He grins at me and this warmth spreads through my whole body at the sight of his smile. I know I’m just trying to date him to get that guitar, but I can’t help but think how Chris never smiled at me like that. He also wanted me to drive when we left for lunch, that way he could save his gas money.
Jaxon and I head to the local Taco Bell, which is the only food place close enough to go to during the pathetic twenty five minutes they give us for lunch breaks. There’s a few other food places in the area, but their lines are long and you always have to eat fast in the car on your drive back to school.
Jaxon seems a little nervous as he eats his burrito. He’s sitting across from me in the cold purple booth and we’re surrounded by other students who left for lunch, so it’s almost like we’re still at school.
“So what’s up with you?” I ask, trying to make conversation.
“Just school and work.” He takes a sip of his soda. “And saving girls with flat tires.”
“Do you do that often?” I ask with a smile.
He shrugs. “Once in the last twenty four hours.”
“Where do you work?” I ask.
“Northpoint Animal Clinic.”
“Aww, you work with animals?”
He nods, and I can’t help but think that he’s pretty undeniably cute. “Yes, ma’am. I’m the vet tech. It’s not always pretty, though. I clean up a ton of cat puke.”
I make a face and then set down my taco. “I’m not hungry anymore.”
He laughs. “I’m sorry. I’ll eat that if you won’t.”
I snatch it back defensively and he doesn’t stop smiling. “Thanks for lunch, by the way.”
He’d insisted on buying my food and I don’t even know why. But I’m excited because it means he probably still likes me, which means I’m well on my way to dating him for the next thirty days.
Our conversation is a little awkward, two new friends trying to get comfortable with each other, but it goes well, I think. When we get back to school, Jaxon tells me his remaining classes, and they aren’t anywhere close to mine.
“I have an idea,” I say, as we walk back into the building. I’m feeling my opportunity slipping away, so I have to nail it town. I grab a pen from my purse and take his arm, then write my number on it.
“Now you can call me next time you get a burrito craving.”
“Oh yeah?” he says, looking at his arm as if it’s been branded with an alien tattoo in a language he can’t read. Then he looks at me. “Sounds good.”
#
Jacie calls me the second she gets home from school to complain that I ditched her for lunch. Apparently the excuse I sent her via text—hey, I can’t do lunch today—wasn’t good enough. Can’t say I blame her.
“You want to know why I missed?” I say, clutching the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I make a snack in the kitchen. “I was working on day number one of my thirty days.”
“What?” she says with a laugh. “Who’s the unlucky guy?”
“Jaxon Rhodes.”
“Mae Warren!” Jacie snaps. She actually sounds stern. “You can’t be serious! Tell me you’re joking!”
“Why? Do you like him or something? Because if so, I had no idea.”
“No, Mae. Jaxon is a nice guy.”
“I know…”
