The minute Tyler walked into the school store on Friday morning, Melaney slipped him my note. Here are some ideas for new inventory. Let me know what you think a.s.a.p.

To confuse Mimi's spies, Melaney had also written INVENTORY IDEAS on the outside of the folded note. On the inside, I had listed several miscellaneous items and the secret message: The order is due: Thursday, September 10th at 4:00. Translated, it meant that was the date I could sneak to Tyler's house. 

Tyler grinned as he read the note. "These are great! Everyone will buy the cartoon-character flash drives to store their research papers. I want a Speedy Gonzales." He gazed into my eyes for several seconds and then said, "I can't wait to place this order."

Me either!

The rest of the morning was pretty much a blur. I couldn't stop smiling. Every time I saw Tyler, my heart raced in anticipation of Thursday.

In celebration of my future meeting with the one and only Tyler Price, I did cartwheels across the football field during gym class, not caring who saw me.

The weather was perfect: the sun shining, a cool breeze blowing. What more could a girl ask for? I ran around the track faster than Speedy Gonzales. Nothing could stop me. Not even Mimi, who must've been absent. I hadn't seen her all morning.

At lunch, I was too happy to eat. I kept staring at Tyler out of the corner of my eye, trying not to be too obvious.

"Jasmine!" Melaney shouted.

"Huh?" I tore my gaze off of Tyler and tried to focus on Melaney's words.

"I've called your name like ten times."

I tugged on my ear lobe. "Sorry. What was the question?"

"Are your chicken nuggets okay? Emily says they taste funny."

I took a bite. "They taste the same to me."

"Yuck! How can you eat these things every day?" Emily asked, disgust evident in her tone. 

"I guess I've built up an immunity," I explained, dipping a nugget in barbeque sauce. "The sauce helps disguise the actual taste of the chicken."

Emily and Melaney stood up to throw away their uneaten food and return their trays. I disposed of mine too. 

On our way to our lockers, we saw Mimi hanging all over a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy in the hallway. Mimi finally found new prey to sink her claws into, and Tyler was free at last! 

September 10th couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

I didn't have butterflies in my stomach. I had bumper cars! Way beyond nervous about stepping foot into the Price mansion for the first time, I stared in awe at the two-story fortress with stone-covered walls, white-trimmed windows, and four white pillars surrounding the impressive front doors in a semi-circle. I'd been dreaming about this day for so long.

Taking deep breaths, I trekked up the hill. The rich scent of the rose bushes on each side of the lane helped calm my nerves. I knocked on the less intimidating side door, which Tyler soon opened. "You made it."

"I was able to escape from The Rents, but I can't stay very long. You said you had something to show me."

"Yes. It's in my father's study."

He led me down a portrait-covered hallway to a large room filled floor to ceiling with book shelves on three walls and windows on the fourth. A large, polished cherry desk stood in front of the windows and held a white tri-fold poster board with a map of the western United States taped to it. Tiny red pins marked the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and the other places I told Tyler I wanted to visit. Brochures for each destination were beside the map. I was impressed. Tyler had remembered every one I had mentioned on our first date.

"So what do you think?" he asked, gesturing toward the map.

I smiled. "I think you are . . . very thoughtful to find all this for me."

"Not really. I have an ulterior motive." He combed his fingers through his thick, black hair.

I just realized he did that when he was nervous. "Oh?"

"I want to go with you," he confessed with a shy smile.

"You want to explore the Wild West with me?" I asked, amazed by his answer.

"Yes." He seemed sincere.

"Are you buying a motorcycle?" I teased.

"No. A car is more practical. We need someplace to put our luggage."

"What if I want to feel the wind in my hair?" I combed my fingers through my long, copper locks.

"Then I'll buy a convertible."

My smile had to be a mile wide.  Was I really having a conversation with Tyler in the Price mansion about the type of vehicle we would drive out west together?

I picked up a few brochures. "So what do you want to see first?"

His gaze roamed over my body. "How long before you have to leave?"

"About fifteen minutes."

"In that case, I . . ." he poked his chest with his thumb and then pointed a finger at me, "have a proposition for you." He hooked his thumbs into the front pocket of his jeans and leaned against the desk.

Reality slapped me out of my reverie. What was Tyler asking me to do?

Why did I wear a bikini to the pool and short shorts to our date? Melaney was right. I gave him the wrong impression. I took a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

"I want you to be able to see me again without having to sneak out of the house or lie to your parents. You know the research paper for History and English on the person you admire most?"

I nodded.

"I propose that you do yours on Abraham Lincoln. Since my father is a history professor and an expert on the Civil War, you could ask your parents about interviewing him here. He's willing to help you with your research if you're willing to do your paper on Lincoln."

I released the breath I was holding. "Yes. I'll do my paper on Abraham Lincoln."

"Awesome! Dad said Thursdays are best for him, around 4:30. So you could come here at 4:00 and hang out with me until he gets home. It'll give us a chance to talk and get to know each other better, since we can't talk at school."

"Okay. Sounds like a great plan, but I have to leave now. Melaney and Emily are waiting for me at the library, and I can't be too late." I returned the brochures to the top of the desk.

He reached into his back pocket and removed a business card. "Here's my father's card for your parents. Write me a note to let me know what they say."

I nodded again, taking the card from his hand and slipping it into my pocket. "I will."

Tyler escorted me back down the hall and to the side door. If only I had more time to spend with him, but I couldn't push my luck.

We exchanged smiles. Tyler brushed his lips against mine, gentle as a butterfly's wings, making my heart flutter.

He opened the door for me. "See you in school."

I waved goodbye, praying I could return next Thursday. I just needed my parents' permission. Honestly, I had a better chance of climbing Mount Rushmore with my bare hands.

* * *

I floated to the Milltown library on a cloud of hope with no memory of my feet touching the ground. In the parking lot, Dean was sitting on his motorcycle. I approached him with a huge smile on my face and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Just returning some books."

I arched an eyebrow at him. Dean didn't read a book unless he had to.

"I was just wondering about your meeting with Tyler," he admitted.

"How did you know about that?"

"The trace on his phone hasn't been turned off yet."

"Oh. Why not?" I wondered aloud.

"The spyware is harder to delete than it is to add," he explained. "Sooo . . . how did it go?"

"The meeting was wonderful." I sighed. "And it probably wouldn't have happened without you. Have I thanked you yet? If not, thanks for everything."

I threw my arms around his middle and gave him a squeeze and a quick peck on the cheek, not even a tad embarrassed by my public display of affection.

"You seem happy. That's all that matters." He grinned. 

"Do you want to talk to Melaney?" I asked. "She's waiting for me inside."

"No. I don't have time. I have to get to work before I'm late, again." He turned the key on the motorcycle.

"Okay. Have a great night!" I shouted over the roar of the engine.

"You too."

I watched him leave and then went to find Melaney. There had to be a way to get those two back together. I wanted them to be happy too.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the most Fabulous person on Wattpad. She gave me the idea for the flash drives when she wrote about her Stuart Minion flash drive with the broken arm in her random book. I told her a long time ago that I would dedicate this chapter to her.  And I finally did! 

The Video above is Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks. 

"Cowboy take me away!

Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue!

Set me free! Oh, I pray. 

Closer to heaven above,

And closer to you."

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go with your crush? Let me know in the comments. 

Forever Remember to Live, Laugh, and LOVE! - 3L