Beautiful (7 page)

“If I want to do something really special for Skylar, what should I do?”

My mother’s smile practically took over her entire face. “Something romantic.”

“Not too romantic,” my father was quick to say.

“Something heartfelt.” She smiled.

Setting the newspaper down, my father nodded. “I agree with your mother. Make it original though. Any schmuck can give a girl flowers. Show her you know what she likes by sending or doing something you know she’ll like. It will mean more.”

My mother was looking at my father like she couldn’t love him any more. “This is why I married your father. He took me to a hockey game.”

Lifting my eyebrows, I asked, “A hockey game is why you married him?”

With a chuckle, she walked over and sat on his lap. “It was part of the reason. My father was a huge hockey fan. When I was little, he and I used to go all the time. He would buy me those giant pretzels. Oh, man, I couldn’t wait to get to the game just for that stupid pretzel. When my father passed away, I stopped going to hockey games.

“Later, your father and I were with a group of friends—before we were dating—and I told that story. The next weekend, he showed up at my dorm with tickets to a hockey game.”

With a look of love on his face, my father smiled while gazing at my mother. “And the first thing I did was buy her a pretzel.”

“Best first date ever.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the scene between my parents play out. “Huh. So, in other words, make sure I pay attention to everything Skylar says.”

My mother quickly kissed my father on the lips and stood. “Oh, Wyatt, when a woman speaks, you should always pay attention.”

“Amen to that,” my father mumbled.

Later that afternoon, I glanced up and watched while Skylar chewed on the end of a pen cap. She was completely focused on what she was reading that she hadn’t noticed she had eaten half of the damn cap.

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“Hmm?” she mumbled.

Reaching across the table, I took the pen from her mouth and looked at it. “Gross, Sky. You’ve eaten nearly the whole damn thing.”

Giggling, she snagged it out of my hand. “What did you ask?”

“Favorite movie?”

Lifting her eyes in that oh-so adorable way she did, she thought for a few moments. “Like, funny movie, romance movie, or horror movie?”

Pinching my eyebrows together, I asked, “You like horror movies?”

She shrugged. “Sometimes, if it’s believable.”

“There is that practical girl I know.”

The left side of her mouth rose into a slight smile, making my heart feel heavy in my chest.

“I try. Let me think…favorite movie…”

“Don’t say
Emma
.”

She giggled. “
The Sound of Music
.”

Frowning, I asked, “Is that a movie?”

“Yes!”

“Why
The Sound of Music
?”

With a shrug, she said, “I don’t know. I like the scene where they all go for a bike ride and sing. It makes me smile.”

Okay, a bike ride. I can do that. Singing…yeah, don’t think so.

“Any other movies?”

“Not that I can think of.”

Damn it. That didn’t go at all like I’d wanted it to.

Skylar’s phone buzzed. Lifting it, she smiled at something she’d read.

“Hot date later?” I asked.

Her eyes met mine, and I swore, they turned dark.

“With the stars,” she said.

“The stars, huh?”

With a chuckle, she nodded and set her phone down. “My older brother, Skip, used to always take me out past town anytime something was happening in the night sky, like a comet or the planets all lining up in a row. It was something fun we would do together, and it was his way of playing off my name. Now that he is in the Marines, he always sends me little reminders when something is coming up. He’ll tell me to look up and know he is looking up at the same time.” She shrugged and blushed. “It’s stupid, but we would do it together, so it kind of makes it special to me.”

“What’s coming up?”

“In a few days, there will be a meteor shower. He was reminding me of it. So, I’ll just drive out a little ways and park on the side of the road or go to Inks Lake State Park.”

“Does he text you what time he’ll be looking up?”

She nodded, and I saw her eyes glaze over. “Yeah. Like I said, it’s stupid.”

I reached across the table and took her hand in mine. “I don’t think it’s stupid. I actually think it’s cool that you and your brothers are so close.”

Her grin turned into a full-on smile. “It is nice, but they are still pains in my ass.”

Laughing, I motioned for her to get back to studying. “Study up, girl. Tomorrow’s test is not going to be easy.”

The way Skylar was looking at me had my pulse speeding up. I could tell she wanted to say something, but she held it back. What I wouldn’t do to get her to trust me a hundred percent.

Mitch and I were both jogging on the track during football practice when I motioned for him to fall back behind everyone. I asked him to help me with my plan to take Skylar out to watch the meteor shower tomorrow night.

“What do you mean, you want me to help get my sister out to Inks Lake State Park? What in the hell for?”

“I already said—to watch the meteor shower tomorrow night.”

Mitch turned to me. “Have you been talking to Skip? Did he put you up to this?”

“No. Skylar mentioned that she loved doing stuff like that with your brother. I want to surprise her by setting something up and taking her.”

He snarled his lip up. “Like the picnic?”

“Yeah. But I’m going to need you to bring her bike.”

He stopped running. “Her bike?”

Running in place, I slapped his arm. “Yep! Make sure the tires are aired up, too.”

