Free A Boy Worth Choosing (The Worthy Series Book 2) by S.M. Smith Page B

something I want to discuss with you.” She sounds a little anxious, which doesn’t set well with me.
    “Sure. Is everything okay?” I try, but can’t hide the concern in my voice. She takes a minute to respond, which immediately ups my anxiety.
    “Everything is absolutely fine.” She sounds confident, wiping away any concern and replacing it with curiosity.
    “Okay. Well, please be careful and I’ll see you when you get to the church. I—“ I stop myself, leaving an awkward pause. I can’t believe I almost said that.
    “Stephen? Are you still there?”
    “Yeah. Just be careful, okay?”
    “Will do. I’ll see you in a bit. Bye.” She hangs up and I throw my phone on the patio table, tossing it away as if it had bitten me.
    I almost told her. Her reaction to my declaration last week wasn’t quite what I had expected at first and well, telling her this while she is driving could quite possibly send her off the road, so I’ll find a better time and place to tell her. When she’s ready.  
    The back door opens, and I pull the fingers I had wrapped in my hair, out. My father brushes some water droplets off the seat beside me and takes a seat.
    “Something bothering you, son?” he asks with that voice that inflicts guilt even if you might not have something to feel guilty about.
    “Nah, Dad. I’m good.” I nod with finality, just in case.
    “Uh huh. You know I’m here if you need me. You can talk me, I uh,” he glances back toward the door. “I can keep an open mind.”
    “Really Dad, I’m fine. Just need to watch my words before they get me into trouble, that’s all.”
    He raises an eyebrow at me and just nods, seeming to not need a further explanation. I pick up my phone and coffee mug and head back inside before he decides he wants more details.
    ***
    I try to get Jess to tell me what she wants to talk about the entire time we’re at church, but she isn’t spilling and well, trying to talk when you’re supposed to be supervising a few dozen teenagers isn’t really easy either. By the time we see off the last of the kids, lock up the building and get in my car to head to my parents’ house, I’m itching to find out what is going on. She doesn’t seem to appear anxious; in fact she’s radiant and much more relaxed than the last time I saw her. Well, she’s pretty radiant all the time, but I might just be biased.
    The weather and temperature are turning out to be perfect, so I roll down the windows as I pull out of the church parking lot. She leans her head back as we hit the road, exposing her delicate throat. Her gorgeous, chocolate hair flies behind her, her smile gleams, and the peaks of her cheeks push her designer shades up as she laughs with the wind.
    Man, I love everything about this girl. I do, and I don’t know exactly when I realized it, but let’s just say I have been in love with her for a while now. I don’t think anyone really knows when they make a decision like this. It’s not like God sends down some messenger angel to shoot you with an arrow or something. Whatever the case, I’ve known long enough to nearly watch her slip out of my reach twice. I’m not about to let her get away this time.  
    I can’t take it any longer. Taking a dirt road I know will lead to a well-known swimming hole, I pull over, careful not to get too far off the road. I don’t think we’d get speedy service if I had to call a tow truck to pull my coupe out of the soft ditch. I turn the car off and grab my phone to send Mom a text letting her know that we are going to be a few minutes late.
    Setting my phone back in the console, I look up to find a surprised Jessie watching me. I smirk at her and jump out the car rushing to her side to catch the door before she can open it. I take her smooth hand and lead her down toward the little creek, soaking up the warmth of the spring sun.
    “What are we doing out here?” she asks with a child-like enthusiasm.
    “Well, you said you wanted to talk