Is thatokay?
Okay? Was he kidding?I had an amazing time tonight,Zach.
Me,too.
I was staring at the phone when it rang, making me start and nearly drop it. Was ithim?
The caller ID read: O’NealJones.
My heart sank at the sight of my friend’s name instead of his, but I picked up with asmile.
“Hey.”
“How am I the one calling you after three days without ananswer?”
“Oh.Right.”
“Right? That’s it? What thewhatwith the hot guy from the text?” As usual, O’Neal was clearly ready for details. I’d give them to her usually, but I was so raw from tonight, the excitement so new, the whole thing so fresh in my mind and my skin, I wasn’t ready to share it withanyone.
“Yeah.”
She was quiet for a second, which was very unlikeher.
“Yeah?Are you being serious with me right now,V?”
“He’sgood.”
“Zach Hubler. Who is he and how did you meethim?”
“I met him canvassing. And as far as who…” I swallowed, because there was something there I wasn’t sure about yet. “He’s a guy.Younger.”
“Howyoung?”
“Earlytwenties.”
She fake-gasped. “Cradlerobber.”
Oh gosh. I knew she was kidding, but maybe I shouldn’t get involved with someone a few years younger. “Is it really thatbad?”
“Seriously, V. How many younger guys have Ishagged?”
“Um. Too many to guess. But youareO’Neal Jones, Queen of stringlesssex.”
“Ew. I know what you just meant by that, but it sounds kinda gross.” She let out a disgusted little laugh. “Anyway, I’m all for this situation. Tell memore.”
I cleared my throat. “He’s kind of a shut-in, I guess. He lives over on the edge of town in a big house in the woods. He made me dinner. Wetalked…”
“Uh huh. I’m looking him up rightnow.”
“No!No, I will not let you stalkhim.”
The mad clicking in the background stoppedabruptly.
“Whynot?”
I didn’t know. Was it because hewastoo good to be true? Or maybe because I preferred to shove my head in the sand rather than let O’Neal burst my bubble. I wasn’t ready to ruin it. Whateveritwas.
Softly, I appealed to the sweet side that O’Neal hid way down deep, behind the bluster and ballsiness she’d needed to get where she was in life. “Let me enjoy this, O’Neal, okay? Let me like him forhim, without all the external bullshit. Just…let me get to know him, not whoever he isonline.”
