldn’t have told you. Don’t worry so much.”
I glared and slid into the passenger seat when he opened my door.
“I don’t get you, Haven.”
“Good.” His wink made my pulse leapt. “You won’t get bored too quickly.”
Sucking in a huge mouthful of air, I weighed my options. Haven appeared to be everything I could want in a boy. Cute, attentive, and with a protective instinct that didn’t come out as a jerk. Underneath, though, he hid a lot. Maybe he thought today would make me ignore that. Maybe he didn’t. I couldn’t know, and I didn’t want to rush into anything. Despite how comfortable I felt around him, I couldn’t shake the questions I had.
“What are you frowning about?” He pulled out into traffic.
“Today.”
He glanced my way, then focused on the road. “Today wasn’t about trying to make you fall madly in love with me. I’m not out to force you into anything. I only wanted to see if I could help. See if I had a shot. You’re the first girl I’ve ever wanted to date. You’re smart, funny, pretty, and you aren’t afraid to be different.”
“Do you always have the answers or am I that predictable?”
“With you, the answers are—” He searched for words for a moment. “I don’t know. They just come easily.”
There was a short pause. “You think I’m not afraid? I’m terrified of some of the things I can see and do.”
He shook his head. “No, you’ve had a bad experience. But you’ll come out all right.”
“Is that you seeing the future?”
He caught my eye and smiled, and there was something soft and warm there. “I don’t need to see the future for that, Claire. You’re much better than you think.”
“You could be feeding me a line. This whole day could have been a line.”
“You’re right, it could have. You’ll have to decide for yourself. But please remember, I’m not my cousin.”
No way would I mistake the two of them. “Well, then.” I sighed. “I’d say you’ve definitely got a shot.”
A satisfied smirk lifted his lips. “Now that is the best news I’ve heard all day.”
***
Grant waited outside in the parking lot when we pulled up to the school. There had been an accident on the road, and we were ten minutes late getting back.
Judging by the scowl on Grant’s face, Mom had been a no-show again.
I didn’t get a chance to say anything, before Haven had jumped out of the car and pulled Grant out of earshot. Whatever they talked about, Grant was very animated.
After a several minutes, Grant went to grab is book bag from where he’d left it propped against the building. In the few moments, Haven came up to stand with me.
“Is he okay? I’m worried.”
“Your brother has a temper, but he’s not mad at you. He was thrilled you skipped with me. Especially after Bryan cornered him in the lunchroom and demanded to know where you were.”
I blanched. “He told him?”
Haven sighed, he didn’t look pleased either. “Yes. Bryan disappeared afterward. Everyone thinks he skipped out to look for you.”
“Is he always so scary?”
“No.” Haven ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I don’t want you to be alarmed, but this is out of character even by Bryan’s standards. You need to be careful.”
“You think he’ll be stupid.” I believed he would, and I hadn’t known him very long.
“I think”—he chose his words carefully—“Bryan has a temper, and this time, he’s not ready to give up what he wants. I also know if you need anything, call. I will take care of him if he comes by and bothers you.”
“You can’t fight all my battles for me. I’m much tougher than I look.”
He didn’t crack a smile. “Promise you’ll call if you need me.”
“I promise.”
Haven sighed, squared his shoulders. “Avoid Bryan
“Haven—”
He put a finger over my lips. “I shouldn’t have told you. Don’t worry so much.”
I glared and slid into the passenger seat when he opened my door.
“I don’t get you, Haven.”
“Good.” His wink made my pulse leapt. “You won’t get bored too quickly.”
Sucking in a huge mouthful of air, I weighed my options. Haven appeared to be everything I could want in a boy. Cute, attentive, and with a protective instinct that didn’t come out as a jerk. Underneath, though, he hid a lot. Maybe he thought today would make me ignore that. Maybe he didn’t. I couldn’t know, and I didn’t want to rush into anything. Despite how comfortable I felt around him, I couldn’t shake the questions I had.
“What are you frowning about?” He pulled out into traffic.
“Today.”
He glanced my way, then focused on the road. “Today wasn’t about trying to make you fall madly in love with me. I’m not out to force you into anything. I only wanted to see if I could help. See if I had a shot. You’re the first girl I’ve ever wanted to date. You’re smart, funny, pretty, and you aren’t afraid to be different.”
“Do you always have the answers or am I that predictable?”
“With you, the answers are—” He searched for words for a moment. “I don’t know. They just come easily.”
There was a short pause. “You think I’m not afraid? I’m terrified of some of the things I can see and do.”
He shook his head. “No, you’ve had a bad experience. But you’ll come out all right.”
“Is that you seeing the future?”
He caught my eye and smiled, and there was something soft and warm there. “I don’t need to see the future for that, Claire. You’re much better than you think.”
“You could be feeding me a line. This whole day could have been a line.”
“You’re right, it could have. You’ll have to decide for yourself. But please remember, I’m not my cousin.”
No way would I mistake the two of them. “Well, then.” I sighed. “I’d say you’ve definitely got a shot.”
A satisfied smirk lifted his lips. “Now that is the best news I’ve heard all day.”
***
Grant waited outside in the parking lot when we pulled up to the school. There had been an accident on the road, and we were ten minutes late getting back.
Judging by the scowl on Grant’s face, Mom had been a no-show again.
I didn’t get a chance to say anything, before Haven had jumped out of the car and pulled Grant out of earshot. Whatever they talked about, Grant was very animated.
After a several minutes, Grant went to grab is book bag from where he’d left it propped against the building. In the few moments, Haven came up to stand with me.
“Is he okay? I’m worried.”
“Your brother has a temper, but he’s not mad at you. He was thrilled you skipped with me. Especially after Bryan cornered him in the lunchroom and demanded to know where you were.”
I blanched. “He told him?”
Haven sighed, he didn’t look pleased either. “Yes. Bryan disappeared afterward. Everyone thinks he skipped out to look for you.”
“Is he always so scary?”
“No.” Haven ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I don’t want you to be alarmed, but this is out of character even by Bryan’s standards. You need to be careful.”
“You think he’ll be stupid.” I believed he would, and I hadn’t known him very long.
“I think”—he chose his words carefully—“Bryan has a temper, and this time, he’s not ready to give up what he wants. I also know if you need anything, call. I will take care of him if he comes by and bothers you.”
“You can’t fight all my battles for me. I’m much tougher than I look.”
He didn’t crack a smile. “Promise you’ll call if you need me.”
“I promise.”
Haven sighed, squared his shoulders. “Avoid Bryan
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