Page 40 of The Promises We Were Never Meant To Keep

I have to stop my jaw from dropping into my lap. Andy is not the girl I ever thought would wait on a boy for anything. She’s a go-get-it, girl. The girl who lets no one stand in the path of something she wants.

“Why don’t you ask him?”

Her eyes meet mine, and for the first time since I met her, I think they’re truly vulnerable. “I don’t know.”

“Micha likes you, Andy.” Her nose scrunches, but she doesn’t speak. “You’re so confident all the time, maybe that’s why he hasn’t asked. Maybe he thinks you’re not interested.”

“Or maybe he’s Micha, and it’s all just fun and games to him.”

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But you’ll never know until you ask him. Or at the very least tell him how you feel about him.”

“Sometimes, I hate that I love you.”

I snort. “Uh huh. Get used to it because I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s not true. Everyone knows you’ll leave Rubble Ridge with Holt.”

“You wouldn’t follow Micha?”

“Even if I do get with Micha, he doesn’t have the same drive as Holt. He won’t make it pro.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Micha knows that. He’s said it plenty of times.”

“Yeah, but he plans on going to school in Vancouver, too. I know he hopes to keep playing hockey.”

Andy shrugs. “If we do get serious and he wants to go, I’d follow him.”

“Yeah?” Something in my chest feels lighter knowing I’m not the only one crazy enough to follow a boy.

“Why not? College would be fun.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Do you want to go to college?”

“I guess.”

“For what?”

Andy groans as she drops her head back to the chair. “Is it bad that I have no freaking idea?”

Another wave of relief slides through me. “Not at all.”

Andy starves a half-laugh with a snort. “You don’t know what you’re going for either, do you?”

I shake my head. “Mom is taking me to an expo on Thursday. Want to come?”

“Uh, totally.”

“Great. I’ll tell her.”

We leave the salon with pretty painted toes. Mine are a peach pink and Andy’s are the color of a stormy sunset.

She throws her arm around my shoulder and pulls me in close to plant a wet kiss on my cheek. “Happy birthday, boo.”

The front door closes behind me and I release a heavy sigh as I lean my back against it. It’s been a helluva long day, first fishing with Mom and Dad, and then pedicures and a movie with Andy. Since I only just turned sixteen and don’t yet have my license or a car, her mom drove me home.

Now, I’m feeling a chill night in bed with a book.