“You know I don’t want that.” I dragged a hand through my hair and dropped onto a stool. “It’s just...I don’t know. I haven’t felt this way about a girl in a long time. I can’t get her off my mind.”
“Then stop sitting here like an idiot and do something about it. She kissed you, right?”
“Well...yeah,” I admitted, my ears heating at the memory.
“Then she’s already opened thewe should be more than friendsdoor,” Amber said with a knowing smile. She tilted her head as if the solution was painfully obvious and I was an idiot. “The least you can do is step inside and see what happens.”
“You mean have it shut in my face,” I muttered. I groaned and stared up at the ceiling when I finally looked at Amber again. She was staring at me. Waiting for me to man up. “I don’t know anything about her except where she lives.”
“Exactly! Holly let you take her home. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t get to go inside because girl code dictates that that’s a neon flashing sign saying, ‘Hey, I like you, but I don’t wanna rush things.’”
“And the marriage clause of my bet would be rushing things.”
“Tomato tomahto.” Amber grinned, clearly pleased with herself. “Start small with flowers, or coffee, or maybe tequila. Whatever you think works. Worst-case scenario? She turns you away, and you’ll finally stop pining. Best case scenario, she whisks you upstairs and you have mind numbing sex. Either way, you’re in better shape than you are now.”
Her words settled in my chest like a challenge, sparking a flicker of determination I hadn’t felt in days. “You’re right.”
Amber blinked, her brows shooting up in surprise. Clearly, she hadn’t expected me to actually take her advice. “Wait, you’re really going to do it?”
“I’m gonna do it!” I said with a determined nod.
“Good.” A slow, approving smile spread across her face. “Now get out of here and go get your girl.”
I passed Holly’s house three times before mustering up the courage to park the car. I stepped out with a bouquet of daisies in one hand, a bottle of tequila, and a bag of oranges in the other. I felt ridiculous—unsure whether this was the best or worst decision I’d ever made—but I was already here and Amber would roast my nuts if I chickened out.
With a deep breath, I knocked on the door. My heart thundered in my chest with each passing second. I questioned, for the hundredth time, if showing up was sweet or stalkerish. Part of me felt like if things had gone as well as I thought they did, Holly would have come back to the bar or at least given me her number. The other part of me hoped she was just busy or shy, or maybe just as nervous to see me as I was her.
The door eventually opened and Holly’s blue eyes widened in surprise. “Liam? What are you doing here?”
I had a speech planned, one that made me sound suave yet sweet. But the moment I laid eyes on her I forgot everything. My speech. My name. What day of the week it was? My brain was an empty vortex, unable to form a single thought beyond,damn she’s gorgeous.
After a painfully awkward minute, I remembered what words were. Although, what came out of my mouth was clunky, rushed and miles away from suave.
“These are for you,” I said, holding out the daisies. My hand felt clammy, but I managed to hold the stems tight and not drop them at her feet.
Holly’s lips parted slightly like she was shocked. She blinked, probably unsure what to make of me and the gesture. After another long moment, she reached out and took the flowers. “Thank you.”
“I was hoping…” I began awkwardly, then cleared my throat and shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “I was hoping you’d want to get a drink. But if you don’t want to go out, I, uh,brought tequila. No pressure, though. I just wanted to see you again.”
Holly studied me, her gaze curious but guarded. “You did?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. This was going well… I think. Holly hadn’t slammed the door in my face yet, so maybe Amber was right. Maybe there was hope for us and I spent the last week stressing over nothing. “I had a great time with you the other night, and I hope maybe you did too.”
“You remember that night?”
“I wasn’t that drunk,” I said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the tension hanging in the air.
“Sorry, I just… I didn’t think you’d remember me.” Her words came out hesitant, as though she was afraid to hear my answer.
“Remember you? How could I forget you?”
Forgetting Holly was impossible. I’d tried, but she had a way of leaving a hole in your heart that no one but her could fill. Her rejection freshman year crushed me. I hoped tonight wouldn’t be as painful.
Holly hesitated, her expression shifting between uncertainty and something else I couldn’t quite place. Finally, she stepped back and opened the door wider. “Do you want to come in?”
“Yeah,” I said, trying not to sound overly excited as I wiped my boots on the mat and stepped inside.
Her living room was cozy, with a cat tree in the corner and soft throws draped over the couch. Through the sliding door I saw a large hutch on the patio and two fuzzballs running around. I smiled at the sight, because what adult has guinea pigs? They live nearly as long as dogs. I assumed she got them as a child or maybe an early teen and has been caring for them ever since.
