Stealing for Keeps (Frost Lake High Book 1)
Stealing for Keeps: Chapter 24

When I see Austin at school the next morning, my pulse speeds up, and my heart flutters.

A bunch of us are standing around our lockers, killing time before the first bell. He comes to stand next to me casually, talking with the guys like normal. To everyone else, his choice to stop beside me probably seems accidental. But I know better the second his pinkie finger links with mine.

He doesn’t so much as glance at me, and his body is angled so none of the guys can see. When the bell rings, I jump, and our fingers break apart. I gather my things for first period. Austin goes to his locker and gets his stuff, but once our friends have gone off to class, he steps back over to me.

“Hey,” he says, his stare holding on my mouth long enough that I know he’s thinking about that kiss last night too.

“Hi.”

“Can I walk you to class?”

I nod, and we fall into step next to each other. For some reason, I feel almost shy around him.

“Are you free tonight?”

“To work on art?” I ask. He already told me last night after the kiss that he didn’t have any other activities planned for us this week, since he has two away soccer games.

“That and I really want to kiss you again.”

My pulse picks up speed. I want that too.

“Wait,” I say, head spinning. We’ve reached the door of my class, and we both stop walking.

I was so caught up in everything last night and in him, I didn’t ask about one important detail. “What about Vaughn?”

The happy expression on his face falls momentarily, but then that playful, easy smile lifts at one corner. “It’ll be okay. I’ll talk to him eventually. I don’t want to keep it from him, but we have a team get-together tomorrow and then back-to-back games this weekend.”

“I understand,” I say. I can’t help but feel a little disappointment that we have to hide. Then again, if everyone knew, they’d be all up in it, asking a million questions and giving their opinions, so maybe it’s better this way. And who knows how Vaughn will react? His texts have stopped and he hasn’t tried to talk to me again, but I still feel uneasy about the situation knowing how he treated Austin last time.

“I want to kiss you so badly. Right here. In front of everyone.” The way he looks at me, I know he means it. He glances around and then back to me. His pinkie brushes against mine so fast and so soft I almost miss it.

“Me too.”

“Soon,” he promises, then hands me his sketchbook and takes off for his class.

I wait until I’m at my seat to flip it open. On the last page, he sketched a picture of a boy, presumably him based on the dark hair. In the drawing, the boy’s heart is beating out of his chest, protruding against his shirt. I fight a smile and run my fingers along the edge next to the paper.

I don’t see him again until lunchtime. I already have my food and am sitting with Lacey and Rowan.

Austin takes the seat next to me and asks how my morning went.

“Good,” I tell him and then hand over his sketchbook. With a grin, he slides it into his backpack.

“I need a vacation,” Lacey announces.

“Thanksgiving break will be here soon,” I say.

Her voice dips into a whine. “I need a vacation sooner than that.”

“There, there.” I pat her head with a teasing smile and then, because I do love her and know she’s been working really hard on school and cheerleading, I rest my head on her shoulder.

“We should go to Whittie Lake,” Rowan says, opening his chocolate milk and taking a long gulp.

“What’s Whittie Lake?” Austin asks.

Lacey perks right up. “The Whitlock twins have this family cabin on a private lake. It’s this amazing property. Lots of room and right on the water. They don’t like to throw parties out there because their parents are really strict about things, but occasionally they invite the soccer team. And very good friends of the soccer team.”

“Oh, right.” Austin nods. “I think I heard Eddie talking about it.”

“Do you think he’d be into it?” Lacey asks, hope in her voice and eyes pleading.

“I don’t know, but we have a free weekend coming up, so it’s the perfect time to do something.” Rowan sets his milk down and then shouts across the lunchroom. “Yo, Double E.”

One of the teachers gives him a stern look for yelling, but it works. A second later, Eli and Eddie are getting up and heading our way.

While everyone else is focused on the twins, Austin moves his leg over until it’s flush against mine, then drops his hand under the table and rests it against my knee. I feel warm all over and wonder if I’m blushing.

Lacey pleads her case with the twins, even promising to make sure everything is clean before we leave. She’s very convincing when she wants something, and she must want this very badly.

Before the bell rings, they’ve agreed.

“So, are you gonna go?” Austin asks me after we’re away from the group and heading for art class.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure my sister has a dance competition in Ohio that weekend, so I’ll be on my own.”

