ThenJennifer Tetson comes into view, her back to me, and I sit up a little straighter.
Her ass in that skirt might make up for the last hour I’ve spent listening to kids sing off-key.Hell, that ass might be worthanotherhour of sappy patriotic songs and bad poetry.
She threads her way past a few more tables, my eyesgluedto her.I feel Captain Porter glaring at me again, but it’s way beyond my power to stop watching the way her hips move under her professional-but-tight skirt.
Plus, there’s somethingfamiliarabout her that I can’t put my finger on.
It’s just déjà vu, I think.How many times have you watched a hot girl walk across a room?
I’m not convincing, even to myself.
Jennifer, I think, trying to jog my memory.The name doesn’t ring a bell, but it’s not like I can remember every woman’s name, and I’vemetplenty of forest rangers in my line of work.
Then she reaches the microphone, says something to the mayor, and turns around.
My mouthactuallydrops open.
Holy shit, it’s Clementine.
For a moment I just blink at her.My mind goes blank with surprise.Then I manage to pull my mouth shut and start spinning through possibilities.
Did she change her name?I think.Does she have a twin?Separated at birth?What’s she doing here?She’s a forest ranger?
I’m fucking baffled.Not that she’s a forest ranger — that actually makes total sense — but I had no idea she washere.I had no idea her name was Jennifer now.
But I’m totally sure of one thing: that’sher.I know it with a bone-deep certainty that I can’t even explain, like the last eight years just peeled away and I’m about to walk her to class again.
She clears her throat and adjusts the microphone.Even from here I can tell she’s nervous.I guess she never got over her dislike of speaking in front of more than four people.
“Thanks, Barry,” she says, her voice high-pitched and tight, but the same as I remember.“Unfortunately, Jennifer was called away at the last minute, but I’m here on her behalf...”
Well, that explains that, at least.
Clementine goes on in her nervous voice, her light hazel eyes darting around the crowd.She’s saying something to us, but all I can think is: she gothot.
That’s not even accurate.
She gothotter.
Clementine was always hot, but she used to be secretly hot, her body hidden under a layer of sweaters and baggy cargo jeans.I could always tell how sexy she was — it’s a talent — but now it’s definitelynota secret.Not if her ass looks likethatin a skirt, and not with the way she’s looking out at the crowd with moss-colored eyes under deep brown bangs, even if she’s nervous.
She rambles a little, fiddling with the plaque in her hands, scanning the crowd.I may be twenty-six, and may not have seen her in almost a decade, but I feel like I’ve been knocked back to seventeen again, fucking around in chemistry class, trying to get the cute nerd to notice me.
I’ve gottenmuchbetter at women, by the way.I haven’t broken a beaker just so a girl would look at me in ages.
Her eyes sweep the crowd again, and suddenly she’s locked on to me.She trails off for a moment, and even though her face stays perfectly still, two things are obvious right away.
One, she recognizes me.
And two, she hadnoidea I was here.
She swallows once, and I have to fight the urge to start laughing, because this feels so strange, and weird, and more than anythingfamiliar.
I can’t help but smile at her.For a second, I’m certain she’s going to smile back, but then she snaps out of it, brushes her bangs out of her eyes, and starts talking again, even faster than before.
In a blur, she gives Porter the plaque.He says something nice.I can’t tear my eyes away from Clementine.People clap.
They both walk away, and even though I shouldn’t, I crane my head after her.
