What Comes of Breaking Promises and Guitar Strings E-Book

Nicole Campbell

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Ethan Fisher is kind of a badass. Just ask him.

The fact that he plays guitar and sings in a band only fuels the fire of his flirtatious nature. That is, until he meets Courtney Ross: an anxious, pixie-like cheerleader with a vocabulary much larger than his.

Things would be perfect - if she didn't live eighteen hundred miles away. Courtney steals his heart, but how long can she keep it?

Leseprobe

What Comes of Breaking Promises and Guitar Strings

Gem City Book 2

Nicole Campbell

Copyright (C) 2015 Nicole Campbell

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2019 by Next Chapter

Published 2019 by Next Chapter

Cover art by CoverMint

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

For everyone who believed I could write this story and these characters, even when they were wrong. I'm glad you knew something I didn't.

Please visit NicoleCampbellBooks.com for a suggested playlist if you like to listen while you read. You may also search the book title on YouTube or Spotify.

Prologue

“Girls” -The Beastie Boys

Ethan sauntered down the ancient main hallway of Gem City High to the junior locker bay. The smell of the floor wax the custodians used irritated his nose. Glancing up in passing the case full of school trophies and plaques, he caught the eye of a senior girl staring at him in the reflection of the glass and smirked, eyeing her right back. He stood up a little straighter to take advantage of his 6'3” stature, ruffled his dark hair, and kept moving.

“Ethan Fisher.” He registered his name while putting in his locker combination. He turned his head slightly to see a blond ponytail walking towards him. Attached to it was a petite cheerleader with a determined look in her slate-blue eyes.

“Hey Vanessa, what's up?” He was glad it was her. She was one of the only girls he could really consider his friend.

“I have a little proposition for you.” He raised an eyebrow suggestively. “And don't give me that look, I'm not hitting on you. Jesus, you're full of yourself sometimes.”

“Can you blame me?” He knew he had an effect on the female population. She promptly punched him in the arm. Hard. He played it off like it didn't hurt, but Vanessa was a little intimidating. “Okay okay, I'm sorry! What's the proposition?”

“I shouldn't even tell you now, your arrogance is annoying me.” She pressed her lips together in a challenging expression.

“Come on V, you know you love me. Tell me already,” he coaxed. She never could stay mad at him for long.

“Fine, whatever. I have a girl for you. Actually kind of the perfect girl for you.”

“Not again. We've talked about this. No set-ups. If I wanted a girlfriend I would have one.”

“Why not? Because you're already so in love with yourself there's no room for anyone else? Right. Don't be an idiot.” Ethan laughed at her seriousness.

“Fine, what girl? Don't say Kim.”

“No, no one at GCH. She's my best friend Courtney from Phoenix. She's coming to stay with me for a month this summer, and I think you guys will hit it off.” Ethan contemplated her proposal. One month? And then she goes home? Maybe this idea has merit.

“I'm listening,” he admitted.

“I'm not selling you a used car, I don't have like a fact sheet. I'm telling you that I will introduce you and you will like her. She's smart as hell, and I think she'll put you in your place. You need to be knocked down a bit if we're being honest here.”

“Oh, come on. Are you completely immune to my charm?” He gave her his most winning smile and stared convincingly.

“Yes. And you should be glad, because if I were as susceptible to those brown eyes and your flippy hair as every other girl around here, you would be dead. Because Luke would kill you. You're welcome,” she told him plainly as she tossed her ponytail. Ethan just smiled and shook his head. He knew it wasn't a lie despite their banter. Luke Miller was a pretty easygoing guy until someone looked at his girlfriend the wrong way.

“All right, so Courtney. When do I meet her?”

“She'll be here the beginning of July. I'll throw a party or something, but you'd better be on your best behavior, Fisher. She's not like the girls who throw themselves at you at your shows. You will be a gentleman, or you will deal with me.”

“Yes, Mom.” She hit him again.

“Good, glad we had this talk.” She smiled sweetly. “I'll see you at Luke's later.” She skipped towards the parking lot, chatting with another cheerleader. How does such a tiny girl hit that hard? It defies the laws of physics, he thought, rubbing his arm. He finished grabbing his homework for the weekend and headed out towards his pride and joy. The 1980 Nissan Z was shining like a beacon in the junior lot. Out of habit, he checked it for dings and scratches. He hadn't spent nearly three years fixing it up for some sophomore to open the door of her Civic into it.

He threw on an old playlist before he backed out and started for home. Admittedly, the idea of hooking up with a hot girl for the summer was sounding appealing, and it stuck in his head all afternoon. No commitment, no “where is this relationship going?” talks. It seemed too good to be true. Well, July will be here soon enough, he thought as he sped through downtown Gem.

