Chapter 72

GIRL FRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND?

Gilda and I sneak away from the crowd and head down to the boardwalk.

“First off,” I say, “I really need to thank you. If it weren’t for you, I don’t think any of this would’ve happened.”

Gilda shrugs, which makes the curly hair under her BoSox baseball cap bob and bounce.

“I just did what any good friend would do.”

“That’s just it,” I say. “I want us to always be friends, Gilda. Good friends.”

“Relax, Jamie,” Gilda says with a laugh—the same incredibly unique laugh I can always hear, no matter how many other laughs are bubbling up around it. “We’ll always be good, good friends. The best.”

“Awesome,” I say, breathing a sigh of relief. “Because I think hugging and kissing and junk can totally ruin a friendship.”

“Yep,” says Gilda. “It sure can.”

And then she kisses me.

On the lips.

It’s very soft and very sweet—with a hint of strawberry.

I kind of like it.

Was it better than my first kiss with Cool Girl?

Not totally sure. Check back with me on that.

This whole friends-who-are-more-than-friends dealio is confusing. I need to think it over.

So I kiss Gilda back.

Just to make sure I’ve done enough research for all that thinking I need to do.