Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
I looked at the clock on my dash. “We probably have time to run through somewhere?”
“Works for me,” she said, getting comfortable. “I’m starving.”
We ran through a fast-food joint and ate in the parking lot of the movie theater. It wasn’t exactly the date I’d had planned, but she seemed unbothered by the whole thing, which was nice. We didn’t really know each other at all and spent the whole time talking a little about everything. She had an older brother. Her parents were still together. She’d lived in the same house her whole life, but she was planning on renting an apartment with a friend soon.
It was easy and natural.
And I was bored as hell, which I really hoped didn’t show on my face.
By the time we got to our seats in the theater, I was ready to be distracted. Where was the spark I’d felt on that first date? Was it gone because this was the first time we were actually alone? The first time we’d gone out with my friend from work and his girl, too, and the conversation had seemed so much easier.
Halfway through the movie, I just wanted to go home and sleep. It had to be the most boring thing I’d ever seen.
“This sucks,” Tally whispered to me, grimacing. “Do you want to just go?”
“Fuck, yes,” I replied, making her laugh.
We hurried out of the theater, trying to duck so we wouldn’t get in the way, but people still bitched anyway.
“The previews were so good,” she said as we walked toward the truck. “Talk about false advertising.”
“I was tryin’ really hard not to fall asleep,” I confessed, making her giggle.
“I don’t blame you,” she said, wrapping her arm around mine. “It was pretty snoozeworthy.”
“Jesus,” I said, shaking my head. “First I show up late and then the movie sucked. What a date.”
“Well, it’s not all your fault,” she replied, smiling up at me. “I agreed on the movie.”
It was the smile. Here I’d been ready to leave the whole fucking date, and then she smiled and I was, well, thinking that maybe I didn’t want it to end quite yet.
“You want me to take you home?” I asked, stopping by the side of my truck. She leaned against it, her eyes on mine. “Or we could hang at my place for a while.”
“Your place,” she said instantly.
“You sure?”
“Definitely.”
“Alright.” I opened the door for her and stopped myself from leaning in for a kiss. I wasn’t about to make out in a parking lot like I was sixteen years old and had nowhere to go.
“I just can’t stay out too late,” Tally said apologetically as we drove toward my place. “I have to be up early.”
“No worries,” I replied as she slid her fingers between mine. “I can drive you home whenever.”
“You have roommates, right?” she asked as we drove.
“Yep.” I nodded. Anxiety pooled in my gut and I tried really hard to ignore it. It wasn’t a big deal that I was bringing her back to the house. Hadn’t Charlie told me in the very beginning that she expected me to bring women home—or something along those lines? It was my place, too. I glanced at Tally. “But we can hang in my room.”
“Hey, it’s better than my house,” she said with a laugh. “My parents are probably sitting in front of the TV watching some show way too loud.”
I chuckled, but it was kind of weird to think she still lived with her parents. I knew she was close to my age, not a kid or anything, I just couldn’t imagine living with parents. I’d been on my own for so long, I could barely remember what that was like.
“Nice place,” she said as I parked in the driveway behind Kara’s car.
“Yeah,” I replied. “I got lucky.”
“Lucky for sure,” she said as she followed me out of the car. “I swear, we haven’t even been able to find a two-bedroom apartment in our price range.”
“Our landlord is my roommate’s cousin,” I explained as I walked her to the door.
“That explains it,” she replied ruefully. “I’ll try not to be too jealous when I see the inside.”
“Remember, I’ve got three roommates, not one,” I said, putting my hand on the small of her back as I led her inside. “Cuts costs quite a bit.”
I could hear everyone in the kitchen, and I debated just ushering Tally upstairs and avoiding all of them, but I didn’t want to seem like I was trying to hide her.
“Come on,” I said, making a decision. “I’ll introduce you.”
I led her forward, and as we got closer to the kitchen Tally seemed to stiffen.
“They’re cool,” I said reassuringly in her ear as we crossed the threshold.
It was only as I lifted my head that I realized all conversation in the room had stopped.