* * *

There was a cold drink in his hand almost immediately upon walking into Luke Miller's house for the end-of-the-basketball-season celebration. Ethan didn't play, but a party was a party, and Miller had a talent for providing the essentials. Namely, girls who didn't go to their high school.

“So who's the lucky lady about to get the pants charmed off of her?” a voice inquired from his left. He put on his most innocent expression before turning to see Vanessa.

“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Whatever. I guess it's better you get all of your bad habits out of the way now before Courtney gets here.”

“So you'd have me preying on some poor, unsuspecting female just so I'll be on good behavior when meeting your friend? Isn't there like a girl code you're breaking?”

“I don't think you really get women, Fisher.” She grinned slightly, sipping her fruity beverage.

“Oh, I get plenty of women, don't-” She turned and walked away mid-sentence, which amused him. After assessing the party situation, his friend Jared caught up with him and was going on about hooking up with someone-or-other, but then, there was nothing new about that. He looked up to find an unfamiliar blond glancing at him from the kitchen, and he gave her his best James Dean expression and brought the bottle of cheap beer to his lips. She held his gaze a moment longer before going back to her conversation, but it was a promising start to the evening.

“You're not even listening to me, are you?” Jared complained lightly.

“Not even a little bit,” he admitted, shaking his head. Jared tapped his beer bottle on top of Ethan's, making it overflow onto the tile, grinned, and walked away. Ethan quickly drank the foam making its way to the top, annoyed.

“Happy Fishing,” his friend called out.

“Dick!” Ethan yelled, though he had to admit he probably had it coming. He made his way into the kitchen to wash off his hands, and slid behind the blond on his way there, unnecessarily placing his hand on her back before making it to the sink. She shot off a look of annoyance, but her expression changed when she saw it was him. He turned his back to her purposely, suddenly very intent on the water in the sink. Still able to feel her eyes on his back, a smirk found its way onto to his face. So it begins.

She was kind of chatty in an inane way, but was happy to show him some affection on the couch in Luke's basement. When Jared showed up to drag him home, they exchanged numbers- hers real, his not so much. He promptly deleted the info on the way out the door. Jared noticed.

“You kill me, man.”

“Because…”

“She was hot.”

“She was cute. But she talks almost as much as you.”

“Just stick to being a teen heartthrob. Your sense of humor sucks,” Jared declared. Ethan laughed and enjoyed the almost-summer air on the ride home.

1

“Teenage Riot” – Sonic Youth “How's It Going to Be” – Third Eye Blind “Everything to Everyone” – Everclear “Summertime” – Jesca Hoop

Ethan pulled his royal blue sports car next to the curb in front of Vanessa's place. He sat for a minute while the song finished, not in any hurry to get inside. Vanessa had been laying it on pretty thick about Courtney every time he'd seen her since school got out. Admittedly, from her pictures she looked cute, but he knew how melodramatic V could be. He was fully prepared to duck out of the party early if things didn't go well. Automatically, he grabbed the acoustic guitar from his back seat and joined a couple of guys from school upon entering the house.

Confidently, he jogged down the stairs and found Vanessa among the crowd gathered in the basement. He didn't know what it was about that space, but it was a cool atmosphere. Something about the lanterns hanging from the ceiling gave it the right feel, even if he did have to duck under some of them to prevent hitting his head.

Taking in the party scene, he waited for Vanessa to finish her conversation. He accidentally caught Kim's eye from across the room, and she waved rather forcefully. He tilted his chin at her in acknowledgement. Please don't come over here, he thought. He was about to go join a game of pool when Vanessa cleared her throat, gaining his attention. “Hi friend. Did I seriously just see you flirting with Kim? I thought I was pretty clear about being on your best behavior.”

“Stop, you know I wasn't. So where is this 'hella smart' cheerleader? I'm ready to meet my match.” He grinned and raised his eyebrows suggestively, resting his guitar against the back of the white sofa. He watched Vanessa lock eyes with someone behind him and wave her over. He shifted his position so he could see, and briefly assessed the girl approaching. She was incredibly short, he guessed barely five foot, and her dark curly hair flowed halfway down the exposed pale skin of her back. He smiled slightly and let Vanessa introduce them while he noticed how bright her blue eyes were. Ok, so maybe I'm not leaving the party early.

“Ethan Fisher, this is my very best friend Courtney Ross. Court, this is Ethan. He just moved to Gem last year,” Vanessa said, introducing them. Ethan stuck out his hand and marveled at how small hers was in his.

