All or Nothing(17)

“You see that?” Mrs. Hale pointed to Cynthia and Kennedy, who were at the top of the sledding hill where people were beginning to gather for the sledding races. “I think there’s something going on between them. Now wouldn’t they make the perfect couple?”

They were absolutely adorable together. Kennedy with his hometown, clean-cut, good-guy looks, and Cynthia with her classic blonde beauty. “She’s just the kind of girl everyone would expect him to end up with,” I replied. She wasn’t right for Kennedy. He needed someone who would shake things up, keep him on his toes, and push him outside of his comfort zone. Someone who wouldn’t ask him to live his days under his father’s thumb in Abbott Springs.

Mrs. Hale narrowed her eyes, her brow furrowing as she frowned. “Hmm. I think you’re onto something, Bree.” I waited for her to explain what she meant but she didn’t add anything further. Finally she shooed me forward. “Those sleds aren’t going to race themselves.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t think I’m up for the sled races this year.”

“Hey, Bree! Looking good!”

I turned to see Craig approaching us, his smile bright as he looked me over. Craig and Kennedy had played ball together in high school and gone on to play at different colleges. They were a little competitive, and Kennedy couldn’t stand him. I didn’t care for him much either, but he was mostly harmless.

“How’s it going, Craig?”

He lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “It’s good, but it’d be better if you’d be my partner in the boy-girl sled race.”

“She’d love to!” Mrs. Hale said, winking at me.

I flicked my gaze to Kennedy, who was being pulled toward the sled shed by Cynthia. “Sure.”

Craig’s smile turned into an all-out grin.

When we reached the top of the sledding hill, Kennedy was standing way too close of Cynthia. Her laughter whirled through the air, and he tugged on the pigtails that were sticking out from underneath her wool hat. Pigtails. What was she? Six?

“It’s good to have you back, Bree. This town isn’t half as fun without you.” Craig slung his arm around my shoulder and led me over to the old shed where people were pulling bright orange sleds into the snow.

Kennedy and Cynthia were heading out as we stepped up.

“Hey, man!” Craig said, extending his hand for Kennedy. They did one of those complicated guy fist-bump/high-five secret-handshake things. “Why’d you take off so soon last night? I thought we’d shut Juke’s down together.”

“I wasn’t up for it.” Kennedy shifted his gaze to me and then back to Craig. “You and Bree racing together?”

Craig pulled me in closer to his side. “Apparently it’s my lucky day because I talked her into it. You two want to join us for drinks after? Loser buys?”

Normally, I would push Craig back a few feet and give him a lecture about personal space, but as juvenile as it was, I liked the jealousy I saw in Kennedy’s eyes when he looked at us.

“We’re up for that,” Kennedy said, smirking at me. “Hope you brought your wallet, Picasso.”

I ducked out from under Craig’s arm to grab the last decent-looking sled. “Don’t count on it.”

They were calling all racers, and we hurried over to line up at the top of the hill. Craig and I climbed into our sled, me sitting between his spread legs, him wrapping his arms around me as our gloved fingers held the rope.

His chest was warm against my back, his breath in my ear.

Next to us, Cynthia wiggled her ass against Kennedy’s crotch and giggled. I had to concentrate really hard on not calling her out on it.

“I should have asked you to do this years ago,” Craig whispered in my ear. “Kennedy always keeps you close like he has some sort of claim to you. Everybody knows you two are fuck buddies, Bree. I’m just wondering when it’s my turn.”

What the fuck?

I turned, grasping for words more eloquent than “fuck off.”

“On your mark,” said a gray-haired man with an orange flag. “Get set!”

“See you at Juke’s,” Kennedy called, winking.

“Go!”

Then, someone gave our sled a push and we were off, flying down the hill alongside Kennedy and Cynthia, my heart pounding from adrenaline and anger.

The wind whipped around my face as we flew past a couple of other sleds and into the finish line, where Mrs. Hale stood clapping and cheering.

“It’s a tie!” the line judge declared.

Craig grabbed my ass, and I jumped. When I turned, he winked at me. “Sorry. Couldn’t help myself,” he murmured. Then he stood and offered me his hand.