Juicy Rebound (IceCats Book 1) Read online

  “I would too. So next time, she can stay with me.”

  “Thanks. She’d love that.”

  “I would too. I get lonely.”

  “I’d let you borrow her, but sorry, if I’m home, she’s with me. So I think I might have to come along.”

  She giggles as she looks up at me. “That might be a problem.”

  “Oh?” I ask as I raise my brows.

  “Yup. We can’t eat hot dogs in peace if you’re there.”

  I chuckle as I shake my head. “Fine. One hot dog.”

  “Four.”

  “Amelia!”

  Her laughter sets my body on fire as she looks up at me innocently. “Fine, two.”

  “Two it is.”

  “They’re organic.”

  “Oh, well, that makes it so much better. Organic can still make you gain weight.”

  “Shut it,” she says, squeezing my hand with the sweetest little defiant look on her face.

  “You’re so cute when you’re annoyed.”

  She glares. Even cuter. “Shut up!”

  She joins in on my laughter as she leans into me, and I swear I haven’t had this much fun walking in a really long time. As we walk, we check out the stores we pass, and we make small talk. With Lana, I always had to talk about something that interested her. Which, honestly, wasn’t that much unless it had to do with money or new cars. When I told her I had a plane, she asked when we could go on a trip. She always wanted something from me, but Amelia hasn’t asked for anything.

  “So, I need to ask you something,” Amelia says tentatively.

  I look down at her, but she isn’t looking at me. “Yeah?”

  “Can we not tell Ryan about this? I don’t even really know what we’re doing, and I don’t want to get him worked up over it if it turns out to be nothing.”

  “I won’t lie to him, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “No, not at all. I doubt he’ll come out and be like ‘Hey, have you kissed my sister lately?’”

  When she looks up at me, I bend my head down to hers, pressing my lips to hers. It’s a soft kiss and a sweet one. One that makes us stop to enjoy it. When I pull back, she’s out of breath, and I smile. “You better hope he doesn’t, ’cause I’d never lie about kissing you. I enjoy it way too much.”

  Her cheeks fill with color, as does her nose. “Seriously, can we not go out of our way to tell him that we’re hanging out?”

  “Dating?”

  “Seeing each other?”

  “Dating?” I repeat, and she scrunches up her face as she tries not to grin.

  “I told you, I’m not ready for that.”

  “Well, sorry for ya, but we’re doing it.”

  “We are?”

  “Yup. So call it what it is, Justice.”

  She shakes her head. “You’re so sure.”

  “Damn right.”

  Her eyes are challenging. “Fine. Moon.”

  I laugh as we start walking, and I pull her close to me. “I won’t tell him.”

  She lets out a long exhale. “Thanks.”

  “But if we start confessing our love for each other and stuff, I’ll need to.”

  She gives me a dry look. “Cool your jets, Moon.”

  “Ooh, nice.”

  She flashes me a grin. “Right? Like a jet that flies to the moon.”

  We dissolve in laughter, and my face hurts from smiling. After a while, our laughs subside, and we just enjoy holding each other as we walk. The sun is beating down on us, and it’s lovely.

  But she’s lovelier than any star in the sky.

  “So Shelli will be here for Halloween, right? Do you guys have plans?”

  She rolls her eyes, and I have a feeling I’m about to laugh. “She wants to pass out candy. She’s making me dress up.”

  “As what?”

  “A llama.”

  I couldn’t hold in my laughter if I tried. “No way.”

  “Yes, she bought these huge llama heads! She’s insane.”

  I can’t breathe, I’m laughing so hard. She doesn’t seem to appreciate my laughter, but there is no way I can stop. I do try, though, and when it tapers off, I clear my throat. “So, I’m going to need to see this.”

  “Hell no.”

  I snort. “No, for real. You have to come to my party as a llama.”

  “You’re having a party?”

  “Yup, the whole team will be there. It’s on the beach and in the house. You guys have to come. I demand it.”

  Her eyes twinkle playfully. “Demand it?”

  “Yes. Not only am I certain you’ll be the hottest llama ever, but you’re my date.”

  She grins. “Well, goodness. I didn’t even know I had a date for Halloween.”

  “Now you do,” I say confidently as we turn onto Meeker Street. “What do you say?”

  “I guess.”

  “You guess?” I laugh.

  “Yeah. I don’t have anything else to do.”

  “Oh, I’m so grateful.”

  She leans up, kissing my jaw, and my heart skips a beat. But when the big GymMasters sign comes into view, I feel Amelia tense up. I watch as her shoulders fall, and she leans closer into my chest. Almost like she is hiding from the sign. When I said we should walk home, I did so on purpose. I wanted to walk past this gym. I’m not sure how this is going to go, but I think it’s for the best.

  “Confession time.”

  She glances up at me, and I see such melancholy in her eyes. It guts me. She was so happy before, and within seconds, it’s gone. That physically hurts me, but hopefully this will help. “I called this gym the other day and asked if they were hiring.”

  Her eyes widen, and when she stops, I stop too, not letting her go. “Why?”

  “I wanted to know. I’m kind of hurting for money. Figured I could get a second job.” She narrows her eyes, and I realize this probably isn’t something to joke about. “Sorry. I called for you.”

  She blinks twice, and then she opens her mouth. She shuts it but then opens it again, looking like a super-cute little goldfish. “Why?” she asks finally.

  “This is where you belong.”

  “Did you tell them it was for me?”

  “No, I just asked if they were hiring,” I say quickly. I should have said that from the jump.

  She doesn’t say anything. She tears her gaze from mine and starts walking, which in return makes me walk since I refuse to let her go. “They are, by the way. For a team coach and two recreational coaches.”

  She doesn’t say anything. She’s looking straight ahead, and I really don’t know what to say. Did I just mess this up? Shit. When we reach the parking lot, I pause, and so does she. “Do you want to go in?”

  She shakes her head. “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll go with you,” I offer. “I’ll stand beside you, behind you, in the corner…anywhere, if it helps.”

  She moves out of my arms then. “You just don’t understand.”

  “I—”

  Her eyes are wide, and they reflect so much hurt as she yells, “Gymnastics was my life!”

  I blink. “I know. Which is why I’m suggesting you go—”

  She throws her hands up, her eyes wild as they fill with tears. “I gave it up for some shithead who ruined my life and me. No one wants me. Why would they? I couldn’t even stay in school or on a great team because I wanted to be with some guy who promised me the world. I’m a failure, Chandler. Don’t you see that?”

  “Amelia—”

  When the tears start to spill over onto her cheeks, my heart shatters into pieces, and I feel them fall into my gut.

  “When people heard what I did, they told me that I was stupid, that I was insane. I didn’t believe it. I wanted to be with someone who loved me. I wanted what my mom had, and I didn’t. I, um, I—”

  When her voice breaks, a sob escaping, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close. I kiss the top of her head