“Hey! I've heard a lot about you. Well, you and your abs,” Courtney blurted out quickly after their introduction. The look on her face amused him, as she clearly hadn't meant to divulge that detail. It became apparent that she'd had a few of the Jell-O shots being passed around, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud at her embarrassment. At least she speaks the truth.

“Well, glad to know I'm appreciated for something.” He rubbed his stomach and smiled at her. Instinctively, he decided they needed to get away from Vanessa's watchful eye. “Speaking of my stomach- V, can I stash my guitar somewhere until later? I'm starving. Courtney, you wanna show me where the good food is?”

Her face was returning to its normal color as they strolled out onto the patio to check out the selection. “So, Courtney Ross, are you going to tell me where she keeps the real refreshments around here? Or are we going to dine on Doritos?” He looked at her again, running his thumb along his bottom lip casually. She seemed flustered at the slight flirtation, and her eyes were focused at his mouth. He almost felt sorry for her whenever he decided to actually turn on the charm.

“I, um, yeah. Let's explore the kitchen, shall we?” she replied, slowly regaining her focus, and led him around to the outdoor staircase. He followed her up to the kitchen, admiring her legs in the short skirt. Her thighs were muscular, not twiggish. His mind started to wander, thinking about what they might feel like wrapped around him. Jesus, you need to get laid. He almost ran into her at the top of the stairs while lost in that particular fantasy, but put his hand on her back instead. He resisted the urge just to kiss her then and see what happened. Gentleman, he reminded himself, thinking briefly about the bruise on his arm from when Vanessa had given him that warning.

He watched her climb up on the counter to gather some acceptable sustenance, and listened to her go on about why Vanessa's parents were out of town. She stood on her tiptoes, her legs muscles tightening, making him want to touch her. She's just a girl; get it together Fisher.

“So, tell me something,” she said as she hopped up on the counter to reach the high cabinet. “How do you feel about chocolate chip cookies and pizza rolls? That's totally classy, right?” At that point, she wobbled precariously on the counter. He quickly set his hands around her waist and steadied her.

“Ok girly, maybe we let me handle the high shelves, all right?” He helped her down from the counter but let his fingers linger on her waist. It took a substantial effort to step back from being that close to her. “You're like a hobbit.” He rested his arm on the top of her head casually and reached for the plates she'd been trying to procure. She agreed that balancing on the counter might not have been the best idea in her current state, but he inferred that calling her a hobbit might not have been the most flattering remark.

“Waaaaiiiiit a minute. Did you seriously just refer to me as a hobbit? Like a small hairy-footed creature from the Shire? That's the first tiny fantastical being to come to mind… you couldn't have gone with like a fairy or a pixie or something else that sparkles?!” she demanded, her eyes even brighter now that she was fired up.

He was mildly amused that she felt that strongly about hobbits, and mildly intimidated because she used a lot of very large words, but that intrigued him.

He held his position on the hobbit, but after reading the expression on her face and noticing that her arms were almost as ripped as her thighs, he recanted. “Or maybe I could call you like, bear claw. Because, you know, roar, or girl power, or something. I don't know, now you're glaring at me and it's making me nervous.” He laughed. He was surprised that what he said wasn't a lie. He was slightly nervous, though he couldn't pinpoint about what, exactly. He sat on a wooden barstool to eat the gourmet meal of pizza rolls and chocolate chip cookies, glad that she chose to sit on the counter very close to him, and he asked her about Phoenix. It didn't escape his notice that her gaze followed the hem of his shirt when he leaned back in the chair and stretched. He liked the way her eyes felt on him.

“Living there is fine I guess. I actually live in a suburb called Scottsdale, and it's… well, a lot of rich kids. I mean, not like everyone is driving around in Hummers and BMWs. Except a lot of them are, but I don't know. I'm sounding more negative than I mean to. I like my friends there, I just miss living here, I think,” she shared. Furthering their compulsory Q and A session, she told him more about her school and her parents- it sounded like her dad traveled most of the time. She talked a lot, but he could tell Vanessa hadn't been lying about her intelligence. He felt the need to impress her, which wasn't something he experienced often. “What are you into?” she asked when she was finished, looking unsure of herself after offering up so much information.

“Right now? I'm in a band called Tin Roof. I play lead guitar and do vocals.” Ethan tried to give off his best rock star vibe, twirling one of his rings around on his middle finger.

“Well then, I wanna hear you play. You brought your guitar tonight, right?”

So she noticed.

