Competing With the Star (Star #2) Read online

  “Oh…I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, it kind of sucks. He has Lewy body dementia. He was fine until he went in for hip replacement surgery and had a reaction or whatever to the anesthesia. He’s been in the home ever since. He and I used to do a lot together—we’d watch the Tigers games together and if they weren’t on TV, he had this radio and we’d listen to the games on there. He even got that satellite radio in his car and we’d drive around listening to the Tigers.” Nick smiled and then cleared his throat again. “But now he can’t drive or walk really—Lewy body gives you kind of a Parkinson’s. He’s in a wheelchair now and…I just miss the old days, you know?”

  I nodded. “I haven’t gone through anything similar, but that must be hard.”

  “Yeah, it’s especially hard when you don’t know if he remembered the last time you were there. So far he’s recognized me every time, but my mom says a few times she wasn’t sure if he knew who she was.”

  “I’m sure he does, but even if he doesn’t remember after you leave, at least he had that nice moment with you while you were there with him. That has to make him feel good.”

  Nick’s eyes got watery.

  “Even if it’s just for a moment, it still matters. It still counts,” I said, putting my hand over his.

  He looked at me and nodded. “Thanks for saying that.”

  I squeezed his hand.

  “Um, do you want to walk out to the lighthouse?” he asked. “Pretty soon it’s going to be way too cold and windy for that.”

  I knew he wanted to compose himself a bit, so I nodded. Plus, it would be kind of romantic to walk on the pier with him. We started to head toward the boardwalk when he stopped me.

  “Hey, seriously, thanks for understanding. Not everyone does and not everyone wants to hear about it or can handle it. It means a lot to me that you said what you did,” he said, and then he leaned over and kissed me.

  When he pulled back, I half expected to hear violins playing, but nope, just a seagull swooping down to pick up a piece of discarded popcorn. Still, that had to be one of the top moments in my life—even better than the time Asia and I saw our favorite singer, Jack Brogger, in person when we went to Saugatuck.

  “Come on,” he said, slipping his hand into mine. “You know, I thought it would be nicer if our first date was more traditional—the dinner and a movie type thing—but I know you said you weren’t sure if your parents would be cool with that.”

  “Yeah, I want to let them get comfortable with the idea first. They know my grandpa likes you, so I think they’ll be okay with it down the road. They just need to be eased in.” I laughed.

  I didn’t want to add that I had never dated anyone seriously before so my parents were kind of thrown by the whole boyfriend idea. There had been a guy named Will who sometimes came around, but I wasn’t serious about him. I had heard my dad asking my Aunt Faith if she thought it was okay I had a boyfriend. Luckily, Aunt Faith was awesome and she said, “That’s what girls do at that age. She’s a sophomore.”

  “My mom always said she wanted me to wait until I was sixteen to date, but my birthday is coming up soon and I didn’t want to push it, but I knew she’d be okay with this.”

  Actually, she had wanted us to do a group date, but Grandpa told her Nick was a “nice kid,” so she relented. Little did she know this would start out as a group date. Stupid Morgan.

  “When is your birthday?” he asked.

  “Almost two months from now.”

  “Nice. Are you going to do a big party or something?”

  I hadn’t decided. Watson High School was pretty small, and to be honest, I didn’t know what sixteen-year-olds did here for their birthdays. I didn’t want to plan a party and not know what was expected and have it be super lame. In Goodacre, people just had their friends over and they watched movies and played ping pong in someone’s basement and maybe someone snuck in beer—depending on whose party it was. Lexi and I used to ask for gift certificates for our birthdays and do big mall trips. The Detroit suburbs had the best shopping and we would have so much fun. Thinking about how Lexi had pretty much ghosted out of my life once she moved to Dallas made me feel queasy.

  “What’s wrong?” Nick asked.

  “Nothing, just thinking about my old best friend. I always assumed she and I would celebrate my sixteenth birthday together. We used to do everything with one another.”

