The heartbeat series

ay was alive with chatter about the upcoming Valentine's Ball-whispers about dresses, dates, and who might show

reached for my books, a famil

gum

eaning against the locker beside mine, that anno

riously, why do you enjo

ely, which wasn't surprising. "Do you h

off guard. "Not yet," I

ng a hand through his dark hair. "Then I'll

ed. "Th

redulous look on my face. "It's a big deal, you k

ce despite his sheer audacity. "Let me get this

act

ust assuming

on. You can't deny I'd make the night unforgettable." I let out a laugh, a mix of disb

ned back against the lockers, his hands casually in

t makes you think I'd want to go with yo

obvious, "no one else can match my char

d here I thought humilit

e replied, grinning. "Besides,

of being impossible to take seriously, yet somehow, it was hard to sta

that as a c

t exactly m

o, what do you say? You, me, the Valenti

admit it, there was something about his playful confidence that was oddly endearing

t," I said finally,

ing offense. "What's there to think ab

I asked, turni

l be waiting for your answer, gum girl

a reluctant smile on my face. Nate always had a way of making e

n't stop thinking about what

Lunch tim

ws, picking at our lunches while the conversations around us grew louder. Everywhere I looked,

o," she started, drawing the word out in a way that immed

on my water. "Wh

. "Oh, come on, Ante

my head into my hand

dging me with her elbow. "So

they were on fire. "And why is everyone in this school so n

like a feeding frenzy. But you know how it is. The Valentine's Ball is the

ad. "Just what I needed-my nonexistent

ou sure about that? Because you don't usua

ke a detective when it came to gossip, and once she smell

Nate might have...sug

in Nate Collins? The one who cal

e didn't really ask. It was more like he just de

"That sounds exactly like

I said quickly. "I told

bout it?" she asked, gi

ated. "

ked. "You

said, a litt

saying yes, you have to tell me what you're wearing. You know Nate lo

me," I said, sinkin

warm. "Well, for what it's worth, I th

own, I couldn't help but wo

*Nate's p

, towel slung around my neck, half-listening to the guys talk about the Valentine's Ball. A few of them were

hts. He tossed a basketball my way, smirking. "You

," I said, spinning

aising an eyebrow. "W

ouldn't you l

sible. But let me guess-someone

the ball back to him. "Just...someone

toward the locker room. It was easier to brush off their

her girls at East Ridge. She didn't fall for the whole confident, charming act that worked

ade me want to

She'd tried to play it cool, but I'd caught the hint of a smile before she turned away. That was t

it to see if

ot? But another part of me-a quieter, less cocky part-

na was smart, funny, and tougher than she looked. If she said yes, it wouldn't be be

ave to convince her that a night wi