“Any requests?” He was already envisioning he could sing something for her before making a move, though waiting until later was becoming more unlikely the longer she sat there playing with a soft curl that had fallen out of place. He was distracted in wanting to have his own hands tangled there.

“Ummm, well, that's a difficult question.”

“Why, what kind of music do you like?” He tried to get it together and guess what she was going to say before she started listing her favorites. She's gonna give me Kelly Clarkson, One Direction, Taylor Swift annnnnd maybe some Drake to sound cool, he predicted.

“Would you prefer the list by genre or decade?”

“Ok, I'll bite.” He said it with more innuendo than he'd intended, but she didn't seem to notice. “Let's go by decade.”

“Well, my dad is all about the 70s, so even though it's not my favorite decade, I've gotta have love for like Eric Clapton, Queen, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers, some Fleetwood Mac, and a little Skynyrd. However, I'm not a huge Beatles fan.” She looked up hesitantly. He could have given her a list a mile long of kick-ass 70s bands, but they all reminded him of his own dad, so the vinyl collection he'd pillaged after his father moved out remained in the attic. Her enthusiasm kind of made him want to dig out the box when he got home, though. He pushed away the images creeping up on him, deciding that conversation was a bit heavy for a girl he just met.

“I'm listening, go on.” His eyebrows pressed together; her answer wasn't going where he'd anticipated.

“You asked for it.” She continued, and he thought he detected a flirtatious edge. “Um, my mom is an 80s super-freak, so from that I have an attachment to really any hair band ballads, The Bangles, old school Whitney and Mariah, pretty much anything early Jackson- Michael or Janet, Wilson and Phillips, some Duran Duran, and well, Salt-N-Pepa, because who doesn't love 'Shoop'?”

“Who indeed,” Ethan responded, his eyes shining. “I think I can rock a hair band ballad or two.” You will never do any such thing, argued his brain, the part of his body he was trying to ignore. Again, her list was lacking, some of the greatest punk bands of all time came out of he 80s. He wanted to pull out his phone and play her any number of songs from The Clash, The Ramones, or The Misfits, but he was trying to avoid coming off as a music snob. He once had a girl tell him he sounded pretentious naming off a bunch of indie bands no one knew. Not that any of his 80s favorites fell into that category, but he wasn't willing to risk coming off as condescending and missing the chance to accomplish the goal he had in mind. He was much too busy appreciating the curve of her lips when she smiled. “But first, I gotta hear your list for the 90s.” He was silently daring her to have a better line-up than his.

“Okay, I confess that I'm sort of a 90s junkie,” she admitted. “Well, and into the early 2000s I guess. In what other decade could you listen to The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff, Nirvana, Blink 182, Oasis, and The Spice Girls and still be current? The 90s are like my musical holy-land. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'll try to narrow it down for you.” He was amused. Such a girl, he thought at her Spice Girls reference. “So, let's see, you've got Radiohead, Everclear, Sublime, Matchbox Twenty, The Wallflowers, Train- for sure, Fiona Apple, Bush, and by proxy No Doubt, Third Eye Blind, Counting Crows, John Mayer, and then also some more John Mayer, because well, I love him… I could really go on for a while.”

“You're a fan of that 'Wonderland' song of his then? That's definitely a fun track.” He grinned, trying to get her to blush again.

She ran her tongue over the backs of her teeth, not taking the bait. “It's a good song,” was all she gave back, making him want to try harder.

“I also loved Britney's first album; it was beautiful, bubblegum pop. Destiny's Child without a doubt. I love me some Hanson, 98 Degrees, The Backstreet Boys, really any member of the boy band phenomenon. However, you will also find on my perfect playlist a little Limp Bizkit, Chili Peppers, Something Corporate, Taking Back Sunday, and the Phunk Junkeez.” She finally stopped.

“Okay, so you're a fan of the 90s then.” He laughed. “I gotta say there were a couple in there that I'd forgotten about. And some I wish I had. I'm not a big fan of the emo-pop-punk invasion. Mediocre vocals and weak bass lines for the most part, but maybe that's just me.” At least she got in Nirvana, Radiohead, Sublime, and Bush, he thought appreciatively. The urge to hole up with his earbuds was strong, but not as strong as a different urge he had going on.

“Aww, but you'd make such a cute emo boy with your long hair.” She teased him, ruffling his carefully arranged mane. Regardless of the fact that no one touched his hair, he liked the flirtation. He playfully swatted her away and restored it back to its previous state. “And I get that, but I have to appreciate the genre for all those hot boys putting their feelings out there.”