  He nodded. “Do you guys still talk a lot?”

  I shrugged. Lexi would like a pic here and there on my social media sites, but that was about it. It used to be non-stop texts and now I couldn’t remember the last one I had gotten from her.

  “So what did you do on your sixteenth birthday?” I asked.

  He turned and looked straight ahead at the water. “Well, Grandpa had planned it out way in advance that we were going to drive to Detroit for the weekend and see a Tigers game together. But then he had his surgery a few months before, so…” Nick shrugged.

  “Oh, wow. Sorry,” I said, mentally kicking myself for bringing it up.

  “Nah, you didn’t know. My dad offered to go with me, but it wouldn’t have been the same. Grandpa had talked about it for months before, so on that day we watched the game together at the nursing home and my mom brought a cake. Probably sounds lame, huh?”

  “I think it sounds sweet.”

  “I just thought, at least I’m getting to spend my birthday with my grandpa, you know?” he said. “I bet guys at your old school did way cooler stuff—probably had big blowout parties or something, right?”

  Yeah, as if I would have been invited to those. Even if I had been the kind of girl who got asked to those kinds of parties, I’d much rather date a guy who’d give up beer pong or whatever to spend his birthday with his grandpa.

  “Are you going to dump me for being boring?” he said. I laughed and then I saw his expression and realized he was serious.

  “No, of course not. What kind of person do you think I am?” I wanted to say, “Who do you think I am? Morgan?” But he still thought she was a halfway decent human being and I didn’t want to look catty.

  “I dunno,” he said. “I just assumed all those Detroit guys must be way more mature or something. I mean, you guys have all the sports teams and concerts and stuff over on your side of the state. Must be a lot more exciting stuff to do over there.”

  “Well, the shopping is awesome over there and I did love going to games, but my actual hometown was a smaller suburb. I liked it, but you can’t beat this view,” I said, pointing to the lake.

  “So you don’t miss it? Or anyone back home?”

  “Who? Lexi’s in Dallas now.”

  He shifted. “I dunno, some guy or somebody you used to date.”

  I shook my head.

  “You know, I heard you guys ran into Jack Brogger a couple weeks ago. How can I compare to that?” He asked.

  I tried to hide my embarrassed smile. Everyone teased me about my insane crush on Jack and I had no idea Nick knew about all of that.

  “Jack’s cute, but…”

  “Don’t even tell me he’s not your type. I heard all about your love for him from Asia and Simone.”

  My face was getting so warm now. “I admit I do like him a lot, but you know…”

  “What? He’s not here, so you’re stuck with me until he comes back to town?”

  “My type is someone who is sweet and someone I can talk to about anything. I think Jack’s more into the club scene. From what I’ve read anyway,” I said, not sharing that I had Jack’s name on a Google Alert so any mention of his name came across my radar—or my phone to be more accurate.

  “Sweet? Usually that’s what girls say before they tell you there will be no second date and then you enter the friend zone,” Nick said.

  “Nope, I’m a girl who appreciates the sweet guys. I’d much rather go out with a guy who’d spend his sixteenth birthday with his grandpa than a guy who would take me to a big concert or a club,” I said. “I’d pick the th
oughtful guy every time.”

  Nick stopped walking and looked at me. “You know, I don’t tell a lot of people about everything that’s going on with my grandpa. It’s been so hard to watch his decline—his life changed overnight with that stupid surgery. I run into Pilar at the home a lot and she’s never once asked what’s going on. Maybe she doesn’t want to be nosy—I dunno. But you’re the first person I’ve shared all that stuff with.”

  I smiled. “I’m glad you did.”

  “Me too,” he said, and kissed me. Okay, this was officially the perfect first date.

  We walked to the end of the pier and he put his arm around me. “You know, forget what I said about the fancy dinner thing. I think this was seriously the best first date ever,” he said.

  “That’s what I was thinking.”

