I held my breath as I toured the BMW around the concrete island in the center of the Logan Lanes parking lot. Or what had once been Logan Lanes. 

The bowling alley had closed its doors four years ago and the roof had collapsed during a blizzard this past winter. Weeds pushed up through the cracks of the concrete parking lot and the far end had become a dumping ground for old tires, rusted-out cars, an ancient refrigerator, and various other oversized garbage items. 

It was an eye sore but a great deserted spot for a driving lesson.

"Good. See? You're getting it," Jared said, dripping his arm across the back of my seat.

I was already sweating from concentrating and driving under the rising sun, but the touch of his arm on the back of my neck doubled my body temperature.

Concentrate Cass. I told myself. Do not drive his car into a wall.

For the first half hour, all I had done was buck around and stall out. Now, for the first time, I had gone from first gear to second gear and from second gear to third gear with almost no stuttering.

"Now try slowing down," Jared said.

I eased up on the gas, putting the clutch to the floor, and downshifted into second. 

It took a moment for me to find the gear and we coasted, but then I found it and we lurched once as we slowed. 

"Oop. Sorry," I said.

"No. It's good," Jared said. "Another half hour of this and you'll be an old pro."

I glanced at the clock on the dashboard and shoved my foot down on the brake and clutch at the same time.

Jared flew forward, got caught by his seat belt, and bounced back.

"You definitely know how to stop," he muttered, rubbing his chest where the seat belt had squeezed him.

"Is that the right time?" I asked, my throat going dry.

Jared checked his apple watch. "Yeah, it's eleven fifteen. Why?"

Oh my god. Donna. She was going to kill me. She looked forward to this trip all year long and here I was more than an hour late.

"I told you this had to be a short lesson!" I wailed, throwing the car into first gear, then second, heading for the exit.

"You were the one who kept saying ten more minutes," Jared said. "Who knew you were such a perfectionist?"

"Oh, god. He was right. This was all my fault.

Between enjoying my time with him and loving the whole stick shift thing, I had subconsciously blocked out the fact that I was supposed to be hanging out with Donna. 

I paused at the edge of the parking lot, then pulled out onto Jones Road.

Jared glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. He looked a little skittish.

"What?" I asked, accelerating. 

"You're driving home? Out here on the actual road?" he asked.

My heart hit my throat and for a second I was practically sick with fear. What was I doing? I didn't know how to drive this thing.

I gripped the steering wheel with one hand, and the ball on top of the stick shift with the other. 

Okay, it was just the quiet streets of Lake Logan. I could not let Jared see me panic over something this simple.

"Yeah," I said with some effort. "You're Mr. I love danger, right? Well, hold on."

Jared studied me for a second, then laughed and leaned his head back in his seat. "I think I'm a good influence on you, Gracie."

I grinned at the compliment, but the irony of the statement wasn't lost on me.

Yeah, he had taught me how to drive a stick and I was, at that very moment, taking a bit of a risk. But my best friend was also sitting back at my house wondering where the hell I was. So was that a good influence or a bad one?

Maybe she hasn't been there that long, I thought as I turned onto Town Line Road.

After all, she hadn't even been up when I called Derek at nine-thirty. 

Maybe she had taken her time getting ready and had only arrived fifteen minutes ago. Yeah. That was a definite possibility. She probably wouldn't even be mad.

"Wow. You're a natural," Jared said as I downshifted and turned into the driveway at the ranch. I didn't signal but I also didn't buck as I accelerated. A girl could only concentrate on so many things at once.

"Thanks," I told him, pleased.

My smile disappeared, however, the second I saw Donna standing outside my house, her arms crossed over her chest. I watched her jaw drop as she glimpsed at me behind the wheel of the car.

I parked next to Donna's beat-up old Jetta and killed the engine, my heart pounding.

"Nice work!" Jared said.

I was about to respond when Donna strode around the front of the garage. She paused in front of the car and made a big show of checking her watch.

"Donna, I am so sorry," I said, getting out of the car.

"Where the heck have you been?" She asked. I've been waiting here for over half an hour."

"Jared showed up to teach me how to drive stick and I guess I lost track of time," I explained.

"Hi," Jared said uncertainly.

Donna shot him a withering look. "So what? You can't even call me?" she asked.

"Donna, I know I'm late, but come on. It's not that big of a deal," I said. "You're always late."

Donna balked. "Yeah, but that's part of my charm."

Jared laughed. "That's funny. I like her."

"I don't remember asking for your approval," Donna said flatly, narrowing her eyes at him.

Whoa. Where did that come from?

The other day she had been all psyched about me dating Jared and now she was biting his head off. 

Was my best friend going schizo on me? 

Jared raised his hands in surrender and clamped his mouth shut. Wise move.

"Look, I said I was sorry," I told her patiently. "Can't we just go now?"

"I don't really think I'm in the mood anymore," Donna said, pulling her keys out of her purse. She yanked open the door to the Jetta with a creak and plopped down on the seat.

"Donna," I said.

"I'll call you later," she told me.

Then she peeled out of there so quickly that I had to jump back to keep from having my feet flattened.

"Wow, two for two with Donna," Jared said, finally climbing out of the car. "Girls kinda got a temper, huh?"

I sighed and hugged myself. "She does love her drama."

I had expected Donna to be irritated, but not so irritated that she would call off the whole trip.

"I don't get it. We look forward to this shopping trip every year. I can't believe that she doesn't still want to go."

"It's me. I have this effect on girls." Jared said, matter-of-factly, leaning back against his car and putting his hands into his pockets. "They either love me or they hate me."

"I don't think she hates you," I said. Yesterday she was all ready to pick out her bridesmaid dress for our wedding in the Hamptons, I added silently. 

"Are you kidding? Did you see the way she just looked at me?"

I laughed. "Well, okay. Maybe she hated you right now. Like I said, she's dramatic."

Jared stood up straight and clapped his hands together. "Well, we're going to have to do something about this."

"Like what?" I asked. 

"Oh, I have a plan," He said in a self-satisfied way. "You just get Donna and meet me at the lake tomorrow morning. Bright and early. Eight o'clock."

"I can't," I said. "I have lessons tomorrow."

Not that I wanted to be there. It was Josh and Seth Locke again. Little monsters. Followed by another student, Olivia Watson, another child invader.

"Can't you get someone to cover for you?" Jared asked. "This is important."

"Why is it so important?" I asked him?

"Because I can't have your best friend hate me all summer," Jared said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "That could really put a cramp in... you know... everything." And then he blushed. He actually averted his gaze and blushed, Jared Kent.

I smiled slowly, unable to believe that I, Cassie Grace, had inspired Jared Kent to get all awkward and tongue-tied and flushed. There was going to be an "everything" this summer? How cool was that?

"Okay," I said. "I'll see what I can do."

*   *   *   *

Hello everyone!!!!

How did you like this chapter, I think I got it back up to the normal word count, so it should be a longer read. Anything for my lovely readers <3

Honestly, I didn't think that I was going to update tonight, but I just got to writing, and I couldn't stop, lol.

Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!!!!

Much love, Kylie <3