It’s a book.
“Are you okay?”
I blink rapidly, giving him the best half-smile that I can manage as I try to calm the shakes starting to take over my hands. “Yeah. Good. Just scared me.”
Wiping off the coffee that spilled on my hand, I take the sleeve of my shirt and clean up the mess it left on the table. He’s staring at me, I can feel it, but as I glance up at him to meet his gaze, his eyes quickly dart away. The tremble of my fingers is undoubtedly noticeable, so I stuff my hands under my thighs in hopes of making what just happened disappear.
I hate that Landon did this to me. That he made me into the kind of person who startles at loud noises. That he made me into the kind of person who can’t function normally.
“I’ve never heard you talk that much before,” I tease, keeping my face serious.
“I was rambling. I’m sorry.”
To avoid making him feel weird and because I so desperately want to change the subject, I pull out my textbooks and lay them on the table. My notes for finals are a mess, a disarray of papers with highlighted sections and scribbles, because my handwriting isn’t the cutest.
“Must be nice not to have to study,” I say after a moment.
“I could help you,” he mumbles, “uh, study.”
“No, no.” I wave him off. “You don’t have to do that. It’s fine.”
He looks away, glancing down at my books, and I observe him as he does. His lashes are so long, I’d never noticed them before behind his glasses, and his lips are full. They sit in thetiniest of natural pouts, and it dawns on me how handsome he is. Suddenly, his eyes flicker back up to mine, startling me just a bit, but he just smiles faintly before they’re off me once more. Like he’s scared for his gaze to hover a moment too long.
“So, how come you’re not going home for Christmas?”
“I, uh,” he clears his throat, “I don’t have any family.”
What is wrong with me? Why did I just ask him that? “That was insensitive of me. I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” I wince sympathetically. “I’m sorry, Tate.”
Why he wants to drive me across the country is beyond me, especially considering he probably thinks I’m the strangest person on the planet. Is it blatantly obvious that I have issues, or am I overthinking it too much?
“Well, you’re…more than welcome to stay with my family for Christmas,” I offer, the sympathy bubbling hot in my stomach.God, what am I saying? “They’re insufferable, but only because they’re so nice.”
The look on his face makes me want to shrivel up. His dark eyes widen just slightly as he squirms in his seat, his mouth parting faintly like he doesn’t know what to say.
“Or not. God, I’m awful today.” I laugh dully, my cheeks warming. “You definitely aren’t obligated to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“N-no, it’s nice of you…” He trails off. “I just, uh… You do want me to drive you, then?”
Shit.
I know this week was meant to get a feel for Tate and whether I trusted him enough to be stuck with him for two whole weeks, and here I am on day two, insinuating things without even talking to him first. He just makes it so easy to feel like Icantrust him. He’s quiet, sure, but it’s the eyes. The whole face, really. He’s kind and soft, or is that just me being naive again?I used to think that Landon was also kind and soft, and he was once, but it was a mask. Something to reel me in just enough to show his true colors.
Tatum isn’t Landon.
Not every guy is a devil in disguise. I can’t think like that.
I shrug. “Yeah, why not?”
Tate nods, smiling gently and showcasing those dimples.
“We could make a road trip out of it,” I suggest. “Seven days there, stay the weekend, and then seven days back. What do you think? I’d help with hotels and gas.”
“That sounds good,” he tells me, “if you’re s-sure. About me taking you, I mean.”
