I could find them.â Itâs the truth, just not the whole thing.
Katâs quiet a moment. âYouâre kidding, right? Their initials on a tree is why weâre here? Do you know how many initials are carved into the trees down there?â
âI told you youâd think it was stupidââ
âI donât know if stupidâs the right word,â she says, getting to her feet. âBut it is kind of weird. Why are you all of a sudden obsessed with them since you got that letter? Itâs not like you get points with the scholarship board for finding their lost initials.â
âI donât know, I . . . itâs kind of romantic to think theyâre out here somewhere. I just wanted to see.â
Kat shakes her head. âClearly, youâre in need of a life outside of sappy books and movies,â she says. âAnd a guy. Which Iâm gonna help you out with right now. I know how you like your knights in shining armor, so letâs call one to come get us out of this mess.â
âWho?â
âI donât know. Whoeverâs willing to drive all the way out here and get us unstuck. Relax about it,â she says with a wink. âEnjoy the sun and the last of your freedom.â
10.
âHe asked with the eyes more than the lips . . .â
ââLOVE AND A QUESTION,â 1913
By the time we finally hear an engine heading our way, the sun is high and the mud on our clothes is nearly dry, and Iâm grimly resigned to the fact that I probably wonât be leaving my house for anything but school for the rest of the year. It doesnât matter though. This turned out to be such a bad idea, I donât even care.
And then I do care. Because when our rescue car rounds the turn, I can see itâs actually a silver Suburbanâone that I know well. I look at Kat and shake my head without saying anything.
âWhat?â she asks innocently, but her smile says she knows exactly what.
âYou called Trevor Collins to come get us?â I wipe at my face, try to smooth my mud-caked hair. âThatâs your idea of a knight in shining armor?â
Kat just smiles, proud of herself, then shrugs. âDonât be so surprised. Who did you think I was gonna call? I knew heâd come if I told him I was with you. Turns out I was right. Just like always.â
The Suburban stops, then does a three-point turn before backing up to Katâs bumper. When Trevor gets out, itâs with a smug grin on his face, one thatâs aimed right at me. âYou couldâve just called me and said you wanted to hang out, Frost. No need to go to all this trouble.â
âWell, you know,â I say rubbing at a patch of mud on my forearm. âI figure when youâre up against such a long list of people vying for your attention, itâs better to take a different approach.â
âTook you long enough,â Kat says.
Trevor walks around to the back of his car and opens the door, leans in, and comes back out with a rope. âI wouldâve come sooner if Iâd known mochas and baristos were code for mud-wrestling.â He squats down to the truck and, with hands that look sure and strong, knots the rope around Katâs bumper and then his own. Then without another word, he hops back in his car, hits the gas, and pops Katâs truck out of the mud like itâs nothing.
Kat nudges me with her elbow. âHeâs taking you home.â
âNo.â
âYes.â She smiles through her teeth, then hooks an arm through mine and drags me over to the bumpers, whereTrevor is now untying the rope. âYay, thank you!â She gushes. âWe owe you big-time for that.â She pauses, and I realize a second too late I shouldâve probably added something.
âItâs fine,â he smiles. âAny excuse to get out of sixth period.â He holds one end of the rope and quickly