“Of course I’ll come back,” he murmured, gently nibbling my neck. “And you better not be sick anymore. I have plans for this weekend.”
I grinned, squeezing him a little tighter. “Oh, yeah? What about your mom?” I tilted my head up to give him better access to my skin.
“Don’t care.” He kissed my collarbone.
“She won’t let you sleep here.”
“That’s why she thinks me and Darren are going camping,” he said, mocking my tone.
I laughed. “I love camping.” I would have kissed him then, but ... I’d just vomited. Instead, I moved back and looked up into his green eyes. “I love you,” I said.
He winked. “I know you do, baby.” Aiden patted my rear before he let me go and pulled back my sheets.
I got on the pillow-top mattress, curling up as he covered me. He leaned down and kissed my forehead.
“Take care of that body for me,” he said, smiling.
“You can take care of it when you come back.”
He straightened up and walked to the door. “Oh, I will,” he called over his shoulder. “Don’t you worry about that.”
I watched as he left, and when I heard his car start, worry was exactly what I tried hard not to do.
Kira called me at lunchtime. SOS had obtained photographic proof of Selena and Paul. The two had been meeting secretly in the cafeteria storage room. In fact, they’d been hooking up in there. Where our food was kept! Now that was tacky. And completely unsanitary.
On top of that, we’d suspended Corey Panchilla’s investigation even though the stakeout had already been planned. Sometimes our clients got cold feet. I didn’t fault them for that, but it did make our job a little harder. Especially when Leona had already bugged his place.
Plus, we’d gotten a new assignment. It was a good thing I’d let Kira keep the Society of Smitten Kittens’ phone yesterday. I was in no shape to organize a mission. She promised to meet with the girls after practice and give them the skinny.
Kira was really improving. Last year, she was a pill. Totally boy crazy. Sort of easy. But I let her join the squad because I could see her potential. I was talented that way: seeing the good in people. And after a few months, she was a total Smitten Kitten. Polite. Sweet. Great at herkies.
Now if only I could find her a nice guy. I’d thought it was Darren. He was handsome, talented, and friends with Aiden, who had even helped get them together. But Darren cheated, and I couldn’t understand why. Kira was a natural blonde. Who cheated on a natural blonde?
That reminded me—I still didn’t get how Aiden hadn’t known about Darren’s extracurricular activities. I knew everything about my squad. In fact, I even knew that Izzie was menstruating this week!
A quick flash of suspicion flooded me, but I pushed it away. Just because Aiden had seen him talking to Charlie Meyers, didn’t mean he knew they were messing around. No. Aiden would never keep something like that from me. SOS was making me overly suspicious, and it was seriously warping my senses.
By the time Aiden came over, I was feeling better. Not a 100 percent, but easily 95. He appreciated it. He practically attacked me the minute he walked in. He was so cute when he had to be away from me.
“I’m missing the uniform right about now,” he said as he looked me over at the front door.
I laughed, dragging him by the T-shirt into the house. “I’m not going to practice, remember?”
“Yeah,” he said, stepping close to hug me tight. “But I like looking at your legs.”
“You need to calm down, Wildcat.”
He grinned, then stepped back. “I’m sorry, baby. You’re right. I’ll behave.” He straightened up, looking very controlled. And outrageously hot.
“Good,” I said. “I like it when you behave.”
Aiden bit on his lip, staring into my eyes before reaching out to take me by the hand. “No, you don’t, Tess. No, you don’t.”
My stomach fluttered. He was right.
SOS
Dear Cathy Hazard,
Thank you very much for your donation. SOS is a nonprofit organization, and your donations go directly to assisting others with their relationship needs by giving us the funding for the latest surveillance equipment.
We are especially grateful for your inclusion of photographs of you and your new college boyfriend. It truly warms our hearts to see our clients happy.
Once again, thank you for your generosity, and we wish you all the happiness in the world. Have a great day.
