“Figures that douche would come up with something so lame. Sounds like something that’d be on a Disney show.”
“Well, we could change it, but we’ve had it since middle school. It’s what we’re already known as,” she said defensively. Jared was still a douche, even if he came up with the name when they were little kids.
She stood back to look at what I’d painted to the right of her artwork. “You are such a pervert.”
“Doesn’t make it any less true, princess,” I studied my handiwork. I liked it. I’d drawn an arrow pointing towards her name and words saying, She’s Hot For Me. I’d also signed my name in cursive at the bottom.
Gianna tried to kick me in the shins, but I dodged her puny efforts. She was about to try again when a back door of the warehouse opened, about thirty feet from where we stood, and a middle-aged guy came out with a trash bag in each hand.
He took one look at us then at the spray cans in our hands and yelled, “I’m calling the cops, you punks!” He dropped the trash and hurried in our direction, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket.
“Run!” I told Gianna, already planning to come back later and snap a picture of our artwork. Poor girl was frozen in shock, so I yanked her by the arm to get her moving. I had to take the time to grab all of the cans of paint because the police did have my fingerprints on file. Of course, they’d have to go to the trouble of dusting for prints on paint cans. You’d think they’d have more important things to, like solve felonies.
We ran all the way to my car and scrambled inside. Cautiously, I turned to Gianna, expecting to see her scared and in tears. Instead, a big grin stretched across her face and she appeared exhilarated.
“Did you have fun?”
Still wearing the grin, the words burst out, “Yes, I think almost getting caught made it more exciting! What are we going to do next?”
I couldn’t help myself. She was so cute in all of her juvenile delinquent joy. I carefully captured her face and then her lips with my own. She was momentarily stunned, but kissed me back. A new warmth inside of me expanded. I drew back, relishing the sudden shyness in her eyes.
“Now we go eat lunch then visit a friend of mine.”
CHAPTER NINE
“A bachelor never quite gets over the idea that
he is a thing of beauty and a boy forever.”
-Helen Rowland
GIANNA
Caleb parked in another parking garage downtown and we walked several blocks to the Rocky Mountain Diner. “You know, I’ve never been here.”
“They have the best food here. I’ll order for you,” he offered, guiding me to a booth with his hand on my lower back.
We sat down and a forty-something waitress approached with menus. “Where’ve you been, honey?”
“Jean, I have bad news, devastating really, I had to move up north to Broomfield with my dad. I’ll probably only be able to make it in here once a week.” He looked so pathetic and sad that the waitress ate it up.
She patted his cheek soothingly. “Poor baby, who’s going to feed you?”
“Don’t worry, Jean, I have a new stepmom and she’s got mad Betty Crocker skills. Actually, this is my stepsister, Gianna.” He motioned towards me, bringing Jean’s attention to me.
“Oh, what a pretty girl. You’ll have to watch out for her, Caleb.”
“I’m trying my best, Jean, but she’s kind of wild.” Smartass.
“You’re such a good boy, Caleb. What will you have today, the usual?” Jean had a pen and notepad ready to take our order.
“Yes, we’ll both have that. Thank you, Jean.”
Jean left to give the kitchen our order and I hissed at Caleb, “You are so full of it.”
“Yeah, I know,” Caleb said proudly, leaning back in his seat. He pulled the list out of his pocket and I saw him cross off numbers one through four and number nine. “So, princess, what does number thirteen entail?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I imitated what he’d told me this morning.
He was unconcerned. “I’ll get it out of you eventually. So, how much fun are you having under my guidance?”
We were sitting there laughing about almost getting caught earlier when some random girl plopped herself sideways onto Caleb’s lap. Her arms snaked around his neck at the same time. “Caleb, where’ve you been? I’ve missed you.” She was doing that annoying baby-talk thing girls did when trying to sound cute.
Her nasty-ass lips were on his before he could respond. I felt like yanking her off of him by her cheap extensions. Caleb pushed her off him, saying, “I moved, Cathy.”