Date Me

“See ya, Sam,” he calls out as he puts one arm around me and the other around Peyton and leads us to the beer garden.

“I can’t be seen drinking a beer here!” Peyton tells Cam.

“Oh, live a little. Fine. I’ll get you a soda. Then we’ll spike it. What about you, missy?” he asks me.

“I’ll have a beer.” Peyton gives me a little scowl. “What? I’m not a Prefect.” As Cam sets a red cup in front of me, I ask, “Where’s Dawson?”

“Out golfing with Dad and Braxton. Riley left to sneak Ariela out of the tea.”

I grin. “They are so cute together.”

Cam rolls his eyes.

“What?” Peyton asks. “You don’t think they’re cute together?”

“He’s stranded on second base.”

“Yeah, and he’s happy there. So don’t give him any shit about it.”

“What’s your deal?”

“My deal?”

“Yeah, you come here a nobody and now you’re Miss Popularity.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not Miss Popularity at all.”

“So why Dawson then?”

“First off, I’m not like Whitney. Dawson and I ended up together because we had something in common and we got to be friends.”

“Really?” Peyton says.

“Yeah. I hated him when I first met him. He was a jerk to Riley. Slung his arm around me and said Riley was a cheap imitation of the real thing.”

Cam busts out in laughter. “Oh, that’s classic. What a great line.”

“No! It’s a horrible line. I thought he was a jerk. Then he gave me the worst kiss ever.”

“My brother gave a bad kiss? Damn, he’s going to ruin our reputation.”

“Yeah, well, he’s made up for it.”

“So I hear,” Cam says.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t worry. He won’t tell me anything. But he’s too freaking happy for it not to be amazing. So, I guess I’ll let you stay.”

I laugh. “Gee, thanks. I’m so honored.”

He clinks my glass and looks at me seriously. “You should be.”

After a couple beers, Dawson, Braxton, and “Daddy” Johnson come off the course. Peyton told me that all the girls call Mr. Johnson “Daddy Johnson” because he’s really good looking.

I will admit the four of them all together do make a pretty nice picture. All dark hair, dark eyes, muscles, and cocky attitudes.

Braxton rushes over to us, clearly trying to win some kind of race. He sits on my lap and says, “Baby, we need to talk.”

I can’t help but laugh at him. “And what do we need to talk about? The fact that you’re small enough to sit on my lap?”

Camden says with a snort, “If Riley was the cheap imitation of the real thing, then Brax is the pocket-sized version.”

Braxton hops off my lap and says proudly, “Ain’t nothing about a Johnson that’s small.”

Camden high-fives him just as Dawson and Mr. Johnson join us.

“Is he bragging about wi

“I didn’t make up the silly scramble rules. And Dawson has obviously been spending too much time with this one.” He tilts his head in my direction. “And not enough time on the course.”

Dawson sits down next to me and gives me a sweet kiss. “At least I have something better to do than chase my own balls around.”

Braxton does a little huff and folds his arms across his chest. He’s ready to spout off a comeback.

Probably a dirty one, because his dad says, “Don’t even say it, Braxton. You need to mind your ma

“Did you decide to ditch the tea?” Dawson asks.

“Yeah, it was really boring,” Peyton replies. “So I made Keatyn sneak out with me.”

The boys all talk about their golfing. The best shots. What little contests they think they might win. I’m listening to their conversation when I catch Braxton typing into my phone.

I grab it from him. “What are you doing?”

“Putting myself in as a contact. You need to text me tonight with the party info. My brothers tell me nothing is going on after curfew tonight. But I don’t believe them.”

“Everyone is going to the after-party. At least everyone I know.”

“Can you get me in? I’m a good dancer.” He stands up and does a couple dance moves.

“I wish I could. The security for the event is really tight. It’s the first time the school has allowed something like this, so each student has to show their student ID to get their wristband. You have to have the wristband to get on the bus and into the event.”

I can tell Braxton’s brain is in motion. “So I just need to get a school ID and a wristband and I’m in? That should be easy.”

“Don’t you dare, Braxton,” his dad says. “We don’t need you getting kicked out before you ever get in. You want to come here next year, don’t you?”

He hangs his head in defeat. “Yeah.”

“Then behave.”

He raises his head and smiles. “Can I have beer instead?”

His dad and brothers just roll their eyes and continue their conversation. Braxton sends me a text.

Braxton F*cking Johnson: You need to hook me up with a wristband. I know you set up the security. Dawson was bragging about it. He was bragging about some other things too.

Me: Dawson never brags about other things and, sorry, but no.

I change his name to something a little more normal.

Braxton: My life sucks. I’ve been here for three days and haven’t got laid.

Me: You’re a little young for that, I think.

Braxton: I’m not. I’m ready. I’m SO ready. Hook me up. There was a party last night and you didn’t invite me. I was hurt.

Me: I didn’t go to a party last night. Neither did Dawson.

Braxton: I know that Riley snuck out.

Shit. How does he know that?

Me: Where did you hear that?

Braxton: Dallas.

Me: Probably went to see Ariela.

Braxton: Nope. I asked.

Me: I don’t know then.

Braxton: He calls you baby. He doesn’t call his girlfriend, baby. What’s up with you two?

Me: He’s my friend. Tell you what. You’re coming back for the Prospective Student weekend, right?

Braxton: Hell, yeah, I am.

Me: Be a good boy and don’t get in trouble for Homecoming and I’ll take you to a party then.

Braxton: You swear?

Me: No, I’d say that you’re the one who does all the swearing.

Braxton: Fucking right, I am.

“I have to go,” I say, checking the time on my phone.

“I’ll walk you,” Dawson says.

“You’ll what her?” Braxton says really loudly.

“WALK,” their dad says to Braxton. “Get your mind out of the gutter, son.”

As we walk away, Dawson is laughing. “I like my brother’s idea better.”

“Really? I never would have guessed that,” I say with a smirk. “You want me to look good tonight, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then I need to go get my nails done.”

“I have a few things errands I need to run myself.”

“What kind of errands?”

“Champagne kinds of errands.”

“Yum.”

When we get to my dorm, he gives me a steamy kiss and says goodbye.

I go into my room, grab my handbag and keys, then text A

Me: Ready to head to the salon?

A

Me: Coming to rescue you. I’ll pull my car up. You run out. LOL It’s okay to leave for our appointments. We have to look beautiful for tonight.

As I walk to my car, I’m suddenly very aware that there are a lot of people milling about that I don’t know.

Riley’s words about how it would be the perfect time to sneak on campus start ru

Twice, I see someone with Vincent’s build and hair color and have a momentary freak out.

When I get close to my car, I carefully look behind me and around me.

I peek under my car and then walk along it, making sure no one is hiding in the cargo area. Then I hit the unlock button, jump quickly into the car, and lock it back up.