Page 39 of Save the Last Dance (Take the Backroads #1)

A few minutes later, she slid into the front seat of an old GMC truck.

It had the pieced-together look of a scrapyard find, with the truck bed a different color than the cab.

But the front was clean and Ethan had sprung for the leather seat overhaul himself—a factoid he’d told her on their visit to the hay maze.

It seemed like eons ago, considering all that had happened this week.

The interior of his truck smelled like new leather and pine air freshener, but when she breathed deeply, she caught a hint of Ethan’s aftershave, too. Ethan had parked in front of the main entrance, and she watched as employees flooded into the hospital for their morning shifts.

“So, you know why Rachel refused to contact her mom?” It burned her up to think of Rachel undergoing emergency surgery alone. She’d already been out in recovery by the time Ally had arrived.

“Yeah. We had a talk that night behind Lucky’s. I’m not sure why she decided to trust me, but she seemed sad. Like she could use a friend, you know?”

“I’m glad you were there,” she said honestly. “I wish I’d been a better friend. ”

“She moved to this school because her mother insisted. She fell in love with a girl from her old high school. Her mother found out and flipped. I guess she’s super homophobic or something.

” Ethan shrugged as if it was an unheard of condition and Ally fell for him—the real him—a little more.

“Her mom forced her to come here, hoping a new school would change Rachel and give them a chance to hide the past from people. She bought Rachel a new wardrobe—like there are non-gay clothes or something.”

“That’s so horrible.” Ally’s heart broke for the poor girl in the hospital. To have no allies. No friends who knew her and having to pretend to be someone she wasn’t…Ally couldn’t imagine it.

“Right? Rachel said she’s under major pressure because her mom is in charge of her inheritance since her dad died.

It’s convoluted. But she was trying to put on a game face until graduation.

” Ethan turned in the seat, draping his arm along the bench right behind where Ally sat.

“And her mom kept bugging her about dating. Er, guys, I mean. So I told her she should fake having a date with me. Spread it around town a little bit. But it was just talk. I didn’t really think about how weird it might be if it got back to you. ”

Weak morning sun shone through the windshield as so many pieces slid into place in her head.

Rachel’s comment about her clothes and how her mother would just buy her more.

The noisy announcement at the hair salon about dating Ethan.

The mild flirting with lots of guys even though she hadn’t really dated any of them.

“I’ve been so stupid. And blind as a freaking bat.” She, of all people, should know that not everyone’s life was as perfect as it appeared on the outside. She hadn’t even been aware that Rachel’s dad had died, although that had probably happened before they moved here.

“Blind? You saw what she wanted people to see. I’m just sorry I talked myself into a corner.

Because once I blurted out the date thing, I realized it wouldn’t be cool after I’d just started—you know—talking to you more.

” He lifted a strand of her hair where it lay on her shoulder and toyed with the end.

“Plus, how could I tell you what happened without giving away Rachel’s secret? That wasn’t right, either.”

Ally wanted to go back into the hospital and hug Rachel for what she’d been through. But Rachel had said, “Go be in love somewhere.” Maybe Rachel was rooting for Ally and Ethan to get together, since she hadn’t gotten to be with the person she cared about.

Or maybe it was Ethan playing with her hair that had her thinking about staying right in this spot with him.

“My problems feel small compared to hers,” she admitted.

“Maybe I’ll ask her if she wants to leave town with us.

” She tossed it out there, just for his reaction.

To see if there was any hope he still wanted to go with her even though she was in therapy for the scratching and she might face more obstacles down the road, like her grandmother.

“How can we leave now?” Ethan jerked a thumb toward the hospital. “It’s not so bad here, Ally. And Rachel’s going to need friends at school. I have the feeling the accident is only going to fuel the rumors about her.”

“I haven’t heard any rumors.” Although guilt pinched. Hadn’t she just wished she could be a better friend?

“That’s because you hang out with nice girls.” He tugged gently on her hair and then released it.

She wished he wouldn’t stop touching her. She remembered how good it had felt to hug him, even when she’d been scared and upset earlier.

“I’m sorry about crying all over you when I hugged you before,” she said suddenly, embarrassed to remember it. “I was really stressed with the responsibility of sitting with Rachel when there was no adult around.”

“And you didn’t scratch then.” He pointed to her wrists. “Good job.”

Surprised he’d thought of that, Ally looked down at her skin. The pink marks were still there, now marks of healing. And there weren’t any fresh scratches.

“You’re right.” And despite the crappiness of the night—her parents probably heading for divorce and Rachel getting in an accident—Ally experienced a moment of pure happiness. “Wow.”

“See?” Ethan smiled. “You just have to hug me when you’re stressed.”

Ally remembered what he’d said earlier in the day—back in the fairgrounds parking lot—about wanting to kiss her. It was the only thing that gave her the courage to speak up now.

“Too bad I’m not stressed anymore.” Her cheeks warmed. Was that the lamest thing ever to say?

But Ethan lifted a hand to her cheek and held it there, his eyes warming her insides. “The one doesn’t have to depend on the other.”

Was he inviting her to hug him now? The way his eyes were checking her out, she wanted to wait and see what he might do. Because the moment spun out and felt really, really promising.

When his eyes slid closed, her heartbeat went crazy.

She closed her eyes, too, praying she didn’t mess this up.

His mouth found hers and suddenly, she was having the kiss she’d always dreamed about.

She’d been waiting for this forever. Hadn’t dated anyone else because, for her, it had always been Ethan Brady.

Happiness spread through her, sweeping away worries and fears and the anxiety that dogged her from the moment she got out of bed most days.

With Ethan, she could just be. So she absorbed his kiss for the longest time, learning the feel of his mouth.

After long moments, she remembered she was supposed to open her mouth.

“Am I doing this all wrong?” She opened her eyes again and studied his face to see if he gave away any sign that she was an awful kisser.

But his eyes stayed closed for a second. When he opened them, a slow smile curled his lips. His breath smelled like peppermint gum.

“You’re perfect, Ally. Just so freaking perfect.” He said it like he meant it.

Which, of course, was crazy. But that didn’t stop her from liking it.

“I’ve been holding out to kiss you.” She was done keeping secrets, right? He might as well know that she’d been crushing on him. “So, er, I’ve got no experience to help me out.”

“That’s…” He looked like she’d hit him with a two-by-four. And what was up with that? “That’s definitely the nicest thing I’ve heard in a long time.”

She realized now he actually didn’t appear dumbstruck, exactly. He seemed…touched. Happy. It amazed her to see how the feeling could go back and forth like that, the happiness multiplying all over the place. That was a kind of math she could definitely appreciate.

“Meaning…I kiss okay?” It wasn’t easy to let go of the whole A-student mentality. As with anything else in her life, she wanted to get this right .

Ethan leaned in and her heart went nutzoid again.

“Refresh my memory for a little while.” He brushed his mouth over hers and her nerve endings did a happy dance. “And I’ll get back to you.”

Sliding her arms around his neck, she edged closer, committing herself to the kiss and to Ethan.

She’d waited long enough for this moment.

She wanted to lose herself in his arms before she had to face the reality of all the things she had to worry about.

Her parents splitting. Rachel’s battle for the right to be herself.

Ally’s next trip to a counselor to make sure she didn’t spiral out of control like Gram did sometimes.

Squeezing Ethan tighter, she hoped he’d never let go—even if she still wanted to make her big break after the dance.