“And boys drool,” Tess finishes.
They high-five, and Tessa whispers something in her ear. Vivian’s eyes light up, and she hops out of Tessa’s arms, barreling toward the door, leaving me with my sneaky, glitter-eyed eavesdropper.
“What did you say to her?” I ask.
She glances at the back door. “I told her that Uncle Beck was taking her to get milkshakes for everyone.” Her soft laugh settles me in every way. “It was a lie, but he can’t say no to her.”
“Kind of like how I can’t say no to you?” I mutter.
Tessa rolls her eyes and then looks at the trunk of the tree.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” I ask. “Get up here.”
She peers behind her and then back to me.
I cock an eyebrow with a silent challenge and watch her walk over to the tree with a grin plastered on my face.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
TESSA
“Keep your hands to yourself,”I warn, taking hold of his hand.
He hauls me toward the branch, and I straddle it before scooting back against the trunk.
“I’m serious,” I add. “My parents have cameras.”
Rome leans forward to look through the tree branches. “They do? Where?”
“Worried I’ll watch it and overhear all the secrets you told Vivian?”
Those soul-crushing blue eyes shift to me. “As if you didn’t already hear them?”
My cheeks heat, so I turn away to play it off. “What are you talking about?”
Rome snorts out a laugh. “You’re a terrible liar, Princess.”
I cross my arms. “I hate when you call me that.”
Without looking up at him, I know he’s staring at me. Each time his eyes scan me up and down, it’s like a trail of flames brush against my skin.
“See?” His voice drops. “Terrible liar.”
I nibble on the inside of my cheek and stare at the pieces of bark chipping away from the tree.
“Was that true?” I ask. “Everything you said to her?”
I spread my fingers along the branch, the splintered parts cutting into my palm. My heart anxiously beats, waiting for his answer, like I’m afraid he’s going to lie.
“I may be an arrow, but I’m not a liar. Of course it was true.”
My lips twitch, a beg for me to laugh, but I don’t because my next question blurts out too quickly. “Even the part about you caring about more than just racing?”
This time, I can’t help but look at him. His head tilts, the setting sun painting a glare on the side of his face.
“A month ago?” He turns away with a shake of his head. “I would have said no. The only thought in my head aside from tormenting you was winning the cup and beating the shit out of my dad’s team.”
I huff out a laugh. “Kind of like how the only thought in my head, aside from not being able to stand you, was proving myself as a female engineer in a male-dominated industry.”
