Page 57 of Kings Don't Break

Blake covers my hands in my lap with his. “It feels like a relief because it is one.”

“I’ll have my name back soon.”

“Korine McKibbens. The prettiest gal in school.”

I smile, my cheeks warming up. “Stop. You were crazy about Maisy Hamilton.”

“Maisy Hamilton? Seriously?” He hacks out a laugh that has me feeling ridiculous for the accusation. He cuts me a teasing look, his eyes alight with humor. “You think I wanted Maisy Hamilton?”

“You fought Mason over her.”

“I fought Mason ’cuz we were both stubborn dumbasses that refused to back down. We were horndogs who saw a girl with huge tits and got into a pissing contest. That was it.”

I laugh at his honesty. “I forgot how big of horndogs you all were.”

“Being a sixteen-year-old desperate for a girl to touch your dick will do that to you,” he admits. “But Maisy was never the girl. I was over her by the time sixth period hit.”

“The girl?”

In a rare occurrence, Blake’s ears tinge slightly red. “You already know, Kori. Don’t make me say it.”

“You never told me. Even when we dated?—”

“I was trying to play it cool. I wanted you to think…” he cracks half a grin, looking handsome and hesitant all at once. “I wanted you to think I was a ladies’ man. I could have any girl I wanted. Including…”

“Me,” I whisper and he nods. “You were trying to make me jealous?”

“I was trying to impress you. You were the prettiest girl. You were the coolest girl. You were the girl all the guys in our group wanted. Hell, I think Mace had a thing for you ‘til he backed off out of respect,” he rattles off as if these things were completely obvious. “I was trying to show you I was worthy.”

Things I never once thought about or noticed. I sit in shock for a moment. “I had no idea that’s how you felt. All the girls in our year were crazy about you. It made me… I didn’t like it.”

“How do you think I felt when you dated Jordan O’Neal? Then you two got voted on the homecoming court.”

“Jordan was a really nice guy. But it was never serious.”

“He got your first kiss. I wanted to beat his ass. Almost started a fight with him in the locker room one afternoon just ’cuz.”

“You got first other things…”

We sit in more silence for a moment ’til Blake wraps his hand around mine in my lap.

“I did,” he says, giving me an affectionate squeeze. “Something that made me the happiest guy alive. Think I didn’t stop grinning for a week.”

Rolling my eyes, I smile too. “Can we get a move on? I’d rather check more things off this list than take a stroll down our awkward teenage memory lane.”

Blake answers me with a chuckle, starting up the truck engine. We drive from the courthouse another block down to the Pulsboro Police station. I’ve intentionally asked Blake to bring me by today knowing Ken’s off this day of the week.

A middle-aged man with hairy whiskers sticking out of his ears sits at the information desk. He makes no attempt to appear friendly or helpful at all, blinking dryly as he reads the town newspaper.

“Excuse me,” I say. “I’d like to speak to Lieutenant Gillard. I have a situation to report.”

He blinks and turns to the next page without looking up. “He’s busy.”

“Do you know when he’ll be free?”

“Nope.”

I glance over my shoulder at Blake. “Then can I leave him a message?”