“Nope. We talk about work every day we have texted, and when we are at work. I want to learn more about you, Han. I’ve watched you for over a year now, andfinally got the nerve to talk to you, so I want to talk to you about anything but work.”
She inhales sharply as I lean in, her breasts rising with the intake of breath. I glance around the table to see if anyone is watching us, but my siblings are all engrossed in their own conversations, and Julia and Tiff are back at the table, sitting by Jason and Fallon, in deep discussion about the beer and seltzer he makes.
“Uh—” Hannah stops, taking a deep breath. “Do you like cheese?”
I pause, my mind going blank at the unexpected question before it hits me.
12
HANNAH
Did I just ask him if he liked cheese? Oh, holy shit I did. It was the first thing I could think of, and now I’m going to have to explain the plot of an early 2000’s rom-com to him.
It doesn’t help that I’ve already been awkward. I didn’t know what to say when he complimented me or grabbed my hand, which felt amazing. How can a simple touch light my insides on fire?
The blank stare on Thomas’s face makes me cringe.
“Are you—” he pauses. “Did you just quoteShe’s The Man?” His brows raise and the dimples appear on his cheeks.
“You know that movie?”
“My favorite’s gouda,”he quotes.
“Oh my god,” I say with a small laugh. “I can’t believe you know that movie, and quote.”
Thomas gestures over to Marley. “It’s one of Mar’s favorite movies, so she made us watch it all the time.”
“It’s one of mine too. It’s so funny. I don’t even knowwhy I said that. I couldn’t think of anything to say, and it slipped out.”
“I mean, I thought it was pretty great,” Thomas says, his lips curving into a smile.
I take a deep breath and decide to be honest. “I’m not going to lie. I’ve been super nervous about this.”
Thomas reaches over and takes my hand. “How come?” He squeezes my palm gently, and instead of spurring my nerves, it helps to calm me.
“I’m not good at this,” I say, letting out a breath. “Meeting up with new people is hard for me. I mean technically, you aren’t new—I’ve known you for a while—but I don’tknow you, know you. Does that make sense?”
“I think so,” he replies. “What can I do to make this easier for you?”
“You’re doing it. My social anxiety can be really hard for me, but I’m working on it with my therapist, and I’m getting better. Things that used to be hard, I can do now, no problem. Exposure therapy is hard, but worth it.”
“Did I pressure you into tonight?” Thomas asks, the worry evident in his voice.
I shake my head. “No, you didn’t. I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t freak out a bit, but it helped that I could bring my sister.” Thomas glances over to Julia, still talking with his brother.
“I’m not good at… dating.” I quickly stumble over my next words. “Not that this is a date or anything. I didn’t mean to assume that.”
Thomas squeezes my hand. “Hannah, this is a date. You aren’t assuming anything. Maybe I should have been more clear about it, but if you’re okay with it, then that’s what this is.”
My mouth goes dry at his words, and I nod, unable to speak.
“Good,” he says. “We can take this at whatever pace you need, but Hannah, I’ve been dying to get to know you, and I can’t wait to see where this goes.”
I nod again, still lost for words.
From behind us, the band starts playing a classic rock song, and people rush to the street to start dancing. Thomas lets go of my hand and rises to his feet. My heart thumps wildly in my chest as he stands before me. He holds the same hand out to me. “What do you say, freckles, want to dance?”
Tentatively, I slide my palm into his, reveling in the warmth and steadiness that he provides, and agree. He pulls me to my feet and leads me onto the street, where the crowd has already started to grow with each passing second.
