“I can see that. You know, this makes me think of you differently.” I joke around as I stir in the yellow dye while she does the orange.
“I completely understand. If you want to leave, I won’t stop you.”
“You know, leaving would be the right thing to do in order to teach you a lesson, but I think I’ll be the bigger man and stay.”
She smirks. “Don’t act like you’re staying for me. You’re just staying for the pussy cakes.”
I laugh out loud again. This time, it disrupts the class enough for me to have to apologize and then turn back to Birdy, my cheeks flushed.
* * *
“Thank you for coming tonight,it meant a lot to Callie,” Birdy says as we reach her white SUV.
“You know, I think I will say this once and only once because I don’t want to give off the wrong impression about my likes and dislikes for baking, but I had fun.”
She clutches her chest as she leans against her car. “Please, spare my feelings from the lies.”
“I did,” I say, moving in closer. “I had a lot of fun hanging out with you. Wasn’t as awkward as the double date.”
She reaches out and plays with the hem of my shirt. “Yeah, double dates are always a treat, especially when one half of it is a blind date.”
I set the box of extra cupcakes on top of her car and move in closer so she has to tilt her head back to look up at me. “So are we still on for a hike and birdwatching? I didn’t deter you with the way I took down three cupcakes in one sitting?”
Her lips tilt up. “No, watching you munch on those pussies actually made me want to hang out even more.”
I chuckle. “You know, you could have shown this sense of humor on the double date.”
“Oh my God, I would not be caught dead saying anything like that in front of Brian. He’s so . . . stuck up, and my brother is just the same. Whenever I’m around Brian, I know I have to keep it together. Act posh.”
“Why would you want to act like someone else, not be your true you?”
“Easier that way. I’d rather spend a few hours with my pinky up, acting fancy, than answering to my brother why I said pussy in front of Brian.”
I push a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, I can see not wanting to get into it with your brother. I often have that thought cross my mind. But even with a filter, my brothers and I seem to get into it somehow.”
“Same.” She sighs. “But to answer your question, yes, I still want to go hiking with you. And maybe, you know, if you have availability for dinner or something this week, I could be free.” She winces and says, “That sounds so pathetic like I don’t have a life, but who am I kidding? I don’t do much other than work out and go to work, so . . . if you are free, I’m pretty sure I would be too.”
“Not pathetic,” I say as I stare down at her lips, this overwhelming urge pulsing through me to kiss her. “Honest, and I like that.” I lift my finger under her chin and hold my breath as I wait for her to signal that this is okay. That I can kiss her. She wets her lips and tugs on my shirt, indicating she wants this just as much as I do.
I lean down, bring my nose close to hers, and pause for a moment, giving her a second to be ready before I press my lips lightly against hers. It’s a feather of a kiss, nothing too intense, nothing open-mouthed. Just sweet.
Just enough to curb that urge.
Just enough to get a taste of her.
When I pull away, she smiles up at me, her eyes glimmering under the city lamps.
“I’ll call you,” I say as I pull away and grab the cupcake box. I stick one hand in my pocket and watch as she opens her car door.
“I’m holding you to that.” She steps into her car and then shuts the door. I take another step back, and while I watch her drive away, I let out a deep breath as I replay the kiss in my head.
It was good.
Sweet.
Yet, why didn’t I feel anything?
* * *