  “You didn’t even ask me to take a selfie with you,” he said. “Simone and Morgan and those girls are always taking so many selfies here on the pier, I’m not even sure they notice the water around them.”

  “I got caught up in the moment and forgot all about taking pictures,” I said. “But would it be lame if we took one? I feel if we don’t, this moment didn’t happen.”

  He started to laugh. “Okay, sure. That’s what I like about you. You were in the moment and not just posting crap online so all your friends could see it.”

  “Yeah, but that’s what everyone does.”

  “Exactly, and I like that you’re not just like everybody else.”

  He leaned in close and I took the picture.

  “We better head back. Your parents will never let you go out with me again if I get you home late on a school night,” he said.

  We headed back to my house and my dad and grandpa were in the garage looking at Dad’s car. Nick and I exchanged glances.

  “Okay, so I guess we just say good night here and I’ll text you later,” he said.

  “Yeah, I guess so.” The perfect good night kiss was out of the question, but it had been an amazing night.

  “See ya tomorrow,” he said.

  I went inside and tried to hide the fact that I wanted to do jumpy claps.

  Chapter Three

  “So, how was it?” Grandma asked as soon as I walked into the kitchen. “What did you do? Where did you go?”

  “It was fine. Very…nice.”

  She pursed her lips. “Where did you go?”

  My mother and Aunt Faith exchanged a look.

  “We got ice cream with some friends. Then walked down to the lighthouse.”

  “So what is all of this with him? What’s this all about? Are you boyfriend and girlfriend, do they call it going steady now? What is this?”

  “Mom!” Aunt Faith said. “Give her some breathing room.”

  “Yeah, we’re going out,” I said.

  “Is he your boyfriend or what, Hadley?” Grandma asked.

  Well, Nick had said it was official when he asked me out a week ago, but he had been sort of joking. But he did call himself my boyfriend that day…but to be honest, I wouldn’t refer to myself as his girlfriend until he said it once more—and in public. I didn’t want to look stupid and desperate after all. I felt as if we were on the same page, but I was the kind of person who needed confirmation on something that big.

  “Pretty much. We took a picture. Want to see?” I asked, trying to take the focus off Grandma’s rapid fire questioning.

  The three of them crowded around me to see the picture.

  “Oh wow, Hadley, you are blushing!” Mom said.

  “No, my face is just red from…the wind or whatever.”

  “Leave her alone. It’s a cute picture, hon,” Aunt Faith said, winking at me.

  “Thanks. I’m going to my room to finish my homework,” I said.

  I started to walk upstairs and Aunt Faith came over to me.

  “It is an adorable picture. You guys look sweet together.”

  “Thanks, but I am a blushing weirdo in it.” I made a face.

  “I do that too when I’m around a guy I like. Yeah, even at my age,” she said, laughing. “Just use the app that lets you change the tone before you post it. That’s what I do.”

  “You’re the best,” I said.

  I messed with the color of the picture and thought about making my light brown/dishwater colored hair a little brighter, but decided to leave it natural. Then I cropped the picture, but began to worry about posting it. What if Nick thought I was being too forward putting it online? Like I was staking my claim—like how dogs peed on fire hydrants to mark their territory. I didn’t want to look desperate.

  My phone buzzed with a text and I jumped. It was from Nick.

  Nick: Had a great time tonight.

  Me: Same here.

  Nick: You didn’t post the picture yet. Did it turn out okay?

  Oh my gosh, he checked?

  Me: Yeah, it’s fine. I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to post it or not.

  Nick: Of course, unless you’re ashamed of me. Or you don’t want Jack Brogger to know you’re cheating on him.

  Me: That’s it. I was trying to keep it from Jack. ;)

  Nick: I knew it. I knew I was the side guy.

  Me: How do you know he’s not the side guy?

  Nick: How about I just be the ONLY guy? ;)

  My heart shot up into my throat. I did a screen shot of that in case my phone went on the fritz and I lost that moment forever.

