I shake my head at her. “I’m not angry about the other night. You were only being honest. You should be able to tell me how you’re feeling. I want you to. I just wish you hadn’t run from it.”
“Me too. I was scared,” she admits, her eyes lowered to her half-eaten turkey wrap.
“Of me?” My stomach clenches at the thought. Did I push too hard? Did I make her feel pressured?
“Of this.” Her crystal eyes meet mine, and she waves a hand in the space between us. “Of my feelings for you. They’re intense, Jordan. I’ve never felt this way before. And I understand you might not fully feel the same way about me. And even if you do, my body won’t always cooperate. I don’t want to be a burdenon you. Plus, the timing isn’t exactly convenient, and I don’t know how to handle any of it.”
“Okay, well, first of all, I can confirm I have, in fact, caught feelings.Intensefeelings. So many feelings.” When I put my hand on her knee, she blushes. “I know we didn’t get an ideal start. But if you’re open to a do-over, so am I.”
Shelley nods. “I’m very open to a do-over.”
“Great. Let’s finish our picnic, then we have another stop to make.”
“Oh?”
“Remember the place where we went go-karting last year? They also have a retro-style arcade on-site. I have a jar of quarters in the car. I thought we could check it out.”
She gasps as she figures out my plan. “This is the fantasy date, isn’t it? The one I wrote about in my email.”
I offer a small smirk and a wink. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She hurries to finish the rest of her wrap in two bites. “Let’s go! I’m ready!”
Chuckling, I tell her, “We don’t need to rush anything. We can take all the time we need.”
Chapter 36
Shelley
The lights and music on the Skee-Ball machine announce my win to the whole arcade while Jordan indulges my victory dance. As I moonwalk past him, he snakes an arm around my waist and pulls me in.
“Okay, Champ. Winner picks the next game. What do you want to do now?”
I scan the room until I spy a familiar game. “Pac-Man?”
“You’re on.” He keeps hold of me as we head across the floor. It’s freeing to be out in public with him like this, with his arm around me, not worrying who might see.
When Jordan takes his turn at the machine, it becomes clear that I severely underestimated his Pac-Man skills, and he’s kicking my butt this time. We’re down to our last handful of quarters, and, as fun as this is, I’m looking forward to Phase Three of this date even more. I remember what I wrote, and the anticipation is killing me.
“I’m ready to head out whenever you are.”
As soon as we get back to the car, Jordan reaches into the back seat and hands me a green box tied with a simple white ribbon.
“What’s this?”
“A gift. I thought Mr. Fluffers needed someone to keep him company. You may be going back to school soon, but I don’t ever plan on saying goodbye. So, this is just…” He motions forme to open it, and I untie the bow and lift the lid. Inside the box, a crocheted alligator is nestled in a bed of shredded newspaper. It’s wearing a tiny t-shirt that saysSee you later, Litigator.
I bark out a laugh. “That might be the worst lawyer joke I’ve ever heard, but I love it. Did you make this?”
He nods. “The alligator, yes. I made it on the road when we had the game in Charlotte. I recalled somebody implying I should expand my crochet repertoire. The joke I can’t take credit for. I bought the shirt pre-made from a website.”
I didn’t know it was possible for him to melt me any more than he already has, but he just keeps doing things like this. “Thank you. I love him. He needs a name.”
“It’s going to be hard to top Mr. Fluffers,” Jordan teases as he starts to drive.
“Should we give him an A name since he’s an alligator? Does he look like an Alvin to you? Or maybe an Alex? Something else? L for litigator? Lonny? Leonardo?”
“Leonardo the alligator?”
