“You can’t hear blushing.”
“I can with you.”
I pressed my free hand to my burning face. “This is mortifying.”
“This is cute.” His voice went softer. “So. Dinner tomorrow?”
My heart hammered. “Tomorrow?”
“I know a place. Nothing fancy. I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
A pause. Then, “Unless you don’t want me to be.”
Oh God.
Everyone stared at me. Brynn mouthed something obscene. Jess looked concerned. Eli grinned.
I opened my mouth and then stopped. Started again. “One dinner. But I’m driving myself.”
“Deal.” The smile in his voice was audible. “I’ll text you the address in the morning. Can’t wait, Autumn.”
“Me neither.” The truth slipped out before I could stop it.
“Sleep well, beautiful.”
“You, too.”
I hung up. Silence.
Then Brynn erupted. “YOU SAID YES! AND you said you can’t wait! That’s basically a declaration of love!”
“It is not,” I retorted.
Jess peered at my face. “You are blushing again. You’re bright red.”
“It’s the cold.”
“It’s fifty degrees,” she pointed out.
“Early onset menopause.” I shrugged.
Eli shook his head. “You’re thirty-four, and you’re into him. Admit it.”
“I am not.”
My phone buzzed.
I looked.
Cole: Can’t stop smiling. Your friends are chaos, by the way. I like them. See you tomorrow, Autumn.
The screen glowed in my hand.
I’d said yes to dinner with a twenty-four-year-old musician who made me feel things I’d sworn off feeling.
My friends stared at me. Waiting for me to spiral, but I just smiled at my phone like an idiot.
And for once, I didn’t stop myself.