  Nick: Hadley, you still there?

  No, I’m too busy documenting the fact that you actually like me to respond to your sweet message.

  Me: Yup, just dropped my phone on the floor. That works for me.

  Nick: You sure?

  Me: Jack who?

  Nick: That’s what I like to hear. :) So are you going to post the picture? If you don’t want to…that’s cool. But can you send it to my phone?

  He wanted a copy of our picture together. Too perfect. He was just too perfect.

  Me: Sure. I’m going to post it too.

  Should I ask him if I should tag him in it? Would that be weird?

  Nick: Cool, tag me in it.

  Me: Sure, no prob.

  Nick: I gotta go. My dad needs me. Oh, and since we didn’t get a chance before…

  And then he put a couple smooching smiley faces.

  I posted some back and then fell back on my pillows. I swear this was almost better than dating Jack.

  Chapter Four

  The next day at school, I sat down at my usual table in the cafeteria with Charlotte, Simone, and Asia.

  “So how was your big date with Nick?” Asia asked.

  “Perfect. He was so sweet and we went for a walk down—”

  “Did anybody get the page numbers we’re supposed to read for English lit?” Simone said.

  Asia frowned at her. “I’ll tell you later. I want to hear this. So where’d you guys go, Hadley?”

  “I’ll tell you,” Simone said. “Long story short, they had ice cream with us and then ditched us to go pick up something for Nick’s mom and that was the gist of it. Not exactly anything Life and Style magazine would put in its pages. Anyway, back to English—”

  “Since when do you care about English class?” Asia asked her. “Now shut up and let her finish.”

  I had no idea what Simone’s issue was and why she kept cutting me off. Was she mad we left them at Scoops?

  “It was no big deal. We just went for a walk on the pier and talked,” I said.

  “Sounds romantic,” Charlotte said.

  “What did you guys talk about?” Asia asked.

  “Geez, nosy much?” Simone asked.

  Asia looked at me, her big brown eyes wide. “Am I being nosy? Morgan tells me I have boundary issues, but I always want to know everything going on with my friends.”

  I shook my head. “You’re fine. We just got to know each other better and talked about family stuff. That sort of thing.”

  I didn’t want to reveal everything he told me about his grandfather. That was personal
and I could tell it took a lot for him to open up about that, so I was not about to blab it all to my friends. However, I could show them the picture we took.

  “Check out the photo,” I said, holding out my phone.

  “Already saw on it on your page,” Simone said, and she crammed a french fry in her mouth.

  Asia reached over to take my phone.

  “Dude, what gives? Talk about boundary issues. You are all up in my personal space,” Simone said, pushing Asia’s arm away.

  “What’s your deal today? Are you PMSing? You’re being super annoying,” Asia said.

  “Whatever. Anyway, you already saw the photo. She posted it last night.”

  “Yeah, the cropped one. This is the full shot.”

  Charlotte and I exchanged nervous glances. Was Simone mad at Asia, or was she annoyed I was talking about Nick too much? I never wanted to be the girl who just went on and on about the guy she liked—that did get super annoying. But I didn’t think I was doing that…was I?

  “So what did you guys think of the biology quiz?” Charlotte asked. “I think I bombed it.”

  Simone went on about how “bombing it” for Charlotte probably meant a regular A instead of an A+. The three of them laughed, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

  After lunch, I stopped by my locker to get a book when I heard Asia ask Simone if she was mad at her.

  “Not even,” Simone said, and hugged her. “So what do you want to do this weekend? I’m thinking girls’ night out.”

  I wondered who this girls’ night would involve. Would it be Simone’s usual crew with Morgan, Pilar, Reagan, and Asia, or would Charlotte and I factor in at all?

  I walked into class and Simone was all smiles. “Hadley, hurry up.”

  She moved her stuff over so I could put my bag down.