Picture Perfect by Catherine Clark Page A

Blake. How did that go?”
    “Fine, until Spencer butted in.”
    “He did what? Hold that thought.” She glanced at her phone, which had started to ring. “Unknown caller. Great,” she said. “Just what I need.”
    I shrugged. “You never know.”
    “Hello? Oh. Oh! Hi. This is Heather. Yeah, of course I remember you guys. God, you don’t think I give out my number to everyone , do you?” She covered the end of the phone with her hand and whispered, “It’s the guys from Currituck. Corolla. Whatever!”
    “You’re kidding!” I whispered.
    “So you’re wondering what we’re doing tonight?” she said. “Well…I think we’re going to this place. Can’t remember the name of it, but there’s a club and live music—Yes! That one. You can meet us? Oh, great. That sounds awesome. Okay, see you then, Dean.”
    She closed her phone and we both looked at it, and each other, and burst out laughing. “See, good things happen when you take a risk or two. You’re with Blake, and now I might have a chance with one of them—”
    “I’m not with Blake,” I said. “I mean, not totally.”
    “You kissed him! I think that counts for something,” Heather said. “Unless you’re planning on going farther?”
    “No, I’m not. Absolutely not,” I said.
    “Unless, of course…you change your mind.” Heather wiggled her eyebrows. “Heat of the moment and all.”
    “Shut up,” I said. “If that happens? I’ll unheat. Okay?”
     
    That afternoon, we quickly ran the going-out plan past Heather’s mother, just to let her know. Of course, she had her own idea, which involved getting chaperones. It took us a while to convince her that Adam and Spencer would make good chaperones—then we had to actually convince Adam and Spencer.
    We walked over to where they were standing in the surf, talking while they watched a big freighter out at sea. Spencer was holding a book, and Adam was dressed to go for a run.
    “Will you guys go out with us tonight to aclub? My mom said you need to go with us, so we don’t ‘look vulnerable,’” Heather said, making air quotes with her fingers. “Whatever that means.”
    “I’m not sure I get this. Why should we tag along just so you can go out with a random guy?” Spencer asked.
    “They’re not random,” I said.
    “They?” repeated Adam.
    “We met Dean and his friend—the lighthouse guys—already, and then there’s Blake. We already know him,” Heather said.
    “Not well,” Spencer reminded me.
    Actually? Better and better all the time , I thought, remembering again how Blake and I had kissed in the canned veggies section. I hadn’t forgotten how nice it felt and I hoped he hadn’t, either. But it definitely wasn’t something I’d share with Spencer, who suddenly cut into my thoughts with, “You know, it never works out with the girl next-door. That’s a total myth.”
    “Speaking from experience?” I asked.
    “No, I’m just saying it’s a stereotype, the whole girl-next-door, boy-next-door thing. It’slike what you wish would happen, that this person you’ve known for a long time ends up being wonderful and you’re perfectly matched, and you live happily ever after because they realize how incredibly fantastic you are, too.”
    “Dude. You sound jaded.” Heather grinned. “I am totally going to ask your parents what this is all about. I bet your mom could tell me stories.”
    “There’s no story, it’s just an observation,” Spencer said.
    “Right. It just came out of nowhere . I’m sure,” Heather teased him. “Anyway, you don’t even know these guys.”
    “Maybe not, but neither do you,” said Spencer. “I’m not trying to be mean, but if you think you’re going to end up anywhere near Bl—”
    “Bitter, jaded, pessimistic. What aren’t you?” I interrupted.
    “Your personal chaperone,” Spencer replied calmly, giving me a look that was very close to You’re annoying me, you children. Go away.
    “Look, I already said I’d