Episode 3: Kiss and Tell: Southwest Cougars Freshman Year, #3

By Tamara Hart Heiner

Cassie and Ben finally get to experience their relationship outside of a camp setting, and she finds she really likes him. But how much? And how serious does she want this to be?
And can she handle it if her school friends don't approve of him?
The fun continues in this series about life lessons and choices!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tamara Heiner
• Release date: Mar 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224114450

Tamara Hart Heiner

Tamara Hart Heiner lives in Arkansas with her husband, four kids, a cat, a rabbit, and several fish. She would love to add a macaw and a sugar glider to the family collection. She graduated with a degree in English and an editing emphasis from Brigham Young University. She's been an editor for BYU-TV and currently works as an editor for WiDo Publishing and as a freelancer. She's the author of the young adult suspense series, PERILOUS, INEVITABLE, the CASSANDRA JONES saga, and a nonfiction book about the Joplin tornado, TORNADO WARNING. 

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Gummy Bears and Okra

Cassie looked through the shirts in her closet, a nervous energy flowing through her veins. In less than an hour she would be having dinner with Ben and his mom, and she had no idea what to wear. She pulled out a T-shirt she’d bought in New York. Was it nice enough? She didn’t want to look like she was still camping.

Mrs. Jones stepped into the walk-in closet behind Cassie. How about this shirt? She pulled a dark blue one with a high neckline and short, fluttery sleeves off the hanger. Put it with a silver necklace and it will look nice.

Cassie grabbed the shirt like it was a lifeline and let out a sigh of relief. This will be great. Thanks, Mom. She changed into the shirt and found a delicate silver cord to wear with it, tucking Ben’s dog tags underneath the fabric.

She looked at herself in the mirror, but her stomach was so tied up in knots that all she saw was a wide-eyed little girl. She brushed some mascara on her lashes, not wanting to look like a child.

You have such pretty eyes, her sister Emily said, watching her from the bedroom.

Thanks, Cassie breathed. She brought her hands down the jeans and turned sideways, making a face at her thin body. At least she had a padded bra so she didn’t look so flat. Would Ben think she was pretty? She hoped so.

Half an hour later, she and her mom parked in front of the restaurant in Fayetteville that Ben’s mom had chosen.

Cassie clutched her mom’s hand, too nervous to get out of the car. Come in with me? She couldn’t deny the painful butterfly attack going on in her chest. Butterflies? More like a hornet’s nest.

I’ll walk in with you, Mrs. Jones said, a slight smile on her face. She squeezed Cassie’s hand in response. You don’t need to be nervous, sweetie. This isn’t a date. You’re going to dinner with the boy you like and his mom.

What about this situation was supposed to not make Cassie nervous? What if she and Ben didn’t know what to say to each other? What if he just didn’t like her anymore?

She held onto her mom’s hand until they walked through the doors of the restaurant, then she let go, her hands dropping by her sides. She spotted Ben and his mom right away, at a booth next to a window. Cassie stepped forward, trying to put a big, confident smile on her face. Ben’s mother’s back was to Cassie, but Ben spotted her. He wore a gray T-shirt and his usual baseball cap. He lifted his face, his eyes catching hers, and a wide grin split his face.

Well, look who’s here, he said, pushing off the bench and coming to her side. He reached over and pulled her into a hug, and Cassie’s shoulders relaxed, immediately feeling at ease with his arms around her. He released her with a reassuring smile and slid back into the booth across from his mother.

His mom craned her head over. She had dark hair, cut short and wavy, and wore glasses. She stood up, a pleasant smile on her face. Well, hello, Cassie! How wonderful to meet you!

Hi, Mrs. Jones said, sticking her hand out in front of Cassie. I’m Cassie’s mom, Karen.

Cassie turned her attention away from the adults as they introduced each other, and Ben scooted over in the booth.

Sit by me? he said.

Cassie had a split moment of panic. She thought she’d sit across from Ben where she could look at him, not next to him. But she needed to sit down now or he would think she was weird. So she slid into the booth beside him. Her body felt stiff and tense, and she froze when Ben reached over to take a sip of his soda, afraid he would put his arm around her.

But he didn’t. Instead he gave her a smile around his straw and said, You look really pretty. Even prettier than you do when you’ve been roughing it in a tent for two days.

