Page 97 of The Embers That Remain
“What?” He looked confused. “It’s good advice.”
“Nothing happened!” I protested, sounding exactly like the teenager they both clearly thought I was.
“A likely story.”
“It was a forehead kiss!”
The room went silent. Grandpa blinked. Jace blinked. Then Jace let out the most disappointed sigh I’d ever heard. “A forehead kiss?”
“Yes.” The way they both reacted made me wonder if they needed glasses.
“Dang.” Grandpa shook his head.
“In my day, if a girl let you hold her hand by the pond, you were practically engaged.”
“Please stop talking.”
“Just trying to help.”
“You’re not helping.”
“So . . .” Jace said as he straightened.
I lifted a brow.
“How is this going to benefit me?”
I stared at him, waiting for the punch line.
“What?”
He pointed toward the pond. “Coach.”
“Oh, no.”
“Now that you’re with Coach, what kind of perks can I expect?” The corner of his mouth pulled into a smug little smirk.
“You are getting zero perks.”
“Guaranteed starting position?”
“No.”
“Unlimited Gatorade?”
“Jace.”
“Just seeing what’s available.” He squinted like he was negotiating a billion-dollar contract.
I grabbed my sandwich and pointed at both of them. “Okay. Here’s the deal.”
They waited.
“We are going to date.”
Grandpa slapped the table. “Woo-hoo! That’s my girl!”
Jace dropped his face into his hands. “Ugh.”
