“I’ve never done this. At least, not that I can remember.”
“Too many drunken nights?” I’m not sure if I should be offended or not.
“For your information, I rarely drink.”
“You were drinking at the bar the other night.”
“Yeah, because I was frustrated and talking shop with one of my teammates. I don’t need alcohol to have a good time.”
“That’s good to know.” Her voice is soft and slow. Her eyes are shut, and I know this conversation is over.
“Goodnight, Serena.”
A soft murmur is her response, and I hit the end button. The “date” started off rocky, and I wasn’t sure it was going to pan out. But I’m relieved we turned it around. Maybe this whole dating thing won’t be a terrible idea. The first time I’ve actually dated someone since I was in high school. My first instinct is to text Gabby, or Jordan, and tell them all about it, like some over-excited teenage girl. But I refrain. If I text Gabby, she’ll be pissed. Or, she’ll call and I’ll be on the phone forever. It’s already late and I don’t need that kind of talk right now. I’ll call her tomorrow while I’m on the way to Hilltown U. That provides me with a time limit and I’ll be able to cut her off.
I take off my pants and slide under the covers of my bed. It’d be a lot better if I had a certain someone beside me, but we’ll get to that. For now, I need to focus on one thing at a time, and right now…that’s sleep.
Sixteen
Serena
“So, how are things going with Bentley?” Hazel asks me as we board the plane. “Good, I’m assuming.”
I stow my bag and suitcase in a compartment and grab the cleaning supplies. “I’m sure the attendants on the previous flight already did this, but I feel the need to do something to keep myself occupied. “Things are going really well. We’ve had a couple of phone dates.”
“How exactly does that work?” She’s fixing her hair, getting it out of her face, and walking down the aisle instead of helping me clean anything. “I mean, seriously, what can you do over the phone? Unless…you’re doing something naughty.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I want to smack her.
Bentley has joked with me about it, but I always change the subject. It’s not that I don’t want to be physical with him. He’s hot as hell, and I have a feeling he knows how to satisfy women. I just…I’m not ready to hop into bed with him. Even though I know him better than I did before, I still don’t know if I can trust him. “You’re just as bad as the dudes who only think about jumping into the sack.”
“I happen to think I have an amazing sex life. I don’t have to love the guy…he just needs to pique my interest.” She finally grabs some cleaning products and wipes down the armrests on the other aisle. “When will you see him again?”
“I feel like you should know the answer to that since you gave him my schedule.” I wasn’t going to tell her I know what she did, but the opportunity presented itself.
She stills. “I’m not sure what you mean?”
“I’m not mad.” Well, I was for about two seconds, but it’s not a horrible thing. I do like the guy. “He let it slip during our first phone date.”
“Whew,” she sighs. “I was worried you would hate me. But you definitely needed that extra push. You sure as hell weren’t going to do it yourself.”
“Thanks. I think.” We finish our cleaning and straighten up the refreshments. Now, we wait until it’s time to welcome our new passengers. “Anyway, we have a layover in Austin, and I’m planning to see him before the flight that he’s on. We probably won’t do much since there isn’t much time.”
“I know some things you can do that don't take too long,” she winks.
“Hazel, if it isn’t going to take very long, I’m not sure I’d want him in my bed.”
“You have a point there.” The pilot comes over the intercom, letting us know passengers are about to board. “Well, let’s get this show on the road. You have a hottie to see.”
Even though we’ve talked frequently for over a week, this is the first time I’ll see him since we were in Chicago. Nerves eat away at me, and I hope he still wants to see me. Why is dating so hard? Better yet, how are we going to greet each other? A hug and a kiss seem too forward, but I want to feel the press of his lips against mine. I mean, it’s not like we’re total strangers. We’ve eaten dinner together over multiple phone calls. We’ve even cooked together.
The first passenger walks onto the plane and shakes me out of my thoughts. I can worry about that when we get closer to Austin. For now, I have a job to do, even if I’m beginning to wish I had a steadier job just so I could see Bentley in person more often. As crazy as it sounds, I’m growing fond of him.
The plane touches down and the wait for the passengers to get off is torture. On one hand, I want them to hurry so I can see Bentley. On the other hand...I want them to take forever because I don’t know what to expect. Will he be waiting for me inside the airport, or will I have to find him?
With all the passengers gone, and the cleaning done, it’s time to meet up with Bentley. I grab my suitcase and bag while checking my phone. There aren’t any texts from him, and I’m worried he forgot about me.
Hazel throws her arm around me as we make our way through the airport. “Are you ready to see your man?”
“I’m not sure I’d call him my man just yet. We’re still getting to know each other.” There’s a bathroom up ahead and I steer us in that direction to change. “Besides, I haven’t heard from him yet. Who knows if he’s even coming?”
