Page 8 of About That Pact

“What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting down on the empty rocker next to her.

If there was anyone who would listen to her, it was him. Plus, he wouldn’t tell her parents. He was good at keeping secrets.

“Have you ever kissed anyone?” She went right for it.

His eyes widened. “You’re worried about who I’m kissing?”

“As if!” Charlotte adamantly denied. Though, now she was curious if he was kissing someone. “Everyone at school has already had their first kiss and it’s all they want to talk about. And I’m not talking cheek kisses—I’m talking the real thing, like you can count to ten and you’re still kissing. On the lips. Everyone is doing it, and I didn’t know it was even a thing we were considering.”

Rafe clenched his fists and began pacing in front of her. His worried look was long gone. In its place was anger.

Maybe he hadn’t kissed anyone yet either and was mad sixth graders had beaten him to it. His tone was stern when he stopped marching. “It’s not something you should be considering. You’re eleven.”

“Twelve in three days,” she reminded him, needing him to remember that he would then only two years older than her. Well…until September when he turned fifteen. “What if I never get kissed? Everyone will be way past a regular kiss and on to making out with a tongue in their mouth that isn’t theirs, and I’ll be the weird girl who hasn’t kissed anyone! I don’t want to be a weird girl.”

He didn’t tease her, and she was grateful. Instead, he placed his hand in hers. “Let’s make a pact. If you still haven’t had your first kiss by your thirteenth birthday, I’ll do it.”

This gave her butterflies. It had to be because of getting her first kiss—not because it was Rafe.

“A whole year? You’ll have to make out with me at that point.”

“You’ll get your first kiss, but we are not making out.”

Having Rafe as her first kiss wasn’t a bad option. If she didn’t have a boyfriend in seventh grade, she could always rely on Rafe. “Okay, yes, this works. It takes off the pressure of kissing someone just because. Thank you, Rafe.”

With energy that matched Anna, Charlotte hopped back inside her house.

She was sure she would get a kiss before her thirteenth birthday. And if not, she always had her pact with Rafe.

Chapter 4

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND came around, and Charlotte stood in front of her closet with no idea what to wear. Later in the night, she was meeting her girlfriends at the swanky Cityscape Bar for drinks, but in approximately two hours, she was expected at her parents’ house for a barbeque.

Nothing she owned cosplayed for cheeseburgers and beer during the day and transformed into an outfit for finger food and champagne at night. After spending way too much time deliberating, she threw on red shorts and a white t-shirt, then packed a bag with her makeup and another outfit to change in to before she met her friends. She wouldn’t have enough time to come back home to change and didn’t want to risk being late. The sooner she saw her friends, the earlier she could leave.

Even to herself, she sounded like a party pooper. Sure, she was off on Monday, but the idea of sleeping in without a hangover sounded amazing.

She drove up to her childhood home, finding people playing cornhole in the front yard. This would have made her happy, but she had to circle the block twice to find somewhere to park. She needed to start requesting a reserved spot.

When she got inside her parents’ house, she immediately found her mom talking to her best friends. All Charlotte’s life, these women and their families, had been an extension of her own. It was the reason for the ‘family’ vacations every year. Trying to remember a celebration or function without them was nearly impossible.

“Charlotte, honey, come give me a hug,” Ashley demanded of her. She was Rafe’s mother, and despite that affiliation, Charlotte adored her.

“Me first,” Natalie said, pulling Charlotte in. “You all get to see your kids whenever you want. My only child lives in New York. The least you can do is let me hug our Char first.”

Another friend, Lacy, hip-tapped Natalie. “Oh, how we forget my son lives in London.”

Charlotte squeezed them both. “I know you guys miss Nate and Oliver. I can be your fill-in kid whenever you want.”

“I’m going to take you up on that,” Natalie warned her in jest.

Ashley didn’t waste a second and grabbed Charlotte next. Holding each other’s hands, Ashley started talking. “Stop hogging her. Francesco and I cannot wait for the big Vegas trip. We’re thinking about renewing our vows just for fun. I wish all my kids could make it, but Gabriella isn’t sure yet. All of us on vacation together never happens anymore—not since you were all children.”

Charlotte gave Ashley another hug. “Not everyone can take a week off at the same time, you know.”

“Oh, shush! We ask one thing from our kids. How hard could it be?”

“You’d think we were asking for a kidney donation or something.” Lacy had a quick comeback. “And we’re going to Vegas, not camping again.”