Keep smiling,
SOS
Text: 555-0101
Exposing Cheaters for Over Two Years
CHAPTER SIX
MY POM-POMS RUSTLED ADORABLY OVER MY ribboned ponytail as the crowd quieted. The gym was packed, and the smell of perspiration hung thick in the air. The Wildcats were winning at halftime. I saved a very special basket toss for moments like this, mostly because up until this season, the team had rarely won.
“We’ve got the spirit!” I called, backing up and stepping on Kira’s thigh as I climbed the length of her body. “We’ve got the soul!” Izzie pushed my elbow as I moved from one shoulder to the next, now three cheerleaders high.
“Let’s beat the Beavers!” Leona hoisted me up so that my foot fit in her palm while I held my other sneaker close to my face. The crowd was in awe. “What is our goal?”
“Playoffs!” the crowd shouted back.
Showtime. I took a deep breath and with a boost from the squad, I twisted up in the air, shaking my pom-poms before crossing my arms over my chest and landing in the weave of arms.
Phew. That was a rush. I was a little shaky as they stood me up. The entire gymnasium was on its feet. Leona had set up the sign that my parents had made before they left near the scorer’s table. It read, “The Wildcats Are Grrrrrreat!” in maroon and gray puff paint. They were so dedicated.
My sneakers squeaked as we crossed the wood floor back to the sidelines just as the buzzer sounded. We plopped cross-legged on the floor, and the players trotted in from the locker room. Aiden winked at me as he ran past, and I felt little butterflies. I loved him after a game. All sweaty and panting. My body tingled. I couldn’t wait to get out of here.
“Psst.”
I sat a little straighter on my rear.
“Hey, Tessa,” someone called from behind me. I turned. It was Christian, just a few rows up, wearing a maroon Wildcats T-shirt. His sister was next to him in a black tube top, watching me with a bored expression. I tried to smile politely.
“Hi,” I said, not sure what other sort of greeting was appropriate.
“You were great out there,” Christian said. “Like ... amazing. I’m impressed.”
Oh, now that was just too sweet. “Why, thank you, Christian. It’s awfully kind of you to say so. Wasn’t Kira great, too?” His attention was on the wrong Kitten.
“Uh ... yeah,” he said. “Nice.”
Uncomfortable with his seemingly reluctant compliment for Kira, I darted a glance to Chloe. She gave me a thumbs-up, but she didn’t smile. In fact, I think she was mocking me. I turned around.
They made me uneasy. Very uneasy.
“He said I was nice,” Kira quietly squealed from the floor next to me, rustling a pom-pom in her lap.
I nodded, trying to be enthusiastic. “He sure did. You two are so strawberry smoothie.”
She shrugged. “Well, I think he might have a little crush on you....” She reached up to twist one of her curls as she looked down at her lap. Then she looked sideways at me and grinned. “But it’s not like he has a chance with you when Aiden’s around. And that boy sure isn’t going anywhere.”
“Nope,” I said, glancing out over the court to where Aiden was standing on the sidelines, talking to Coach Taylor. “My boyfriend is total Elmer’s glue.”
“Definitely.” She winked and then turned to look where Christian was sitting and waved to him. I didn’t see if he responded, but by Kira’s little clap and giggle, I assumed he had.
Still, I didn’t feel that Christian had been nearly enthusiastic enough about Kira’s cheer. I was going to have to use SOS tactics to find out his deal. And then find out how to get Kira shuffled in his deck.
“Honey,” my mother yelled from the front door on Sunday night.
Yay! They were home. I left my calculus book open on my bed and jogged out of my room into the brightly lit kitchen, happy my parents were back.
“Hi,” I said, kissing her cheek and reaching out to take her carry-on bag off her shoulder. “Where’s Daddy?”
“Oh, he’s getting the suitcases.” She smoothed my hair back toward my ponytail. “You here alone?” She looked past me into the living room as she set her keys on the granite counter.
