Had it only been last night that they’d first met? It felt like he’d known her for so much longer.
“Good to know… about your taste in music, not your possible ear damage.” He laughed.
“Yeah. I got it.” She smiled, but then remained quiet for a moment before she said, “I do have a six-pack of beer in my fridge…”
That casual tidbit dropped into the conversation like it was nothing had Dean swerving just a bit as he glanced at Tessa. Was she inviting him back to her place?
Say yes, dummy!
Listening to the devil on his shoulder he said, “Uh, yeah. Sure. A beer at your place sounds good.”
“Oh. Okay. Good.” She shot a sideways glance in his direction then stared back down at the leftover bag in her lap.
Tessa had invited him home with her but then was too shy to make eye contact. He stood by his previous evaluation. She was definitely an enigma. One he’d like to unravel. Over a beer at her place was the perfect time to do it.
Chapter Fifteen
It was a forty-minute drive from Cooperstown to Mudville and Tessa was keenly aware of every one of those minutes and passing miles.
At the restaurant, facing each other, with food and the beautiful lake view and amazing architecture surrounding them to talk about it hadn’t been so hard to fill the silence. But here in the car, it seemed like an eternity.
She saw the sign for Oneonta and mentally adjusted the remaining time until they’d be home.
Twenty minutes and counting. Not that that made her feel any better, because she’d gone and invited him back to her apartment.
Stupid Ruby and Red. They’d insisted she buy a six-pack to keep in her fridge.Just in casehe came inside, they’d said. They were so going to gloat that they’d been correct. He was coming inside, all right. And it was her own fault.
The pseudo-invite had just kind of spilled out. Her stupid mouth had a mind of its own sometimes.
It was definitely risky having him come in. That was the exact reason she’d been watching for his car and ran outside to meet him on the walkway when he’d picked her up this afternoon. Sohe wouldn’t come in and see that the vibe of her apartment was definitely moregrad student povertythanparty girl chic.
In the rush of getting ready for tonight had she even remembered to hide the massive mess that was her research?
Maybe it didn’t matter either way. He’d already caught her at the library surrounded by more notebooks than any part-time shop girl slash full time bad girl should own.
She had twenty minutes left to prepare her excuses and lies in case he questioned her about anything he saw in her apartment that didn’t fit her persona. Hopefully it was enough time.
“Wow. That’s new since the last time I was home.” Dean’s comment interrupted her worrying.
“Hmm?” She glanced at him.
“The tent city we just passed. I didn’t notice it on the drive there. I’m assuming it’s homeless people. In Oneonta?”
“Yes, sadly.” She nodded. “A lot of these tent cities have been springing up around the area lately.”
“Not enough jobs around here?” he asked.
“Perhaps. Partially, I guess. But actually, I’ve heard from our mayor that there’s not enough affordable housing available in this area to accommodate those who do have a job. They can’t afford to live near where they work, so they set up tents.”
He glanced at her. “You know a lot about this.”
Tessa tried to erase the deer in headlights expression she knew appeared when she got caught knowing something she shouldn’t—wouldn’t—if she truly was a party girl.
“Um, well, you know. A person hears things at the beauty salon.”
Phew. She’d come up with a perfectly reasonable excuse. She should have been happy with that and kept her mouth shut for the rest of the drive. But for some reason, she couldn’t.
She hesitated, then added, “You know, a not insignificant percentage of the unhoused in this country are veterans. A lot of them can’t keep a job because of psychological issues connected to brain damage caused by their service.”