Cassie laughed. She waved bye to her mom as Mrs. Jones left. What had she been so nervous about? This was Ben. They knew each other. They were friends. More than friends.

Well. Let’s get Cassie’s drink ordered and then we can get some food, Ben’s mom said, gesturing to the all-you-could-eat buffet behind them.

Ben’s hand slid down next to his leg. He found Cassie’s fingers and squeezed them before she had the chance to get worked up about it. Warm tingles floated up her arm, and surprisingly they flowed through her navel also. She tightened her grip on his fingers when he started to let go, marveling at how the simple touch of his hand could make her feel like she was floating. Then she let go, almost embarrassed of her actions, until she saw the way Ben looked at her with his intense blue eyes. Whatever she felt, he felt it too.

Cassie followed Ben to the buffet line after her mother left. She took a plate and stared at the food options, trying not to think about the fact that she would be sitting next to him and his mother while he watched her eat.

Something jostled her arm, and she turned her head slightly to see what it was. She laughed in surprise and delight when Ben placed another spoonful of okra on her plate.

That’s enough! she said, sliding her plate away from him. I won’t have room for anything else!

I know how you love okra, Ben said with a grin that sent her insides bubbling up like lava from a volcano.

I love you, Cassie thought. But she bit back the words. Whatever she felt for him, she wasn’t ready to say she loved him. Okra is great, she said. But so is mashed potatoes and broccoli and spaghetti . . . She gestured to the other food items on the buffet line.

And gummy bears.

She didn’t see any gummy bears in sight, but she agreed with another laugh. Yes. And gummy bears.

They filled their plates and returned to the table, where Ben’s mom already sat with an enormous salad in front of her.

What were you guys giggling about over there?

Oh, nothing. Cassie just has a fondness for okra and gummy bears, Ben said with a straight face.

The heat rushed up to her ears, but she found all she could do was giggle.

Not at the same time, I hope, his mom said.

No, Cassie choked out. I manage to keep them separate.

I hear there’s gummy bears on the dessert bar, Mrs. Graves continued as she buttered her bread.

Oh yes, we’ll definitely have to check that out. Ben shot Cassie a grin.

She stuffed herself on all of the food, gigglier and happier than she could ever remember being. She went back to the buffet to get it another roll. When she returned to the booth, a little plastic bowl shaped like a tulip sat in front of her at the table. Inside were dozens of multi-colored gummy bears.

Cassie looked at Ben, who lifted his shoulder.

I thought I’d let you get a head start.

That gooey feeling filled her body, all the way to the tips of her fingers. An insane part of her wanted to grab his face and kiss him, right there on the lips, right in front of his mom. But she restrained herself. Her last experience with kissing had not been awesome, and she didn’t want to ruin her relationship with Ben by kissing him.

*~*

After dinner Ben’s mom drove them across the street to the mall. Cassie’s nerves returned full force as she walked beside him and his mom through the parking lot. She hardly knew how to act at the mall when she was with her friends. What was she supposed to do with a boy?

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she walked into the bumper of a car and nearly fell over.

Careful! Ben said, grasping her by the shoulders and keeping her from toppling. There’s a car there, you know.

Cassie tried to laugh through her embarrassment as she rubbed her side. Now I do.

It’s not the only one. There’s lots of them.

You’re so helpful, she said.

I try to be. The smile never left his face, but he moved his hands from Cassie’s shoulders and put them in his pockets. She instantly missed their weight.

Well, guys, his mom said as they entered the mall, I’m going to sit down on this bench and read my book. Why don’t you walk around together and meet back here in an hour?

Sure, Ben said like it was no big deal, while Cassie’s heart suddenly started up a double time beat. Leave the two of them alone together? What if they ran out of things to say?

Ben didn’t give her a chance to voice her fears, though. He walked through the food court, slow enough for Cassie to keep up.

Where do you want to go? he asked.

The only place she really enjoyed at the mall was the bookstore, and they closed it down a few years ago. So she shrugged. I don’t really care. I’m just glad to be here with you. I missed you so much. That was the truth.

Ben stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression suddenly quite serious. You have no idea. I couldn’t stop talking about you. Everyone at camp was like, shut up, Ben! I just wanted to see you again.

Cassie stared back at him, unable to tear her gaze