“Fair enough.” He let up, shaking his head. “I see myself as casting a pretty wide musical net too, but you may give me a run for my money.” But not really even close. “I do feel like you left out a few. I mean, we're talking Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, old school Green Day, the Gin Blossoms-”

“Yes! The Gin Blossoms, absolutely.”

“And, I know it may be uncool to say, but John Mayer's Continuum album was pretty sweet, I'll give you that.” Ethan offered. Except that you hate John Mayer. He didn't know what it was about this girl that had him agreeing to play 80s rock ballads and pretending to listen to artists no one would ever find in his collection. And he used the term “artist” lightly.

“Well your secret's safe with me, but yeah, the guitar on that album was freaking awesome.”

Ethan laughed, cocking his head at her.

“What?” she asked.

“I just am having a really hard time believing that I'm having this conversation with a miniature cheerleader from Phoenix, that's all.” It was rare he really discussed music on a level like this with members of the opposite sex. He didn't have a lot of female friends. Shocker, he thought, given his reputation, and the girls who came to shows weren't usually that interested in talking about his musical influences. “Do I even want to ask you about more recent stuff?”

She narrowed her eyes at him with the “miniature” comment. “Ay, well, it changes almost daily, but right now I'm very into anything Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, Ed Sheeran. I'm always down for a little Top 40 just to stay current,” she continued. “Also, because I'm a cheerleader, in a perfectly normal size I might add, it's mandated that I love Taylor Swift. And I do. Like I love her. I think she's a goddess who walks among us,” Courtney laughed. He liked the sound; it was girly but not fake.

Ethan broke into a grin as well. “You have very, ah, unique taste.”

“Is that your way of telling me I'm weird and judging my musical selections while trying to sound nice?”

“Not at all.” Except yes, absolutely. “I will say that I didn't expect such a variety upon my first impression of you- I was kind of thinking you would spout off a list of American Idol winners, but I am pleasantly surprised to be wrong,” he admitted. He thought about taking her phone and creating a playlist of bands he loved, both old and new. The Appleseed Cast, Coheed and Cambria, The Mars Volta, Muse, Mr. Bungle, Unwound, Young Jesus, and he started to get carried away and had to bring himself back to the present moment. He refrained from diving into it with her for the time being.

“Amateur,” she teased him, swinging her legs slightly.

“I suppose I deserve that. So is that it then?”

“Well, that and country,” she explained, her flirty attitude diminishing behind a nervous look. Ethan raised one eyebrow at her. “Don't judge me! It takes me back to my small town roots. Girls in cut-off jeans and dirt roads and all that.” She gestured to her own ensemble.

“I can't say I hate the cut-off jeans.” He admired her legs for the hundredth time that night. He let his hand graze the skin above her knee as he twisted the chair towards her. The slight intake of breath he perceived from her made his jaw muscle clench. “I'll see what I can do to fulfill at least one of those requests.” He liked the color that rose in her cheeks when he looked at her. “Come on then, new girl, let's go see if you approve of my talents. I can't disappoint the bear claw,” he said as he stood up and held out his hand for her.

“Sounds good; however, I technically lived in this town before you did, so if anything you're the 'new boy.' ” She clasped his hand to jump down. He liked the sarcastic side of her. Sort of hot. But he knew he could amp it up. Pulling her close to him with the hand he was still holding, he let his fingers rest low on her back.

“Um, the new boy?” he questioned in mock offense, spreading his legs wide so he was closer to her height. Her hair smelled like vanilla, and he knew he wanted to kiss her. “I prefer to think of myself as more of a man than a boy, you know?” he flirted in her ear. He felt her fingertips travel up his arms to his neck, making his stomach contract. His nose grazed hers and he gently pulled her hips in closer.

“Dude! Fisher! Where the hell have youuuuu-oops!” Luke Miller nearly shouted as he lumbered up the stairs, causing Courtney to step back. He had come to ask Ethan to play at the bonfire, but at the moment, he felt like throwing his friend into it. The anticipation he'd been holding in escaped in a sigh, and he glared at Luke. Generally, he liked the guy, but his timing left much to be desired. His fingers found Courtney's hand; he wasn't even sure why. He just needed to be touching her. Despite his annoyance with Luke, he was more preoccupied with his own behavior. Getting worked up over a random girl was atypical, and it felt off. Currently, he was feeling the need to be close to this one. Not even thinking about the best way to get her into bed after their encounter, he just wanted to kiss her and have her hands on him again.

He looked at her to gauge where her head was. She inhaled. “Well, if there is a promise of s'mores, then I'm not sure what we're doing still standing here.” Well, that's that.

