I nod. “Yeah, I know. Surprised me too.”
“Wow,” Allie returns. “That’s a big deal, Hap.”
I nod again. Lucky asking about Hannah is a big deal. Especially after meeting her so briefly. Lucky’s C-PTSD makes it difficult for her to form new relationships; she’s not comfortable around strangers. It’s something we’re working on with herteam of specialists. The fact that Lucky asked about Hannah after only having met her for a matter of minutes… it’s huge.
“So…” Allie says after a beat, waggling her dark eyebrows up and down. “Do we have a deal?”
I look down at her hand poised in the air between us.
“I mean, I doubt she’ll say yes. She borderline hates me, but… whatever.” I shrug a shoulder, shaking her hand.
Allie sits basking in all her smugness, looking pointedly to the pocket of my suit pants. “Come on. Do it.”
My brow furrows. “What?Now?” I scoff.
She nods, clapping her hands. “You have to move quick, Happy. Women like that kind of thing.”
I huff again, pulling my phone out, with a muttered, “You don’t know Hannah Draper.”
Allie just smiles in response.
With a deep breath, I unlock my phone and scroll to my messages, opening the thread with Hannah. But just as I start to draft a message, I realize I have no idea what I’m supposed to say. This is literally a first for me. I’ve never made the first move. Never had to.
“Oh my God, give it to me,” Allie mutters, snatching my phone from my hands.
I gape at her, blinking. But before I can react quickly enough to steal my phone back, she flashes me a sweet smile, handing it to me. “Done.”
I look down at the screen, my jaw dropping at the words glaring back at me.
Me: Go on a date with me.
“You didnotjust send that!”
“Oh yes I did.” Allie climbs off the stool she’s been perched on, collecting her books from the counter. “And for the record…”
I meet her twinkling eyes, still rendered shocked by themessage she just sent to Hannah, the one showing the big fatREADreceipt.
“I already applied for the research program this afternoon.” She winks, flashing me another sickeningly sweet smile before patting a hand against my chest and stepping around me with a sing-song, “Goodnight.”
CHAPTER 17
HANNAH
Happy: Go on a date with me.
Istand beneath the glow of a safety light at the park, waiting for Toast Malone to finally pick a spot to shit, blinking at the words illuminated on my phone.
If I said my heart didn’t just skip a beat or two at the prospect of going on an actual date with Happy, I’d be flat out lying. My feelings have definitely evolved in the last few days, and even more during the last few hours, and I’m not proud of myself for that, but it’s also completely out of my control.
But a date? With Happy Slater? This was supposed to be a mutually beneficial fucking agreement. Now, not only do I know Happy’s biggest secret, but when he kissed me earlier at his house, hereallykissed me. I felt tummy flutters, something I’ve never felt before from just a kiss. This is dangerous territory.
I swallow around the lump of trepidation that wedges into the back of my throat as I tap out a reply, keeping it light in the only way that I know how.
Me: Hey, so… are you high?
Happy: Just a little crack, Baby Draper.
I roll my eyes.
