Old Enough to Love... (Just One of the Guys) by Kristi Pelton Page A

shrugged. “I have no obligation to him.”
    “Man. She’s fifteen. Runt is—tiny. You hurt her and…”
    “Connor!” I shouted.
    Zach’s eyes scanned all three of us stopping on me. “I’m seventeen. That’s two years difference. If her parents are okay with that then it still isn’t Ryan’s business. And I have no intention of hurting her.”
    I didn’t know if my heart could physically melt but the heaviness in my chest increased with each of his words. 
    Connor wiped his palm down the length of his face stopping on his chin. “O-K.” He patted Brett’s shoulder. “Let’s go. See ya, Runt. Zach.” They clasped Zach’s hand, bumped shoulders then left.
    Zach dismissed them easily with a chuckle and shook a brown paper sack.
    “What is it?” I don’t know how I spoke but I did. All I wanted to do was jump in his arms. No one had ever stood up to my brother’s posse before. Ever.  He was my own personal savior.
    “I’ve got peanuts, crackers, beef jerky and drinks. The best a gas station has to offer. I stopped on the way to school.  I haven’t eaten a school lunch in several years. So, this is the best I could do. Shall we?” He motioned toward the cafeteria.
    “You’re eating lunch with me ?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. The thought of me eating in the cafeteria with Zach—a senior—it was almost unfathomable.
    “Would you rather I not?”
    “No. Yes. No!” I paused trying to gather my scattered thoughts. “Yes, I’d like that.” Oh my God. I sounded like a blubbering idiot. I scratched my head.
    “Good,” he said grinning. I think he was laughing at me.
    Ali and Lauren weren’t in the cafeteria yet. He picked a table on the far wall and sat next to me. I didn’t know if I’d be able to eat and breathe at the same time.
    “So, Runt, is it?”
    I released a tremendous sigh and closed my eyes. “Please don’t.” Not him too.
    “Annoying?”
    “You have no idea. I have been Runt for six years to my brother’s friends. It’s a nickname I hate.”
    “Where’d it come from?”
    “Look at me,” I said, then felt stupid because he was looking at me.
    “You’re not a runt.”  He opened my can of Dr. Pepper. “ Here.”
    “How did you know I liked Dr. Pepper?”
    “You downed two cans at your house—in May.”
    I nodded my head and smiled. “That’s right. Good memory.” I opened the nuts even though I wasn’t hungry.
    “OK. Back to Connor and what he said. Does Ryan know about this?” he asked.
    I examined and fingered the nuts in my palm. “When you say ‘this’ you’re referring to you and me?” My face flushed just saying the words.
    “Yes.” He took one of my hands in his. I couldn’t look at him and kept my eyes focused on my lap where his hand held mine. I was terrified to look in his eyes, afraid of what I wouldn’t say and deeply concerned with what I would.
    “He knows…” I swallowed hard. “…that I like you.” I hoped the words were audible because I didn’t think I could speak them again. I chanced glancing up.
    A soft, gentle grin crossed his face.
    “I think you know that already. Right?” I wanted to clarify.
    A small chuckle slipped from his mouth—his perfect mouth. “You know, back in May when I met you, you were one of the first people to really talk to me. I hated being here. I didn’t want to leave San Francisco. No one, and I mean no one, really asked me about me. Do you remember what you did for me?”
    Was he talking about the song? “You made me sad that day. You seemed so unhappy and…” I chanced looking at him and our eyes met.  I was suddenly embarrassed because for the life of me I couldn’t remember what we were talking about. “I don’t remember what I was saying.” I rubbed my forehead trying to jar a thought.
    “I asked if you remember what you did. Do you?”
    His other hand rubbed my back. I had a feeling everyone in the lunchroom was staring at us but I didn’t care.
    “Are