Trying to shake off whatever magnetism was going on between them, he led her back downstairs to grab his guitar. He threatened Luke within an inch of his life while Courtney was out talking to Vanessa.

“Dude, do you know how long it's been since I've hooked up? Living in a town this small is killing me. I become the resident asshole if I don't call a girl back within twenty-four hours. I can't take it. But this girl? Just let me handle things, all right?”

“Jesus Christ man, I'm sorry. It's not my fault you haven't gotten any in months,” Luke grumbled, popping open another beer.

“Weeks,” he corrected. “And not even a worry. All about to change.” He grinned, passing his friend in the doorway. Ethan was probably the only guy in school who topped his height, but Luke could have taken him out without much trouble- he was built like a tank. Enter the reason for the no flirting with Vanessa rule. Luke gave him a doubtful look.

Strategically, he made sure Courtney was near him at the bonfire; he had a couple of 90s songs in his repertoire that he guessed she would like. In strumming the opening chords for “How's It Going to Be,” he knew he had chosen wisely when her eyes lit up. He made a point to look at her several times while he was playing, hoping she was impressed. He decided to take it to the next level and play one of the new compositions he'd been working on.

“I really liked that song, what was it?”

“That one was my own. It's not perfect yet, but this is a pretty forgiving crowd, so I thought I'd try it out. You liked it?” he asked, setting the instrument aside. It occurred to him that he genuinely cared what she thought. He eagerly accepted her compliments, but was surprised when she asked to see his guitar.

“Sure. Do you want me to teach you some chords or something?” He was thinking that would be a perfect excuse to touch her again.

“Nah, I got it.” He had to admit he was curious. In near disbelief, he sat as she played a perfect rendition of an old Everclear song, “Everything to Everyone.” It wasn't that it was necessarily a difficult tune or anything, but her voice was enchanting when she sang. It wasn't small and girly as he would have expected, but more raw, more real. The breeze blew strands of curly hair across her face, and he had to fight the urge to push them away. Well okay then, he thought, his heart doing something cliché when he looked at her. Where the hell did she come from? Midway through her performance, he picked up her phone and added a calendar event for the following morning. He had the feeling that there was no way one night with her was going to be enough.

“That was um… you're good,” he managed sincerely. She downplayed her talent, and he wasn't sure why. He pulled her onto his lap after she returned the guitar and noticed she was cold. He rubbed her arms, happy for the excuse to make contact, and she held her breath. He liked feeling her react to him.

“Do you want to go inside? It is a little chilly out here, especially if you normally live in the desert, I would guess.” He helped her up and kept his fingers in contact with hers at all times. He couldn't seem to move his hands away. He led her through the dewy grass and noticed her looking to the sky. It is a nice night, he appreciated, taking in the cool air and the smoke from the fire.

“You're sort of beautiful,” he heard her say, almost to herself.

“Did you just tell me I was beautiful? Because if you're going to start using lines from Twilight to hit on me, I think it's time for you to go to sleep bear claw.” He couldn't help laughing.

“Oh my god did I say that out loud?” she muttered. “Well, I said 'this is beautiful,' Mr. Conceited, but now that you mention it, you're not hideous I suppose.” God she's hot when she's being sassy.

“Oh, wow, you are well versed in the art of flattery.” He checked his phone to see how close he was to his curfew. “It is getting late though. C'mon, walk me out before I head home?” he asked, hoping for a shot at redemption after the miss in the kitchen.

“Sure, it is getting late I guess.” She sighed. He maintained some sort of physical contact with her as they climbed the stairs; her back, her pinky fingers, even getting a bit bolder and letting his hands rest low on her hips. His mind was filled with all sorts of non-gentlemanly things when they swayed back and forth under his grip.

Once they were above the din of the party and alone in the entryway, she turned around to face him. Her blue eyes met his and he felt a pull towards her. “Are you sure you can't stay for a bit?” she asked.

Ethan ran one hand through his hair and breathed out through a clenched jaw. I can stay here and do all kinds of things, he wanted to say. He couldn't believe what was about to come out of his mouth. He shook his head at her and said, “Well, I can, yeah. I just… I don't want to be that guy.” Yes you do.

“What guy is that?”

“The guy that you'll hate in the morning because we just met and you're a little drunk.” He hesitated for a long moment. “I think you're sort of… cool? So I would rather I didn't mess things up this early in the game.” He finished plainly, shocked that they weren't already tangled up on the nearby sofa. You are such an idiot, his hormonal subconscious scolded him.