“What about your dad? You don’t go to his house when they’re gone?”

“No, not usually. He likes to do his own thing, and it always feels like I’m imposing on him.” As I say it out loud, I realize how bad it sounds. “He’s just really busy right now at work. I’m going to spend Thanksgiving with him. We go to my aunt’s house—his sister—every year.”

I’m thankful when he smiles and doesn’t press further. “What about you?”

“If you’re going, I’ll definitely be there.”

* * *

Austin comes over after practice. My mom and sister are already home from rehearsal. Mom gives Austin a disapproving scowl as I rush him up to my room.

“Your mom hates me,” he says as I close the door.

He steps into my space. The cold from outside clings to his sweatshirt, and that along with his proximity sends a shiver down my spine.

“She doesn’t really like anyone,” I say, realizing it’s true. She’s not even that warm with Lacey, and she’s been my best friend forever.

I kiss him this time. All day, we stole glances and secret brushes of hands, and I don’t want to wait one more second.

This time, we’re more urgent. He backs me up against the door, both hands resting lightly on either side of my neck. I’m holding on to his sweatshirt like I’m afraid he’ll try to run away.

I’m lightheaded, and my body tingles everywhere he touches me.

“Claire!” My mom shouts my name and then knocks loudly from the other side of the door.

Austin and I freeze, and then slowly, he steps away. My hand trembles as I reach for the door and open it.

“Hi,” I say brightly.

She pushes the door wider with one hand and glances past me to Austin a foot away.

“No boys in your room,” she says. “Especially this one.”

“Mom, we need to work on our art project.” Which is true, but I had hoped we could kiss a little more before then.

“You can do it downstairs at the dining room table or in the den.” And because she’s told me a million times not to paint in either of those places because she doesn’t want me to get paint on anything, she adds, “Make sure you put down a sheet or something so you don’t make a mess.”

I know I’ll never win this argument, so I nod. “Okay. Can Austin stay for dinner?”

She sighs like it’s the biggest inconvenience ever, and I feel like shit that she’s being so mean in front of him when his family is always so great to me.

“It’s okay,” he says. “I have plans.”

Mom finally smiles, a tight-lipped curve with no warmth to the action.

As soon as she’s gone, I shut the door again.

“I’m sorry about her.”

“It’s fine. She thinks I’m bad news, and to be fair, I feel like it right now.” He fists the hem of my shirt, but then instead of tugging it, he steps toward me.

I push up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck, pressing my body flush against him and kissing him again. Everything feels a little bit better when we’re together.

* * *

After we finish working on our art project, I walk him out. He links his pinkie with mine and swings our hands lightly between us.

“Sorry about tonight. She’s gone tomorrow night if you want to come back.” I really want him to come back.

“What’s the deal with your mom? Does she hate all your boyfriends?”

My stomach dips as the last word hangs in the air. “Did you just call yourself my boyfriend?”

“I guess I did.” He smirks. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, I like it.”

“Good. Now how do I win over your mother?”

I laugh. It’s hard not to. “If I knew, then we’d both be happier. Since I stopped skating, nothing I do pleases her.”

“How come? You still have a lot of great things ahead of you. You might be the next great chess grand master.”

I narrow my gaze on him, but another laugh escapes. “She’s always pushed me to work hard. When I was skating, she made sure I was doing everything I could to be better. As annoying as it was at times, her constant push made me a better skater.”

“And now?”

“She wants me to throw myself into school, take extra classes so I can go to a great college and become a doctor or lawyer or something else that sounds important so she can brag about me.”

“Come on. She’s not really that shallow, is she?”

“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “I’ve stopped trying to figure her out. You should too.”

“If I don’t understand her, how can I win her over?”

“That is highly unlikely. You’re a distraction.”

He lifts both brows, then kisses me, stealing my breath. I never thought a kiss could feel this good.

“See you tomorrow night?” I ask when we finally break apart.

“I can’t. We have a team get-together at Coach’s house.”

“Right.” And then the next two days, he has away games.

He leans in to kiss me again. This time, it’s quick, but no less exciting.

“See you tomorrow.” He doesn’t make any move to leave.

“See you tomorrow,” I say back, and then we continue to stand there.

“Claire!” My mom’s voice eventually calls from inside.

“I better go.” I kiss him one more time. I could easily become very addicted to his kisses.