Page 22 of That Time I Kissed My Brother’s Best Friend
Darby: You haven’t read my email.
Mac: Whoa. Now I’m scared of you.
Tess: Hey, Kasey. I think I’m going to stay here and keep Big Mama company, if it’s okay with you. But I’ll see you later for sure. #gingerbreadrules
Olivia: #gingerbreadisgross
Darby: Why aren’t you back to sleep yet, Liv?
Olivia:Why aren’t you emailing, Darbs?
Tess: For the record, we’re all in separate rooms this time, Kasey. (LOL.)
Mac: It looks like Daisy and I are the only McCoys who are rallying this morning, Kase. We’ll be over there soon so we can head to the lake together.
Tess: Kasey hasn’t responded to anything on this thread so far.
Darby: Kasey? Are you there? You don’t want to be late again.
Olivia: Maybe she’s still sleeping like a normal person.
Mac: I should have had at least one brother.
ChapterNine
KASEY
Wow. You take one quick shower, and suddenly your phone blows up like a grenade. But not as bad as my heart exploded last night, thanks to Beauregard Slater. So I don’t even respond to the texts from my cousins. I can’t worry about Darby’s roommate’s rent. Or Tess’s plans with Big Mama. Or Olivia’s tan. Ugh. I’m too busy wallowing in my own humiliation.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
How could I have been so incredibly stupid? I should’ve known from past experience—so much past experience—that I couldn’t trust my heart around Beau. He made me believe he wanted to kiss me. He let me kiss him. Iwaskissing him. Then he pulled away like I was a hot potato he wanted to toss into someone else’s lap. In the back of my Uncle Cubby’s truck. Can a rejection get worse than that?
The answer is yes.
Because after we got dropped off, I still held onto some faint hope that Beau felt something when he kissed me too. Sure, I played it cool around Brady and Nat. I didn’t want them getting any ideas about Beau and me until the two of us could talk. But when we finally were alone, what did he say? That kissing me was a big mistake. Won’t happen again.
Great. Just great.
The thing is I didn’t think he was pretending. For a breath of a moment, I actually believed Beau wanted that kiss as much as I did. Which means I’m still the fool, and he still has the upper hand. I felt like I was eighteen again, shivering in my brand new graduation dress. Hiding out at the docks after. It was a brutal flashback, except worse.
At least that day behind the gym, Beau stopped himself. But this time he let me put my lips on his. And I’d take being soaked by a bucketful of water balloons over knowing what his mouth tastes like, then having it stripped away.
Last night, in Beau’s arms, I let my heart burst wide open. I could see our future stretched out before me. Days by his side. Nights holding hands. Me writing stories. Him taking pictures. We always had that in common. Companion goals, you know? When we were young, the competition made us enemies. But I thoughtmaybeas adults, that kind of bond could cement us. For a split second, I allowed myself to believe we might make a legendary couple. The best team. Partners for life.
Joke’s on you, Kasey!
Alone in my bedroom now, I swipe at fresh tears, remembering that summer after graduation. I never explained to my parents what happened. How Beau and Brady set me up. I felt like I couldn’t. The truth was just too mortifying. The hurt so hot and sharp. But even though that old pain feels new again now, I refuse to hole up in my room like I did back then. The only one I’d be punishing this time is me.
And why? For letting Beau in? For thinking he might have feelings for me? Ha! At least Ihavefeelings. Unlike Beau, who’s apparently some kind of heartless robot. But now that I know better, I can protect myself. See these walls? They’re thick and wide and tall. No one’s getting through. Ever again. I won’t let Beau Slater ruin one more minute of my life. I’ll spendallmy minutes proving I don’t care.
Joke’s on you, Beau!
“Kasey! Hurry up!” my mother shouts from the bottom of the stairs. “Betty wants the float judges down at the lake by nine o’clock!”
Ugh.Float judging with Beau Slater, maker of fools. (That’s me. I’m the fool.)
“I’ll be down soon!” I call out, but it sounds more like a choke.
