Free Life in the No-Dating Zone by Patricia B. Tighe Page A

“I think there’s some left of that.”
    “Eww. No, thanks. We’re almost to my house—I can survive until then. Tell me about talking to Lindsey.”
    “I oozed charm.”
    She laughed. “No, really. It looked like you had a little trouble at first.”
    I turned the car onto Claire’s street. “Of course I did. I mean, she’s Lindsey Taylor.”
    “The most intimidating girl in town.”
    “But once we got started it was good.”
    “Glad to hear it. Now we need y’all to hang out together.”
    I pulled over in front of her house. “How’re we gonna do that?”
    “I don’t know yet. I need to call and see what she’s got going on. When do you work?”
    “Tonight, tomorrow night, and Saturday afternoon.” I bit into the last quarter piece of the cinnamon roll. “When does Adam get back?”
    “Late Sunday night, I think.” Claire licked one of her fingers. She had crumbs on her lips and almost a full icing mustache.
    “You know, for such a careful eater you’re making one holy mess.”
    “Some things are just meant to be eaten that way,” she said, but pulled a tissue out of her purse and wiped her face. “Don’t worry. I’ll get the crumbs off the seat.”
    She still had a smudge of icing at the corner of her mouth. “You missed a spot.”
    “Where?”
    She started to pull down the visor to look in the mirror, but I spoke without thinking. “I’ll get it.”
    “I can—”
    “No, it’s okay.” And as I reached for her face, a voice screamed in my head. What are you doing? You’re about to touch a girl’s face! The wrong girl’s face. But it was too late. My hand was already there. I brushed at the icing with my thumb. And, of course, I brushed it toward her lips. What guy wouldn’t?
    Claire’s breath puffed out across my fingers, but I didn’t make eye contact. I couldn’t. I was too focused on her lips. They were seriously soft. I wanted to run my thumb back and forth across them. But no way. I couldn’t. At least I had enough mental capacity to realize that. But not much more.
    The moment stretched out. It was probably only a few seconds, but it felt longer. She finally pulled away from my hand—not far, like she was mad or anything, just an inch or so. “Did you get it?” she asked, a slight squeak to her voice.
    “Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “But you’ll probably want to wash your face.”
    “Thanks. I’d better go.”
    “Okay.”
    “Oh. I almost forgot.” She handed me a DVD box from her purse. “Your homework.”
    Homework? What was she talking about? I needed to stop staring at her mouth. “ The Phantom of the Opera? ”
    “It’s Lindsey’s favorite musical. There’s a CD in there too.”
    Lindsey? Yes, Lindsey, you idiot. The girl you’re supposedly in love with. “I don’t even know if we have a CD player in the house.”
    Claire opened the door. “Well, if you do, you can get more familiar with the music. She’ll be impressed. I promise.”
    “If you say so.”
    She got out and brushed crumbs off the seat. “I’ll text you when I know anything.”
    “Okay.”
    “Bye.”
    “See ya.”
    Claire went toward the house, her hair swinging as she walked. I’d never realized how long it was—all the way to the middle of her back. She usually wore it in a ponytail. The door closed behind her with a sturdy thump. I jerked, then rubbed my forehead with the heel of my hand. Why was I noticing her hair? It was the wrong hair. Wrong color. Wrong girl.
    Lindsey. This was all about Lindsey. That’s why I was spending so much time with Claire. I’d just gotten used to her, that’s all. It only made sense I’d start noticing things about her. But she wasn’t Lindsey. And now that I might have a chance to start a relationship with Lindsey, I wasn’t about to blow it by staring at some other girl’s hair or body.
    Or by thinking about her soft lips.
    I drove away, wishing I’d never touched her.

Fifteen
     
    Claire
     
    “I’m back,” I said as I came