You Don't Know Me by Susan May Warren Read Free Book Online Page A

three years ago. Nevertheless, Tuck opened the catalog, checking out the new equipment for the season. Rusty settled into a rumble of pleasure on his lap.
    What he wouldn’t give for a Burton Nug. His board was heavy and longer, and by the looks of the Nug, he could get by with a 142, cut down from his 150. And with the V-Rocker reverse camber, jumper cable suspension, and frostbite edges, it could still perform in every condition—through the woods, in spins, jumps, boxes. He could probably land in the Sugar Ridge Free Boarding finals with it.
    And it cost a mere $400.
    He closed the catalog. Picked up Rusty around the shoulders. The cat stretched out his body, yawning. “Who am I kidding? I’ll probably spend my whole life here, busing tables, shoveling, and taking out the trash at the Sugar Ridge Resort for $7.25 an hour.”
    It wasn’t like his grades were going to land him any scholarships. Reading gave him the most trouble—he just couldn’t figure out the words. The letters lifted off the page and rearranged themselves. He’d rather skip class than read aloud.
    They’d probably keep him in high school until he hit thirty.
    No, he’d drop out long before then.
    He set the cat on the floor, and Rusty curled around his legs. Tuck tried not to accidentally kick him as he returned to the stove and poured in the macaroni. The water bubbled up, then flowed over the side onto the white cooktop.
    He turned down the heat a little, stirred, and dropped a lid onto the pot.
    Then he pulled the dishes out of the sink, stacking them on the side so he could fill it with hot water, and let Colleen tiptoe into his head.
    He’d caught her today practicing her serve in the gym, her blonde hair pulled into a long, beautiful tail, her blue eyes like the sky on a crisp winter day. They could hold him captive, make him forget his name.
    Just like that day when he’d seen her watching one of his competitions. It took him a full eight months to ask her out. But who could blame him? She was a Decker.
    Colleen had stopped her warm-up this afternoon to run over to him. He’d plucked the volleyball from her arms, twirled it on his finger.
    She snatched it away. “Show-off.”
    He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to himself as he leaned against the wall. “This is showing off.” Then he ducked his head and kissed her.
    He’d kissed his share of girls—after all, he was a senior—but none of them like Colleen. She tasted like pure sunshine, and kissing her made his entire body feel golden. She wound her arms around his neck and leaned into him.
    The memory of Mrs. Decker catching them at the park on Tuesday had vanished.
    Colleen broke away, and he nuzzled her neck, drew in her smell—something floral lingering on her skin—then landed a kiss by her ear. “You’re going to annihilate them tonight.”
    Biting her lip, she glanced at the door to the locker room. “Technically we don’t have to be in warm-ups for another twenty minutes. Wanna drive me downtown for coffee?”
    He considered her. “Are you sure?”
    She nodded. Smiled.
    “Let’s go.”
    He’d parked out back by the gym doors, and since she didn’tbother to grab her jacket, he turned the heat on as soon as he fired up his ancient soft-top Jeep.
    “I heard that it’s already snowing in Montana,” Tuck said as he pulled out of the lot. “What I wouldn’t give to be on the slopes.”
    They drove to the Java Cup and were pulling in when she put a hand on his arm. “Wait. There’s my mom’s SUV.”
    He scanned the coffee shop but couldn’t see Mrs. Decker through any of the front windows.
    “I don’t need coffee,” Colleen said, stiffening.
    He frowned. “Just because your mother is here? Listen, Colleen, I know she freaked you out when she caught us kissing—”
    “My mother is paranoid I’m going to get pregnant or something. Wreck my life.”
    “With me.” He hadn’t wanted it to leak out quite like that. It sounded a little too