Hometown Girls: Beginnings (Hometown Girls Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

just in time. “Don’t!”
    Randy stopped laughing and the three guys turned back around to face them. Randy stared at Daniel for a minute, sizing him up. “Whatever, you and your little slut aren’t worth it, but don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Marissa Lou.” Then he walked away, laughter following him and his friends as they left.
    The words stung Katie. No one had ever spoken to her like that before and normally she could be just as rough and tumbling with the boys, but for some reason his comments hit her hard. She hurried away from the front counter, feeling the burn from oncoming tears in her eyes, but she refused to let anyone see her cry. Especially on her first day of work at her very first job. Once in the storage room, away from prying eyes, she sat down on the floor and cried into her hands.
    “Hey, are you okay?”
    Katie jerked her head up, startled to find Daniel standing in front of her, concern etched on his face. She quickly looked away and wiped her face with her hands. “Yeah, I’m fine. He’s such a jerk.”
    Daniel nodded his head in agreement. “That he is.” He walked up to her and sat on the floor beside her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    Katie shrugged her shoulders.
    “I’ve known you for a long time and I’ve never seen anyone get to you like that.”
    “Yeah, well, I guess he hit close to home. I’ve never had that happen before. Maybe he was right. I feel really silly.”
    “Don’t feel silly. Like you said, he’s a jerk and he doesn’t have enough brain cells left to be right about anything.”
    She shook her head. “No, I don’t really feel silly because of him.”
    “Then why?”
    “Look at me, my whole life I never cared about clothes, hair and make-up like all the other girls I know. All of a sudden senior year comes and I finally decide to give it a try. This isn’t me. I don’t get made up and cry in a corner like a baby.”
    “Oh,” Daniel said with a strange look on his face.
    She was sure he was used to all that girlie stuff with Marissa Lou, but he was obviously at a loss as to what to say to Katie.
    He scratched his head and said, “Then why are you? You don’t need all that make-up. You’ve always been pretty, even without it. Not all girls can get away with going without it, but you can. Your confident and natural, that’s why people like you. What’s wrong with being that way?”
    Katie stared at him dismayed. She liked who she was, always had, but for some reason lately she had been feeling insecure. Like she had to be like the other girls at school. This was her senior year and she felt like she had to play the part. Even though she was uncomfortable lately, everyone else seemed to prefer her transformation. Daniel was the first to tell her that it wasn’t necessary.
    “You know what? You’re right!”
    “Of course I am,” he said smiling. “It’s pretty hot when a girl is confident, natural and loves sports. A girl like that tops all those silly girly girls. Just don’t tell Marissa Lou I said that.” He bumped her shoulder with his, then stood up and reached his hand down to her. “So come on. Don’t give that jerk the satisfaction, besides, we still have work to do.”
    She placed her hand in his and stood up. “Thanks, Daniel. I really appreciate this.”
    “That’s what friends are for.”
    “Friends? Do you realize we’ve gone to school together our whole lives and you happen to be dating one of my best friends, and this is the most we’ve ever talked? I never even paid enough attention to know what color your eyes were before now.”
    He thought about it for a minute, but he knew she was right. “Well then, we are friends now. If you want to be, of course.” He didn’t know her eyes color either. It never occurred him to look. Until now that is; deep blue and really intense.
    She paused for effect with a serious look on her face as if she were pondering the idea before responding. “Yeah, I guess that’ll