I turned to face both of them and then looked back at Margie. “Are you really going to let her talk to you like that? What a bitch.”
Margie started laughing. “Hearing you swear is weird, Emma Rose,” she said as we walked up to the concession stand. “Don’t worry about Anna. She has been after Garrett for some time, but he doesn’t want anything to do with her.”
I glanced over my shoulder and then straight ahead. The moment I saw Garrett, I sucked in a breath of air and stopped walking.
“What’s wrong?” Margie asked.
I tried to look away, but his eyes had caught mine. Then, he smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back. When I remembered what Anna had said, my smile vanished. Garrett looked confused at my sudden change of moods. I noticed Billy was also standing there, talking to another guy.
“Did Garrett really have sex with Anna?” I asked as I looked at Margie.
Her eyes widened, and she peeked over toward Garrett and then back at me. “Does it matter?” she asked.
Great. He did.
“To me, it does,” I said.
Margie took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Yes, he slept with her, but before you go judging him, Anna has slept with every guy she has ever laid eyes on.”
My heart dropped, and I looked back at Garrett. He was now talking to some brunette paper shaker. He threw his head back as he laughed, and my heart started beating faster as I balled my hands up into fists.
“Emma Rose? What is wrong? You look like you are ready to hurt someone,” Margie said, pulling me out of my moment of rage.
What is wrong with me? I shook my head and tried to smile. “Nothing is wrong at all. Shall we?” I motioned for her to walk ahead of me.
As we walked up to Garrett, Billy, and Wayne, they all stopped talking. They turned to face us, and they each grinned. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Garrett’s smile, but then he turned and kissed the paper shaker on the cheek. My heart stopped, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. When Garrett looked back at me, I shot him a dirty look before turning to look at Billy. He had a beautiful smile, and it made his green eyes brighten—but it didn’t have the same effect on me as stupid Garrett Mathews. I smiled at Billy as I stopped just in front of all three guys.
Margie grabbed my arm and turned me to a guy I’d never seen before. He was the tallest out of Billy, Garrett, and Wayne. He was built just a bit bigger than Garrett, who had muscles that made me weak in the knees. Farm boys were always built the best—or at least that was what Margie always said.
“Hey, Emma. How are you?” Garrett asked.
I gave him the dirtiest look I possibly could. “Fine.”
I turned to Billy and flashed him the sweetest smile. When he smiled back, it hit me. I was flirting with him just because I was mad at Garrett.
What are you doing, Emma?
Margie cleared her throat and turned me back toward the taller guy. “Emma, this is Raymond. Raymond, this is my cousin, Emma.”
I nodded my head and grinned. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Emma. Welcome to Mason,” he said as he gave me the biggest smile I’d ever seen.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s the best welcome I’ve gotten yet,” I said with a giggle.
“That’s my boyfriend—always so welcoming,” Peggy said as she jumped into Raymond’s arms.
When they began kissing, I had to look away, and the first thing I saw was Garrett staring at me. He gave me a weak smile, and when I didn’t return one, a confused look came over his face.
“So, what movie are we going to see?” Anna asked as she walked up to Garrett.
I couldn’t help but notice how Wayne moved himself in between Garrett and Anna, and a part of me was happy to see that Garrett clearly didn’t want to be around Anna.
Billy took a bite of popcorn. “Well, considering the only two movies playing are The King and I and Lady and the Tramp, I’m going with The King and I.”
I did a little hop. “Lady and the Tramp? I’ve been wanting to see that.”
Everyone turned and looked at me with their mouths dropped open—that was, everyone but Garrett. He was smiling that stupid smile at me. I didn’t want to, but I smiled back slightly before I looked away.
“Are you kidding?” Anna said. “You’re kidding, right?”
I just looked at everyone and gave a small smile.
“Sorry, I’m not watching a cartoon,” Anna said, grabbing Wayne’s hand and pulling him off toward his car.
Billy gave me a slight smile and said, “Yeah, I’m not watching a baby show.”
I glanced at Margie, who was just about to say something, when Garrett said, “I’ll watch it with you.”
My heart started beating faster as I asked, “Alone?”
He tried to hold back his smile, but he failed miserably. “I promise, I won’t bite.”
I thought about the girl he had just kissed a few minutes ago. “What about your little friend?” I asked, sounding like a total snob.
“What friend?” Garrett asked.
“Please,” I said as I faced Margie. “Marg…please?”
Margie rolled her eyes. “Fine, but I’m not going to enjoy it. Garrett, you want to go in my car or yours?”
Wait, why is he coming?
“Garrett can’t come!” I shouted out.
I looked at Billy and Garrett, and they exchanged a look. Garrett seemed devastated, and Billy seemed almost relieved.
“Why can’t Garrett come? He just said he would go see the movie with us,” Margie said.
Garrett took a few steps closer to us. “Yeah. Why can’t I go?”
The way he was looking at me was driving me insane. Why does my body react this way around him? I really don’t like him. I do not like him.
I squared off my shoulders and dug deep down inside. “You can’t go because I’m sure your little friend, the one you kissed earlier, would be upset that you’re watching a movie with two girls.” It was out of my mouth before I could even stop it.
Garrett looked totally confused before recognition crossed his face. “You mean Melanie?”
I didn’t say a word. I wanted to scream, Yes, the cheerleader, you idiot!
“The girl I kissed good-bye on the cheek? That’s my cousin, Melanie.”
I felt the heat move up my neck, across my cheeks, to my ears, and all the way up to my forehead. His cousin? I got jealous over his cousin? I can’t believe I got jealous at all.