Free Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally Page A

hands with another guy until after Mom left. Up until then, I’d never done anything wrong, never even kissed a boy on the lips. But my church turned on me anyway.
    •••
    Brian pulls his truck up to my house.
    He peers at my yard. I hope he’s not disgusted by the stench of fried chicken and laundromat. “This is it?”
    “This is it.”
    We sit in silence for a minute, listening to the Fray. This silence isn’t awkward. It’s nice, and I probably should get out of the truck, but I don’t want to. Not yet.
    “So will you think about playing ball this year?” he asks quietly, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.
    Ever since Corndog asked me to stay away from Drew, I’ve been thinking about my reputation. How even though I’ve never made a move on Drew, Corndog thought I might, which goes to show that even if my intentions are good, someone could misinterpret them.
    If someone saw Brian and me at Foothills Diner tonight, they might’ve thought:
    1.He’s my big brother. (Ew.)
    2.He’s my husband. (Kinda weird.)
    3.Isn’t that the new coach of the Hundred Oaks baseball team and the new manager? (Truth sucks sometimes.)
    4.Isn’t that the new coach of the Hundred Oaks baseball team with some gorgeous model? (Ideal.)
    5.Isn’t that sweet Parker Shelton with some gorgeous male model? (Doubly ideal.)
    So who knows how people interpreted my quitting the softball team? Sure, I was trying to prove I’m not like my mom, but did everyone realize that? Or did they think Parker Shelton is a big ole quitter ?
    And how is it fair to people like Brian, who tried so hard, for me not to even attempt playing again?
    “I’ll talk to Coach Lynn tomorrow,” I whisper.
    Brian chomps his gum as he stares out the window into the night. The moon and stars shine brightly on his smiling face. Then his smile fades. “I guess this means you won’t be managing anymore.”
    “I guess not.”
    “I liked hanging out with you. It was fun. You’re easy to talk to.”
    I bite back my grin. “I feel the same way.”
    “So I’ll see you around?” he asks quietly. He turns to face me and drops a hand on my shoulder. His touch zaps my senses, and a jolt runs up my arm and down through my body to my toes and between my legs. Sin lightning. Or something.
    I steal a breath. “I hope so.”
    “Me too.” He folds his hands and glances up at my face.
    “Thanks again. For everything,” I say, and he nods before I climb out of his truck. I walk to the door and turn to wave bye. He waves back. The Ford’s headlights flicker on as he reverses out of my driveway. I smell my arm, to see if I picked up his scent. Nothing.
    The door pops open behind me, letting out lamplight and warm air.
    “There you are,” Ryan says. He peers over my shoulder at the driveway. I slip past my brother to go make dinner for him and Dad, who’s stretched out on the couch watching a Law and Order rerun.
    “Who was that?” Ryan asks, following me into the kitchen.
    “It’s nobody.”
    Nobody who I hope will become somebody very, very soon.

trust
48 days until i turn 18
    I’ve had a chance to date before. Right before Mom left, before I quit the softball team, Jack Hulsey invited me to the Winter Wonderland formal. Jack was a senior and played center on the basketball team. The moment after he asked, a bazillion things ran through my mind.
    Why would he want to take a girl like me? I’m overweight.
    What color dress should I wear?
    Should I make a hair appointment?
    Get my nails done?
    Will we go to dinner first?
    Will I get my first real kiss at the end of the night? Or will he kiss me in front of everyone on the dance floor, when I’m curled up in his arms, swaying slowly?
    Laura likes him. Laura likes him a lot.
    Jack smiled while waiting for my answer.
    I ended up going with Laura and Allie, and we giggled and danced and had a great time, but tears filled my eyes when I saw Jack slow dancing with another girl, kissing her.
    It was okay, I