Just as I drop my gaze to admire the ring, a rustling in the bushes nearby makes my heart skip a beat. We both frantically scan the trees for any sign of movement. All I see is a row of berry bushes, but that’s not the best sign because berries can be food for a lot of big animals—including bears. I can’t make anything out, but panicked inflections take over my voice. “Please say that’s a wild monkey.”
Axl slowly rises to his feet. “Sophie, we might need to leave.”
I ease off the hammock and reach for the keychain I have clipped to my belt loop with bear spray. “Next time you propose, can you check for bears first?” I whisper teasingly as we slowly back away from the hammock and grab our backpacks with minimal movement.
“I think we stick to the beach next time.” He raises a hand on the small of my back and guides me to the trail.
“Maybe your promise should have been how you weren’t going to let me get eaten by bears.” I struggle to hold a straight face.
“Oh, Soph.” He sighs, holding back a chuckle, but he pulls me even closer to him as we descend the trail together, putting distance between the bush and us. “You seem to forget the last time we got interrupted by a bush.” I raise a brow in silence, as he tacks on, “It turned out pretty well.”
“That it did.” I nod and link arms with Axl as we set back off on the trail, not quite sure where it is taking us, but I’m content to know we’ll always have each other, even if we have to buy a new hammock.
“Okay.” I sigh, as we are far enough away from the bush that I can’t see it anymore. “Can we stop for a moment?”
Axl halts fast, turning toward me. “Are you feeling all right?”
“Yeah, it’s nothing like that.” I wave dismissively. “I was thinking. Now that we’re engaged, we need to set some ground rules.”
“Is that so?” One corner of his lips curls into a mischievous smirk.
“It is so, and it’s not really a rule as much as it’s a pact,” I say, waiting to see the recognition flicker in his eyes. “The pact is to never go to bed, do anything, or go anywhere without kissing first, appropriately named the kiss-all-the-time, as-much-as-possible pact.”
His eyes sparkle all the hues of blue down on me, and he lowers his chin, stopping right before our lips meet. “Deal. Should we kiss on it?”
“We shall.” I nod and close my eyes, waiting for the pact to begin.
Dear Reader – Guess what? Rocco started as a villain in another book. I enjoyed writing him so much, I reused him for The Puck-er Up Pact. If you'd like to peek at his other cameo, please enjoy the following excerpt from No More Mr. Chai Guy, which is coming to Kindles September 12th, 2024, and already available for preorder.
North Newson
“I’m open!” My throat burns with hot breath as I emit a scream that formed from the bottom of my gut. I weave to dodge defensive player #22. Our star running back, Rocco Bella, hurls a long pass at me. I lunge forward, grappling for the football, barely staying upright, if not for the tips of my toes. Once I regain my footing, I’m gone.
Destination: endzone.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer’s voice ticks up in tension, running back #47, North Newson, has the ball, and he’s heading to the endzone!” The crowd rushes to their feet with fanatical screaming. I pump my legs faster while the announcer echoes over the speakers. “Forty yards, he’s going for it!”
I’m lightning, but my immediate goal is to be even faster. I dig in and pull as much speed as I can. This touchdown is all we need to take the lead, and we are down to two minutes on the clock. I don’t even want to think about the scout in the stands tonight who made it clear he was watching both Rocco and me. It’s both of our goals to play in the NFL, and winning this game could make both our dreams come true. “Thirty yards!”? theannouncer counts down, his voice on edge. The crowd becomes unhinged.
A linebacker’s behind me now. He’s so close, his breath puffs out in audible waves, which make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My chest drums out explosions, as my heart crawls into my throat and I top out my speed. I’m almost there. Twenty more yards.?
Cramps snake up my calves, begging me to slow down, but my mind is a tank, and I refuse to cave to any pain.
The linebacker finds a burst of speed, rushing my side, but I’m slick and weave to the side, dodging him. The crowd rumbles with so much noise, it’s as if the bleachers are about to collapse, and the ground is going to split open. The linebacker isn’t done, and he is back on my side again. There’s nowhere for me to go! I’m blazing forward and being run out of bounds.
There’s someone here!
A cheerleader in mid-cheer.
I frantically swipe my hand to push her out of the way, but she’s not paying attention andwham! We collide. I tumble over her, taking her with me, and we roll together off the field all the while the crowd is roaring.
When we finally stop turning, I steal my gaze forward.
I’m laying smack on top of Gia Bella.
Head cheerleader.
Prettiest girl in school.
