Perhaps fate—or cupid himself—knew what they were doing when they decided to put my name with hers.
I’d taken Quinn up on her offer to get a list of ideas for the date and I agree that she had the perfect plan. When I asked her about it, she said, “I figured you’d get your sh—stuff together and come find me eventually,” before jotting a list down on post-it and handing it to me.
Sliding my hands in the pockets of my nice jeans, I walk across campus to Stone Hall. I’ve been dying to have a conversation with her since we worked in the library, but I don’t want to push my luck. I get the impression that she’s timid and I don’t want to overwhelm her. The campus is alive with people getting ready for their dates and SAC is hosting a Romcom Movie Night in the Student Center lounge.
Checking the time on my phone, I’m a few minutes early. I’m now realizing that I don’t know which room she’s in—I only know she lives in Stone Hall from the vague memory of droppingher off here and her making me laugh at something she’d said. So, I wait. Like an idiot, I pace back and forth at the bottom of the steps leading up to Stone Hall hoping that Candi will show up. Not that she won’t show up.
Shit, am I nervous?
It’s possible. For the past three years, my life has been school and baseball. Sure, there was that unfortunate lapse in judgment that was Clara—a date that I am hoping she gets over soon. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with the clinginess. I’ve never been one to be on the lookout for girls, I just sit back and wait for them to approach me, and it hasn’t failed me yet. Except that Candi isn’t the one who has been searching me out. It’s the opposite—I’m the one always on the lookout for her.
Wonder what that means…
Shaking off the thought, I type out a text to Trevor who has been complaining all week about his date with “purple-haired Polly” as he calls her. He said he was doing something simple to keep his coach off his back. I’m honestly curious as to what his plans are. As soon as I hit the send button, the door to Stone Hall is pushed open and a group of giggling girls bounces down the steps.
Following just behind them is Candi, her hands twisting and her eyes looking at her feet in a pair of skin-tight dark jeans that immediately grab my attention, black ankle boots, and a flowy red top. She’s carrying a jacket in the crook of her arm, and she looks as sweet as her name. That long, sweet-smelling hair is lightly curled and bounces halfway down her back. But it’s her face that has my heart-stopping.
Her brown eyes look impossibly bigger with makeup and are framed with long lashes. That plump mouth of hers is glossy and makes me want to feel them against my own.
Holy shit, get it together.
Smiling at her like an idiot, she finally notices me standing at the bottom of the stairs and her steps falter. She doesn’t smile, wave, or say anything. She just gets the deepest blush I think I’ve ever seen on a person, her lips rolling together as she glances away from me.
“Did you forget something?” She still hasn’t moved off the step and I’m curious about what is going on in that head of hers. “We can go in and get it if we need to.”
Her head tilts to the side, her eyebrows drawing together like she’s trying to solve a physics problem. “What?”
“I asked if you forgot something. You stopped so suddenly that I figured you left something behind and needed to go get it.” A small chuckle leaves my lips as she finally descends the last few steps of the stairs.
“Oh, no. I didn’t forget anything. I was just surprised you’re here.”
Dramatically, I throw a hand over my heart. “Ouch, thought I’d forget about our date?”
“Actually, yeah,” she admits, her voice soft and low.
I wonder what she’d do if she learned that all I’ve thought about this week is this date.
We turn and start walking into the parking lot and I point out my car to her. Remembering my manners right as she reaches for the passenger side of the car, I sprint over to her side to open the door for her.
Candi stands back and watches me make a fool of myself, a small hum coming from her throat.
“What was that for?”
She slides past me and stands on the other side of the door, not making a move to sit, but instead she’s eying me. “What was what for?” A shy grin peeks at the corner of her mouth, letting me know she’s in a teasing mood.
“That ‘hmm’ noise you made.” Placing my hands on top of the door frame, I lean into her and her eyes go wide.
“I just thought you said that chivalry wasn’t your thing. Yet here you are.” With a pointed look, she glances at her open car door and me standing there holding it open for her.
My brain is trying to sift through any conversations I’ve had with her, but I come up blank. “Don’t get too used to it,” I tease before giving her a quick wink.
And there’s that blush again.
She’s silent as we make the short drive from the Rosewood Campus to Rose Prairie town square. The whole town is decked out in hearts with red, pink, and whiteeverywhere. The gazebo in the center of the square is decorated with soft pink lights, red roses, large sparkly hearts, and a cupid or two. Speaking of cupid, there’s a giant cherub shooting a bow and arrow at a woman in a red dress, both of the faces cut out for a photo opportunity.
This is what listening to Quinn gets me. She had suggested coming to the center of town for the first annual Valentine’s Day Love Festival. Something similar takes place on Christmas Eve, but this one is all focused on the day of love.
According to the note Quinn handed me, many of the small businesses located around the town square are offering activities for couples so that they can stay in town and don’t have to leave Rose Prairie for a good time.