“Yep.”
“No Aiden?” She frowned.
“He left earlier. Some basketball stuff.”
“Oh, darn.” She snapped her fingers. “We brought him some gifts from Seattle. We saw a basketball game and bought him a T-shirt.”
I smiled. My parents were so good to him. “He’ll be back for dinner,” I said. “I didn’t think you guys were coming in until Monday morning.” Although Aiden really liked my parents, he’d certainly be disappointed that we couldn’t finish what we’d started this morning. Oh, well. We had the rest of our lives to love each other.
“There’s my girl,” my father called as he walked in the door, dragging two huge suitcases behind him, his glasses wet with sprinkles of rain.
“Daddy!” I trotted over and hugged him.
“I got you presents.” He grinned, taking off his eyewear to dry it on his shirt.
“You guys know you don’t have to get me something every time you leave. I’m not five anymore.” My father pretended to pout as he put his glasses back on. I shook my head at him.
It was hard to remember the times when we weren’t like this. When I was in junior high, my parents had split up. In fact, they’d gotten divorced. I swallowed hard just thinking about it. Luckily, they made up and moved back in together. I had the most happily unmarried parents in the world.
“Fine,” my father said, lifting his chin. “If you don’t want it—”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want it.” I laughed and took one of the suitcases from him, wheeling it into the kitchen next to my mother. My father pecked her on the lips as he passed.
“We sold out the club, Tess,” my mother said, stepping behind the counter slab to look through the stack of mail. “Sold out the whole place. They booked us again for the end of the month.”
“Wow.” I sat down at the kitchen table. “Things are really taking off.” After twenty years of playing together, my parents had finally begun to see the success they had wanted—no more private lessons to make ends meet.
It was nice to know that things could work out. In all that time, they’d only quit playing once. When they were divorced.
Shifting uncomfortably at the table, I began to pick at the linen tablecloth. Their divorce wasn’t something I liked to think about. It was one of the few things I couldn’t see the bright side of.
I had been in seventh grade when it happened. Up until then, I’d always thought my parents were happy. But then one day, my dad moved out. It was awful. The house felt so empty without him here—without the sounds of his saxophone.
My mom began crying a lot. She dropped her music students and spent all of her time writing really sad love songs. Some of which have now become their most requested sets.
When I started splitting my time between my house and my dad’s downtown apartment, I found that my parents still had something in common. Me.
So I tried to make them proud and keep them both positive. I led by example. Aced my tests, joined cheerleading, and most importantly, I was upbeat. Shiny.
It seemed to work. They both got really into my cheerleading, going to all the games and events, and soon, they were sitting in the bleachers together, sharing a box of popcorn.
After a year of being apart, my dad moved back in. And even though they never technically remarried, they were happy. We all were.
My dad came over and pulled out the wooden chair next to me. I dropped my hands into my lap and looked over at him. He took off his glasses to rub at his eyes and then put them back on.
He smiled at me. “Hey, maybe you and Aiden can come with us next time. I know you two like to watch us play. It might be nice to take a weekend trip together.”
“That’s a great idea,” my mother said excitedly from the sink. She walked over to pull a cup out of the white cabinet and filled it with ice from the freezer. “Seattle is so beautiful at night!”
I nodded. “I’m sure Aiden would love to go. He has fun at the shows.”
“Great,” my mom said, filling her glass with water. “We’ll ask him tonight.”
It was nice how perfectly Aiden fit in with my family. And yet I still had the nagging suspicion that I was missing something.
It was seven fifteen, the pasta was on the table, and no Aiden. My parents sat patiently, waiting to eat. The rooms smelled like garlic bread, and my father was practically drooling.
“Did you call him?” he asked, smoothing out the napkin on his lap.
“Yep. His mom said he wasn’t home.” My boyfriend didn’t own a cell phone, and usually he didn’t need one. I was always with him.
