“Three hours.”
“Kill me.”
“I’m gonna crash after this. What about you, how was the walk home with Barbanel?”
“Literally just a walk.”
“Seriously? Not even a kiss goodnight?”
“He said I was drunk.”
“Well, you were. Maybe he was afraid you’d be sloppy.”
“Thanks. No, he’s not interested. I mean, he’d be way too complicated. He was totally right not to do anything. One hundred percent.”
“Wow, you’ve definitely convinced me.”
“Ugh. What about you?”
“Well, I went back to make out with the guy you saw, and he was already hooking up with another girl.”
I dropped my head into my hands. “I hate boys.”
“Mood.”
The cookies had just come out of the oven when a guy our age approached the counter. “Hey, Jane.”
“Oh, hey, Mason.” She pushed off from the counter she’d been leaning against. “The usual?”
I aspired to have someone, someday, ask if I wanted “the usual.”
“Yes, please.” As she rung up his order, he watched her with a nervously determined gaze. He cleared his throat. “Did you see Stoned Lake is playing at the Chicken Box on Friday?”
“Really?” Jane handed his card back. “Cool.”
“Yeah. You should come.”
“Sweet, thanks for the tip.”
“No prob.” He hovered for a second more, then smiled and left.
I waited until the door clicked closed behind him. “Explain.”
“What?” Jane looked up from refilling the soup. “Oh, Mason. He’s one of the locals.”
“He’s cute.”
“Go for it.”
“No, I mean for you!”
“Forme?” Her whole body jerked. “What?”
“He obviously likes you. He asked you out.”
“He did not.”
“Pretty sure he gave you a time and a place to meet.”
