“Dallas walked in, and he’s talkin’ with Kendall and the new girl.”
“O-kay,” I draw out the word slowly. I’m not sure why this is such big news. I mean, sure, our classmate Kendall and the new girl—Charlotte, I think?—are both pretty, but I feel like I’m missing something here.
Her troubled eyes act like tractor beams to mine. I can’t look away. “Right now, Dallas is lookin’ at her like that.”
I’m lost. “At who? Like what?”
She heaves out a breath, and her eyes flick back over my shoulder. “At Kendall. Like…” She swallows hard, releasing my arm, and leans back in the booth. Her shoulders slump. “Like he’s lookin’ at the most amazin’ girl he’s ever met.” Our eyes lock. “He’s never looked at me like that.”
I turn slowly to see for myself. Surely, she’s just exaggerating. I mean, she’s never been one to do that before, but this is her first real boyfriend, so she—
As soon as my gaze finds them, my stomach twists. Because she’s right. Dallas’ expression is different.
Kendall waves to someone a few feet away and leaves Dallas and Charlotte. He must feel the weight of my eyes on him because he turns his head slightly and catches sight of me. He nods with an easy smile, his eyes quickly finding Magnolia, and that smile widens affectionately. And I realize something.
He’s clueless.
I turn back to face Magnolia, who appears queasy.
“Hey.” I slide a hand across the table, palm upturned, and she limply places hers in it. “Dallas adores you. That’s what I do know.” After a moment, I admit softly, “But I see it, too.” I give her hand a quick squeeze before releasing it.
She twists her lips and nods. “I shouldn’t be upset because I don’t feel that with him. But seein’ it with my own eyes?” She shakes her head, a sad uptick of her mouth. “It stings a little.”
“I can tell you one thing for certain.”
Her eyes flick past me, and she straightens so I know Dallas is approaching our booth. “What’s that?”
“Dallas doesn’t realize it.”
I barely finish before her boyfriend sidles up at the end of our table. With an easiness only a guy who’s been dating a girl can have, he dips his head to press a light kiss to her lips. Then he straightens and gestures to the girl a few steps away.
“This is Charlotte. She just transferred here from Birmingham.”
The new girl smiles shyly and steps forward, waving at Magnolia and me. “Hi.” Magnolia and I introduce ourselves.
“I used to go to Collier.” I offer up my old elementary school in Birmingham. God knows, it sucks being the new kid, and I can’t stomach the idea of her feeling more uncomfortable.
Her smile is a bright reward. “I went there for a while, too.”
I suddenly realize I’m being rude and shove over in the booth seat, gesturing for her to join me. She hesitates visibly, her eyes darting over to Magnolia. Just then, my best friend slides over, and Dallas drops down beside her.
Charlotte gingerly slips into the spot next to me, and it’s only now that I realize how intimate this is. How my larger, more muscular frame takes up more than my allotted space compared to her petite one.
Dallas and Magnolia are caught up in their own conversation, so I take advantage of it to study Charlotte. The light brown color of her hair reminds me of caramel, and her eyes nearly match it. Her smile is shy, and she practically radiates sweetness.
“How are you likin’ it here so far?”
She winces. “We’ve moved around some for my dad’s job, and it can be hard, but here…it’s different.” She lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. “Just hard to adjust sometimes.”
Her eyes survey me, before she leans in closer to whisper conspiratorially, “I feel like this place is like The Hunger Games, but between the kids with money and those without.”
She catches me by surprise, and I tip my head back on a laugh. Her mouth spreads into a wide grin, brown eyes sparkling with amusement.
I lower my voice. “You’re in good company then. Because I’m basically the male version of Katniss.”
“That so?” The corners of her eyes crinkle even more when her smile widens.
Damn, she’s cute. “Yes, ma’am.”
“You don’t mind if I steal her away, do you?”
Dallas’ voice interrupts, drawing my attention from Charlotte. He slides out from the booth. His eyes flick to Magnolia before returning to me. “I know this is y’all’s night, but—”
“No worries,” I interrupt. “Have fun.”
Magnolia looks like she wants to protest, hesitating so slightly I doubt anyone else notices but me. Finally, she accepts his outstretched hand and slides out.
“Bye.” Magnolia waves before Dallas tugs their joined hands, and they make their way out of the diner.
“So,” Charlotte starts.
“So,” I parrot back with a grin.
“You and Magnolia are…?”
“Best friends.”
She seems to mull that over for a beat. “Huh.” Then she tips her head to the side. “Nothing more?”
I shake my head while I’m simultaneously bombarded with the taunting echoed voices of Mrs. Barton and my own mom. You’re not good enough for her! You’re trash!
I inwardly shake them off.
“No, ma’am.”
She props her chin in her hand and eyes me. “Girlfriend?”
Another shake of my head. “Not anymore.”
One eyebrow arches in surprise. “Bad breakup?”
“No,” I say with a little laugh. “We were never serious. Decided it’s better to cool things off since we’re headed in opposite directions after graduation.”
“What’re your plans?”
I lean back against part of the booth and window to angle myself to see her better. “I put in an early decision application with Auburn.”
“Auburn’s one of my first choices.”
“Cool.” We watch each other in silent appraisal. “So, tell me about Charlotte. What’s she like?”
She ducks her chin slightly as if embarrassed and shrugs. “Not much to tell. My family doesn’t come from money, I’m not super girly, and I love cars.”
A surprised half-laugh rushes out of me. “I think I just fell in love with you.”
Charlotte snickers, and a faint blush spreads across her cheeks. “Whatever.”
I stretch my long leg and nudge her flip-flop with mine. “You love cars, huh?”
She perks up, and the light in her eyes shows me that this is a passion of hers. “My dad restores cars in his spare time. He taught me everything I know.”
I cock my head in interest. “So if I told you I just finished replacin’ the carburetor and am workin’ on replacin’ the bumpers on my truck, you’d say…”
Unmistakable interest flashes in her eyes. “I’d ask if you’d be so kind as to let me look at it.”
I turn in my seat and point out the window toward the parking lot. “See that third light post? There on the left? The blue truck parked underneath is mine.”