The Promises We Keep (Made for Love Book 1) Read Free

you like him, ” argues Addie.
    “ He practically stamped I like you back on his forehead at your concert, ” says Sarah, plucking a thin, loose knit, sweater from a hanger. “ He wore slacks and a collared shirt, ” she insists, pulling the garment in her hands over my head. “ He dressed up for you, ” she adds, as if her previous statement needs clarification. She sweeps my hair out from underneath the collar and it falls down my back. “ He ’ s shy, ” she explains.
    “ No — see, that is the biggest hole in your entire argument. He ’ s the star quarterback! He ’ s one of the most well known people on campus — where thousands upon thousands of people attend school — he is not shy, ” I say with a laugh.
    “ You look adorable, Ave, ” says my sister, guiding me toward her full length mirror. “ How could he not be shy around you? ”
    A knock sounds at the door and, for a moment, we all fall silent. “ They ’ re early, ” I announce.
    “ Go let them in, ” says Addie. “ I just need a couple more minutes to finish drying my hair. ”
    “ And I have to get back in the kitchen. Besides, we all know who Gray would prefer to open that door. ”
    I shake my head as they giggle and then make my way out to let our guests in. Despite the fact that I know who stands just outside, my breath catches in my throat at the sight of him.
    He ’ s tall. Very tall. Quarterback tall. So tall that I sometimes add that to the list of reasons why I ’ m in the friend zone. I mean, I wouldn ’ t want to date someone who was more than a foot shorter than me, either. In fact, his height was one of the reasons why it originally surprised me that I was so attracted to him. Hammy is tall, too — who isn ’ t, compared to Addie and me? — but Sonny ’ s even got him beat by three inches. He ’ s practically a giant and I ’ m like a squeaky toy in comparison.
    Then there ’ s his hair. I never thought that I would like a guy with long hair … but it ’ s so pretty . I ’ ve not seen such a beautiful shade of auburn on anyone else in my life. His intensely wavy locks are a rich red color so deep and burnt that it ’ s almost brown, but it ’ s not. It hangs loose down to his shoulders and I can ’ t deny that I ’ ve often daydreamed of sinking my fingers into it — but I have great self control.
    Unlike most red heads, his skin isn ’ t pasty or pale. He tans beautifully in the summer and the fall, as he trains with the rest of the football team. Instead of being covered in freckles, he ’ s only got a few that sprinkle their way across his nose. I swear, God took His time on this one.
    His broad shoulders and toned arms are not too overwhelming, but just big enough to speak of his strength; and when he hugs me — my Lord — his chest is like the warmest, safest place my body has ever known. Yes, that ’ s right, his chest is its own destination.
    When he smiles at me, his true green eyes sparkle and his barely-there-dimples make my knees weak. He ’ s wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of jeans that fit low on his hips. He looks amazing and I can ’ t seem to stop staring.
    Get it together, Avery. He ’ s not interested, remember? Say hello to the man — Sonny, your friend!

    She slays me.
    When she opens the door, the effect she has on me is comparable to being sacked on the football field — no joke. Every time I see her, whether the time lapse is a day, a week, or five minutes, it ’ s the same. She ’ s just so freaking beautiful.
    She ’ s identical to my best friend ’ s girl. They ’ ve got some crazy attractive combination of ethnicities happening, making them both unique and worthy of a double take. I think their dad is a mix between African American and some sort of French Canadian background, while their mom is of Pacific Islander decent. Avery always says that their mother is to thank for her long black hair. I do her one better and thank God for their mother, their