The Twelve Dates of Christmas Read Free

wild, luxurious hair. Even Cam had rolled his eyes the first time Bruce came out with that one. Then again, maybe he’d just call me “Sexy Lexi” and try to grope me—after all, everyone loves a classic.
    However, this time Bruce turned toward Allie. “Lookin’ good, Lin,” he said, tossing his too-long blond hair out of his eyes. “Wanna dance?”
    â€œSure!” Allie bounced out of her seat.
    I hid a smile. It was obvious that Alliewas so excited that her Crazy Legs Theory had finally worked, she’d forgotten all about another of her favorite theories: the Never Dance with Losers Theory.
    I watched as she and Bruce made their way over to a smooth spot on the beach where a few other couples were dancing. Allie immediately went from slapping mosquitoes to slapping Bruce’s hands away from everywhere they weren’t supposed to be.
    Just then I saw Cam coming toward me. I guess he’d finally noticed the romantic mood. Or maybe he’d just seen me sitting alone and his Mr. Nice Guy side had kicked in automatically.
    â€œHey,” he said, sitting down on the log beside me.
    â€œHey back,” I replied, taking in that familiar sweet, handsome, square-jawed face, and his kind eyes and broad shoulders. Maybe Allie was right. Maybe I was silly to question being with a guy like that. I put my hand on his knee and squeezed, figuring a little romantic moment of our own might help chase the anxious thoughts away. “Having a nice time tonight?”
    â€œSure.” Cam smiled, but he looked kindof distracted. He glanced around. “Hey, did you meet that guy Mike from Dornerville? Tall guy in the red T-shirt? I was talking to him a few minutes ago, and it turns out his mom works at the financial aid office at the campus over there. He thinks she can put in a word for me. Nice of him, huh?”
    That brought me back to earth with a thud. Cam wasn’t really the ambitious type. He seemed perfectly content to attend the nearest state university satellite campus to study culinary arts and business. He expected to use that education to get a job as an assistant chef somewhere, with the idea of someday opening his own restaurant right there in Claus Lake. We didn’t talk about it much, but I hadn’t been able to miss the fact that those plans didn’t mesh too well with my own big-career, big-city dreams.
    Cam finally seemed to notice my hand on his knee. He covered it with his own hand, rubbing my palm with his thumb.
    â€œBut listen,” he said softly, wrapping his free arm around me and pulling me closer, “why worry about school on our last night of freedom, right?”
    I did my best to push aside my worriesonce again. The future wasn’t here yet. Maybe I could wait one more night to worry about it.
    â€œUh-huh.” I turned and swung my legs over his lap, then leaned closer. My shoulder fit into the crook of his arm in its usual familiar way, and I could smell mint on his breath as his lips found mine.
    The sound of squealing tires interrupted our kiss. I pulled back and glanced over Cam’s shoulder toward the parking lot.
    â€œHey,” I said in surprise, recognizing the car that had just peeled in and screeched to a zigzaggy stop across a couple of empty spaces. “Looks like Nick came after all.”
    That was unexpected. My cousin’s girlfriend was a year older than the rest of us, and she was leaving for the University of Michigan the next day. Nick had spent the whole past week planning a big, romantic night that was supposed to tide them over until the first weekend visit.
    But now here he was, climbing out of his car with his sandy hair standing on end and his polo shirt askew. Even in the dim light of the crescent moon and the fading bonfire, I could tell from his face that something was wrong.
    Cam had turned to look by now too. “Whoa, he looks upset.” Gently shoving me off his lap, he stood up and