Rolling his eyes, Mitch mumbled, “I swear, I will never understand you. Ever.”

“Get running, Woods, or you’ll be doing extra laps!” Coach yelled.

“Shit,” Mitch mumbled before taking off in a sprint to catch up with everyone else.

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for the rest of practice. The idea that I could do something to make Skylar happy had me feeling like I was walking on cloud nine. The coach must have screamed at me a dozen times to get my head out of my ass.

After practice, I looked up and saw Skylar in the bleachers. She was sitting on the opposite side of the field from everyone else, and I immediately knew why. Jenny and her loud mouth would agitate her if she’d sat on the home side.

Running over, I took off my helmet, and Skylar walked down to the field.

“Hey,” she said with the cutest damn smile.

God, the things this girl does to my heart.

“Hey back atcha.”

“Smith! Get in the shower now!” Coach yelled out.

Skylar looked at Coach and scrunched up her face. “I didn’t get you in trouble, did I?”

Laughing, I said, “Nah. Besides, seeing your beautiful smile is worth it.”

Her eyes lit up, and my stomach felt like I was on a damn roller coaster.

“I have tonight off work,” she said.

My heart started beating faster, and it wasn’t from all the running I had just done in practice. “Oh, yeah?”

“I was wondering if you might…like to go to a movie? I mean, it would be a double date ’cause Mitch and Michelle would be there.”

I wiggled my eyebrows. “A date, huh?”

“A double date,” she replied with a chuckle.

“Smith! Less than thirty seconds to get your ass moving and into the shower!”

Skylar glanced over to Coach again and then back to me. She jutted her lip out into a pout and said, “You’d better go before you get in trouble.”

My heart stopped as my eyes fell to those lips. I was falling hard for Skylar, harder than I’d ever dreamed I could.

I started to run backward. Winking, I said, “Count me in!”

Skylar

My heart was pounding when Mitch pulled up to Wyatt’s house. The three of us walked up to the front door, and I couldn’t believe how my heart was racing.

Leaning in closer to me, Michelle said, “You should probably take a breath, so you don’t pass out when you meet his parents.”

My head jerked over to her. I hadn’t even realized I had been holding my breath. I dragged in a deep breath. “Why am I so nervous?”

“Seriously, you have to ask that, Sky? You’re meeting the parents of the guy you’re crushing on.”

“I’m not crushing on him. We’re friends, that’s all.”

She gave me a blank expression. “Uh-huh. Yeah, okay…if you say so.”

Pinching my eyebrows together, I replied, “I say so.”

Mitch rang the doorbell, and less than ten seconds later, the door opened. A beautiful woman with dark hair and the greenest of green eyes smiled at us. “Hey, kids. Come on in.”

Mitch motioned for Michelle and I to go first.

As we walked in, Michelle said, “Good evening, Mrs. Smith. I’m Michelle Jones.”

Wyatt’s mom had a powerhouse smile. Now, I knew where Wyatt had gotten it from.

“Please, call me Alice.” Turning, she looked at me, and I swore, she smiled bigger. “You must be Skylar. Wyatt has talked a lot about you.”

I forced a smile while trying to calm my pulse and steady my breathing. Extending my hand to hers, I replied, “Wyatt’s amazing. You must be so proud of him.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Michelle’s smile. I kicked myself for what I’d said. “He’s a great friend,” I added.

“Thank you, Skylar. He is pretty amazing.”

She turned to Mitch.

“Good evening, Mrs. Smith. I’m Mitch Woods, Skylar’s brother and Michelle’s boyfriend.”

“You’re all so polite here in Texas. Call me Alice. Would any of you like a drink?”

We all declined just as Wyatt came walking in. My heart slammed against my chest. I wasn’t sure why, but he looked even hotter than ever. He wore a Texas A&M baseball cap, and his tight light-blue T-shirt made his green eyes look almost blue. Swallowing hard, I took in his massive chest. It wasn’t like I’d never seen his body before, so I wasn’t sure what was going on with me. My body reacted in a way I wasn’t used to. It had to be the baseball cap. If he turned it around and wore it backward, I was pretty sure my ovaries would explode.

Wyatt walked up and smiled down at me. “You okay? You look a little pale.”

Oh, it’s nothing. I just want to wrap my arms around you and beg you to kiss me.

My mouth fell open.
What is the matter with me?

“I’m good. Fine. I think it’s because I haven’t had enough water today.”

Michelle let out a fake laugh. Scowling, I turned to her.

“We should probably get going. The movie is starting soon,” Michelle said.

“You kids have fun. And be careful driving, Mitch.”

“Yes, ma’am. Will do.”

It wasn’t lost on me how Wyatt kissed his mother good-bye and then took my hand in his. My stomach dipped the moment he touched me. The way he made me feel was totally new. With Jacob, I would get butterflies in my stomach, but Wyatt brought so many more feelings out of me. It almost scared me.

The drive to the movies wasn’t that long, but it was long enough for me to almost combust while sitting next to Wyatt in the backseat. He and Mitch talked about football the entire way.