that was the case; otherwise there was no way she could live with the terrifying reality that she was quickly falling in love with him.
Finally, after hours of wrestling with her own thoughts, exhaustion took over and she succumbed to sleep.
Chapter 12
Nate must have checked his cell phone every hour for the rest of the night. He’d learned to enjoy sleeping even though his body didn’t require it. Normally, he spent four or five hours a night sleeping but the night following the dance, he was too nervous to sleep for any length of time. Finally, at six thirty in the morning he received a text.
Meet me for donuts.
Nate stared blankly at the message. Celeste wasn’t the best texter. She’d only been using a cell phone for a couple of years and would often forget to write the entire message.
Nate had no idea what donut shop she had in mind or what time she wanted to meet. Nate climbed out of bed and showered, realizing he’d better get started looking for her.
An hour later, he found Celeste sitting in front of a large, half empty box of donuts. Considering she was more than likely there to discipline Nate for his mistakes at the dance, she seemed relatively happy. Nate sat down and watched her systematically lick the chocolate frosting from her fingers one by one. Maybe the donuts were soothing to her, or maybe she was going to reassign Nate and she knew the struggle was over. Either way, her relaxed demeanor was a welcome change.
“Have one,” Celeste said with her mouth full, “they’re delicious.” Nate picked up a maple bar and placed it on a napkin in front of him. Celeste took another one out and started in on it. Nate couldn’t take the suspense anymore.
“I know you know about my disastrous date,” he began. “I also know that you know what a mess this assignment is turning into.”
Celeste let out a little chuckle. “Yeah, you are entertaining,” she said, uncharacteristically amused by his mishaps.
“You’re not mad?” He questioned.
“Naw, you were just trying to do the right thing…mmm…I just love these donuts.”
She paused and looked up toward the display counter as if she was trying to decide if she wanted some for the road before continuing.
“Besides, Kaelen’s protector failed and you saved his life, so the boss is happy.”
Nate’s eyes grew wide as he understood. “Kaelen and Hanna weren’t supposed to die, and I stepped in and saved them?”
“Yup,” she said. “That Kaelen kid, he’s going to build on the moon someday...but you did make a big mess letting Jennie wear that coat.”
Nate hung his head; so much for enjoying small victories.
Currently between donuts, Celeste began to eye the maple bar sitting on the napkin in front of Nate.
“Are you going to eat that?” she asked.
Recognizing that Celeste wasn’t really asking, he slid the napkin across the table and watched her attack the maple bar.
“What you need is a distraction,” she said, spitting tiny bits of donut as she spoke.
“Please finish your bite before you talk,” Nate complained. As soon as the words came out, he wished to take them back. She was his superior and she was Celeste, after all. Celeste shot him a withering glance before addressing him again.
“Do you want my help or not?” she asked. She looked a little irritated, but by now she’d accumulated quite a bit of chocolate and powdered sugar around her lips so it was hard for Nate to take her seriously.
“I do,” he said sincerely, trying not to focus on her messy mouth.
Celeste put what was left of the maple bar down and began tapping her long fingernails on the table as if she was thinking intently.
“How long does a gossip cycle last in high school?” She asked then answered her own question, “Maybe two weeks, give or take?”
Nate was quiet, wondering when or even if he should respond.
She continued, “We need to take you out of school for a few weeks, minimize the impact of what happened...make you
Finally, after hours of wrestling with her own thoughts, exhaustion took over and she succumbed to sleep.
Chapter 12
Nate must have checked his cell phone every hour for the rest of the night. He’d learned to enjoy sleeping even though his body didn’t require it. Normally, he spent four or five hours a night sleeping but the night following the dance, he was too nervous to sleep for any length of time. Finally, at six thirty in the morning he received a text.
Meet me for donuts.
Nate stared blankly at the message. Celeste wasn’t the best texter. She’d only been using a cell phone for a couple of years and would often forget to write the entire message.
Nate had no idea what donut shop she had in mind or what time she wanted to meet. Nate climbed out of bed and showered, realizing he’d better get started looking for her.
An hour later, he found Celeste sitting in front of a large, half empty box of donuts. Considering she was more than likely there to discipline Nate for his mistakes at the dance, she seemed relatively happy. Nate sat down and watched her systematically lick the chocolate frosting from her fingers one by one. Maybe the donuts were soothing to her, or maybe she was going to reassign Nate and she knew the struggle was over. Either way, her relaxed demeanor was a welcome change.
“Have one,” Celeste said with her mouth full, “they’re delicious.” Nate picked up a maple bar and placed it on a napkin in front of him. Celeste took another one out and started in on it. Nate couldn’t take the suspense anymore.
“I know you know about my disastrous date,” he began. “I also know that you know what a mess this assignment is turning into.”
Celeste let out a little chuckle. “Yeah, you are entertaining,” she said, uncharacteristically amused by his mishaps.
“You’re not mad?” He questioned.
“Naw, you were just trying to do the right thing…mmm…I just love these donuts.”
She paused and looked up toward the display counter as if she was trying to decide if she wanted some for the road before continuing.
“Besides, Kaelen’s protector failed and you saved his life, so the boss is happy.”
Nate’s eyes grew wide as he understood. “Kaelen and Hanna weren’t supposed to die, and I stepped in and saved them?”
“Yup,” she said. “That Kaelen kid, he’s going to build on the moon someday...but you did make a big mess letting Jennie wear that coat.”
Nate hung his head; so much for enjoying small victories.
Currently between donuts, Celeste began to eye the maple bar sitting on the napkin in front of Nate.
“Are you going to eat that?” she asked.
Recognizing that Celeste wasn’t really asking, he slid the napkin across the table and watched her attack the maple bar.
“What you need is a distraction,” she said, spitting tiny bits of donut as she spoke.
“Please finish your bite before you talk,” Nate complained. As soon as the words came out, he wished to take them back. She was his superior and she was Celeste, after all. Celeste shot him a withering glance before addressing him again.
“Do you want my help or not?” she asked. She looked a little irritated, but by now she’d accumulated quite a bit of chocolate and powdered sugar around her lips so it was hard for Nate to take her seriously.
“I do,” he said sincerely, trying not to focus on her messy mouth.
Celeste put what was left of the maple bar down and began tapping her long fingernails on the table as if she was thinking intently.
“How long does a gossip cycle last in high school?” She asked then answered her own question, “Maybe two weeks, give or take?”
Nate was quiet, wondering when or even if he should respond.
She continued, “We need to take you out of school for a few weeks, minimize the impact of what happened...make you
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