She had an odd look on her face before blurting out, “I'm not inviting you to sleep with me, just to clarify. I mean, I know my invitation probably sounded kind of, well, suggestive, I just, ummm, well? Now I've created an awkward atmosphere I guess. It's sort of my specialty.” Pink rose in her cheeks again, making her even prettier.

This admission made Ethan laugh out loud, though he wasn't sure if it was from surprise at being turned down or relief that she wasn't going to regret him tomorrow. “All right, well, Vanessa wasn't kidding about your SAT vocabulary. Even when you're drunk and sort of rejecting me.” He felt her mood shift back to a more comfortable state. “I'm good with honesty though, no matter the form. I think I like you Courtney Ross; you surprise me.” It wasn't often he had to really work to get what he wanted. He found himself liking the challenge. You like that she just shot you down? his mind questioned. It wasn't necessarily that, he just couldn't figure her out. One minute she was shy and blushing, the next she was calling him out or showing him up with his own guitar. It made him want her, like the need to solve a puzzle.

She seemed to breathe easier at his response. He made her promise to check her phone in the morning, kissed her on the cheek, lingering for maybe longer than was necessary just to breathe her in, and wandered out to his car. His inner monologue went back and forth between being enamored with this new creature and kicking himself for screwing up his opportunity to see where things went. He did know that this might turn out to be something completely different than he'd anticipated. Little else went through his mind on the drive home, and he was far too wired for sleep.

2

“Hey Girl” – O.A.R.

Ethan groaned at the sound of the incessant beeping after too few hours of sleep. He could not get that girl out of his head the night before, even after a cold shower and an hour of killing zombies on his PlayStation. Rolling out of bed, he glanced in the mirror, realizing he needed to shave. His dark “flippy” hair, as Vanessa referred to it, brushed his cheekbones above the stubble he had going on. He knew he was good looking; it couldn't be helped. People had been telling him that since he was two, and girls had been confirming it since the second grade. The recent growth spurt hadn't hurt either. However, judging by their conversations, he was going to have to bring more than that to hang with Courtney. While he wasn't stupid by any means, he just didn't have to prove himself very often. He was finding that he wasn't fond of feeling inadequate. Jesus, just relax, Fisher. He couldn't believe he had resorted to giving himself a pep talk in his bathroom mirror. There was a first time for everything.

He spent time making his hair just the right amount of unkempt and dressed quickly in khaki's and a tight black shirt. He smiled, thinking about her comment on his abs. He grabbed his keys and ran lightly down the stairs.

“That can't possibly be my son up and dressed at this hour during the summer,” his mom called from the kitchen. He shook his head and sauntered in.

“Good morning to you too, Mom.”

“And where are you off to?” she asked, clearly amused. “And while we're at it, what's her name?”

“Who?”

“Whatever girl has you running out the door two hours before you have to be at work, dressed like you jumped out of a J Crew catalog. I think I like her already if she's making you work this hard.” Even my mom thinks I need to be put in my place, he thought, grinning slightly.

“She's a girl. I don't know, do you want like her dating profile?”

“Yes.”

“Well, no. She's cute. And smart. Can that be the end of our mother-son bonding time?”

“Oh, how that just warms my heart,” she responded sarcastically. “But yes, go, sweep this girl off of her feet.”

“You know me, always a gentleman.” He smirked, opening the door.

He slid into his car and shifted it into gear, letting the morning air flow through the windows. He was headed for Jim's Donuts. The idea of buying her a bear claw had seemed amusing the night before; he envisioned it being charming enough to pull off what he wanted to accomplish. He entered the bakery and chose several quickly, getting antsy in wanting to see her again. He hoped this feeling wouldn't last. It was exhausting. He put on some Sublime for the ride back to Vanessa's, needing to find his edge again. We should add this song to our set list. He parked, hopped out of the car, and knocked purposefully on the door, doughnuts in hand. It swung open and he let his eyes roam over her, the feeling in his chest from the night before snaking around his ribcage. She looked better than she had in his mind in a white strapless something-or-other and a tight pair of jeans.

“Hello there, I believe your name was 'sexy mysterious man,' right?”

“Ah, you did check your phone.” Just hearing the work “sexy” pass through her lips made stealing her phone worth it. “So, I bought you a doughnut. I'm pretty sure you said your favorite was a bear claw, but I brought a few to be sure,” he said with a teasing tone.

“Well, as it happens, I prefer them with sprinkles, but I will admit that I've never met a doughnut I didn't like, so hand 'em over.” She took the bag from him. She started to leave for the kitchen, but he knew this was his shot alone with her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back. “Yes?”