“I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” my mother reassured me, patting my hand. She looked at my father. “Have some salad.” She pushed the yellow ceramic bowl, overflowing with romaine, in his direction.
My father scrunched his nose and took a sip of his iced tea instead.
The house phone rang out, startling me.
I jumped up, bumping the table with my thigh, nearly knocking over my glass. I apologized before dashing to the phone and snatching it off the counter. “Aiden?” I asked, rubbing my leg.
“Sorry, baby.” He was breathing heavily. “We just finished some drills and shit.”
I tsked.
“Stuff,” he corrected.
“What happened? We’ve been waiting for you.” I sounded whiny, but I’d missed him.
“I know. I can’t make it, Tess. Some things have come up.” My heart rate sped up. “Things?”
“Yeah. Just basketball stuff. You want me to come by after? I could tuck you in....” His voice got low and sexy, like he was whispering. I could hear the squeaking of sneakers on hardwood in the background. He was still with the team.
“My parents came home,” I said offhandedly because I knew they were listening.
“Already? Shit.”
“Aiden.”
“Sugar.”
I smiled. “You go play with your friends,” I said. “But pick me up for school?”
“Of course, baby.” I heard the phone shift. “I miss you,” he breathed. “I had a fun weekend.”
My body tingled, and I was glad my parents were behind me because my face was on fire. “Me too.”
“Like a lot of fun,” Aiden said.
“I know.”
“I love you, Tess.”
“I love you too.”
We hung up, and I took a deep breath before turning around. My parents were both staring at me, concerned looks on their faces.
“No Aiden?” my mom asked.
“Nope. Basketball.”
“Well, that’s all right,” my dad said. “He needs to practice. Aiden has a good work ethic.”
I nodded, but I was depressed as I plopped down in my kitchen chair. “Can you pass the salad?” I asked in a quiet voice.
My mother watched me but didn’t say anything. Instead, she put some greens on my plate as I set my napkin on my lap.
Monday morning, Kira was waiting for me in the hall outside of history. She looked excited. She started hopping the minute I came into view.
“Tessa,” she called, waving to me. It was sort of silly. I was only a few lockers away.
“What’s going on?” I asked, looking around at our fellow students
, all of whom were staring at us. And not because we were shaking our pom-poms either.
She put her hand on my elbow and led me into the class. “It’s the new boy. He’s been asking everyone about the Smitten Kittens. Like full-on background checking.”
My belly did a somersault. I faced her. She was ecstatic at the news, but I didn’t think she realized how bad it could be if Christian dug a little too deep.
“Don’t get your curls twisted, K. We don’t want him knowing everything.”
She tilted her head like she didn’t understand and then widened her big blue eyes. “Oh, right! Well, from what I’ve heard”—she got close to whisper—“it’s more about our dating lives than our spying lives.”
“Really?” I twitched my nose. In a way, that made me even more uncomfortable. “What did he want to know?”
“Dating stats, ex-boyfriends, class schedules—all sorts of stuff.” She paused and adjusted the charm on her necklace. “Especially about you,” she said.
I watched her, not really sure what to say. I knew Kira had a crush on Christian, and I was 100 percent behind their soon-to-be relationship. But I couldn’t help if he’d asked about me. Still, I felt guilty.
“Sorry,” I said.
Kira looked over at me and shook her head. “No bigs, Tess. He’s a total pup. He just needs to be trained. Like Aiden.” She smiled, deepening her dimples, then winked before spinning on her heels and walking through the classroom. She plopped down at our table, leaving me still standing in my flip-flops, sort of stunned.
I’d thought Christian understood the situation. I was with Aiden, and I certainly wasn’t available. Now, Kira, she was totally available. And willing. Maybe—
Someone cleared their throat behind me. I blinked quickly and turned. Oh, my.
“I brought your notebook,” Christian said, glancing at my feet. I followed his eyes. Red nail polish was smeared across my toes. It made me think about my weekend with Aiden.