“I know last night I was all about being the bigger man and respecting your, um, virtue, but I really need to do something. Like right now.” He stepped forward, feeling almost nervous, which was new, and hoped she responded. He felt her hands in his hair, pulling him in. Thank god, he thought, relaxing comfortably into his more confident persona. He kissed her, breathing in the vanilla, and daringly slid his hands into her back pockets; it was sort of his signature move. His temperature rose as she matched his intensity and pressed into him. She tasted sweet. He bit her lip gently, pulling back. “I thought about doing that all night.” He kissed her once more, quickly, picked up the doughnuts, and led her into the kitchen. “Now we can have breakfast.”

He had initially hoped things would calm down after getting to kiss her, thinking it couldn't possibly be as good as he was imagining in his head. The opposite was true. It made his heart race, and her response had been worth waiting for. He wanted to breathe her in again. While feeling more like himself in knowing she wanted him too, his mind was spinning with ways to spend more time with her and to repeat the scene from the entryway. He hopped up on the counter and shared the doughnuts with his friends.

“So Fisher, what prompted your little visit so early in the morning? Usually when Luke and I invite you to a post-party breakfast, you claim you have to work. What seems to have changed your mind this time?” Vanessa asked, feigning innocence.

“I have no idea what you're talking about. You must be thinking of someone else,” Ethan responded coolly. “And for your information, I do have to work in about twenty minutes, so how about them apples?”

“Nice use of an idiom there.” Courtney jumped into the conversation, half-joking. “I do enjoy a man who can turn a phrase.” His mind went blank for a split second. He searched his memory for what an idiom was and finally connected it with what he'd said.

“If I didn't know better, I would think you were making fun of me. But that couldn't possibly be the case coming from a vocabulary snob such as yourself.” Ethan was determined to hold his own. He slid his arms around her waist from behind and bit off piece of her sprinkle doughnut. “That's my price for getting over your hurtful comments about my awesome idiom usage.” He felt her breath catch when his arms were around her and was satisfied that he was having the desired effect.

“My sincerest apologies,” Courtney replied.

“So, I wasn't kidding about work, and I do have to go in a minute. How else will the children learn to play guitar and grow up to be as rad as I am? But I wanted to see if anyone was up for a movie or something tonight?” He asked casually, needing to be alone with this girl, and figured the dark wouldn't be a bad place to start.

“Dude! Movies are boring- don't be lame. Let's go night canoeing,” Luke suggested. Genius, Ethan realized. Alone in a boat on the water? Yes. He thanked Luke silently.

“Ohhhh yes! We haven't been in forever, and Courtney will hate it. But in this case it'll be good for her. Let's do it,” Vanessa chimed in.

“Um, I'm sorry, night canoeing? As in being on the river in a very small boat, but at night when you can't see the bugs and river-creatures trying to eat you?” Courtney questioned.

“Nah, night canoeing is actually pretty awesome. I'm in. I'll protect you from all things bug-like, but you're on your own if you see any type of river-creatures. You make that sound terrifying.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. He was already imagining his lips on her skin as they floated on the river. “Luke, you still have the keys to the canoe storage?” Ethan asked.

“You bet your ass. Never giving those things up.” Luke jingled the keys in his pocket.

“Yay!” Vanessa sang as she danced around Luke in the kitchen, her blond ponytail bouncing after her.

“Hold up, are you telling me that in addition to bugs and river-creatures, we will also be breaking in and stealing these canoes? And no one will come looking for us if we all drown in the river?” Courtney asked incredulously.

“Come on, bear claw, you know you want to go on an adventure,” Ethan coaxed, putting his hands low on her hips, moving them back and forth slightly.

Courtney sighed at his hands on her and shook her head in resignation. “Fine, I'll go. But when we get picked up by the cops, I am going to throw you all under the bus, just so you're aware. And you have to agree to stop calling me 'bear claw.' Think of something that makes me sound cute,” she finished, meeting his eyes. He was very close to eliminating what remained of the gap between them, but he remembered their present company.

“All right, deal. I will think of something else if you insist. And by the way, 'nice use of an idiom there,' ” he said, referring to her bus comment. “Luke, I will text you later and figure out where we're meeting up. Vanessa, a pleasure as always, and girl formerly known as bear claw, I will see you tonight.” He kissed her quickly on the lips, wishing they were alone. Strolling out of the house to his car, he could feel the buzz of getting what he wanted spread through his body. He couldn't get the smile off of his face, and several of his students commented on his unusually jolly demeanor during their lessons. He had no idea what was wrong with him, but he was beginning to enjoy it in spite of himself.