“So…same time tomorrow?” he asked, shooting me a small smile.
“No strings.”
“You’re no fun.”
He was smiling when he said it. Teasing.
“I was fun today,” I insisted, suddenly anxious that he know something about me. “But today felt like a fake version of myself.”
“It’s not fake. It’s just the version you might not show the world as much.”
“If you think I regularly jump ship on dates and take off with strangers, last night has sorely misrepresented everything I usually stand for.”
“It was a night of random fun. Anybody is capable of that.”
“You don’t really know me, though.”
He raised his eyebrows, hurt lining his eyes. “You’re going to try telling me I don’t know you after the night we’ve had? I’ve dated women for two months and don’t feel like I’ve gotten to know them as well as you after twelve hours.”
“Well, either way…” I spread my hands out wide. “If I were to stick around longer than tonight, you’d probably be disappointed.”
He shook his head slowly. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
I huffed out a noise of disbelief, aware of a growing heat at the back of my eyelids.
“How the night unfolded might not have been your idea, but it was still you. Maybe not the side of you that you show to the world, but it’s you. Whether you believe it or not, you’re fun, Nora. Smart. Driven. Hot. And fun.” His eyes flitted to my lips before raising back up again, his low voice causing sparks to burst down my spine. “You’re the whole package, and I hate North Dakota.”
A smile crept across my face even as my stomach flipped. That was my cue. My time to exit before the string connecting the two of us grew even tighter. A person could lay a lot on the line when there was no tomorrow. And therewasn’ta tomorrow. Our time had come to an end, and it felt much more bitter than I had bargained for.
I kissed the fingers on my hand and leaned in, touching his cheek gently, laughing as he moved them to his lips, kissing each finger on my hand and giving me the feeling of flying. He pulled me over to him, a quick hug to end our night, before I gained the presence of mind in my sleep-addled brain to slide out of the car. I leaned in before closing the door.
“See ya.”
If he was disappointed in my goodbye, he was careful not to show it. I closed the door and rounded the front of his truck, headed toward my car, when I paused, my fingers sliding over the white hood of his Tacoma. My old Honda Civic that had seen way too many miles sat before me. Ready to take me home. Take me back to my life.
It was then that I understood what exactly Duke had given me. This night. This beautiful, chaotic, charming, gratifying, and thrilling night that would be hard to forget. Something I hadn’t realized I needed. I didn’t let myself feel the nerves. I just acted, my feet taking me toward his door. He was already out of his truck when I nearly launched myself into his arms. There was no hesitation on his part, and I found myself cocooned in an embrace so tight I almost lost all my senses. His arms cradled and held and kept trying to bring me impossibly closer. I relished the feel of him holding me, my head lingering on his chest for a few long moments.
Warm eyes looked down at me as I dragged myself out of his embrace, backing up slowly while holding his gaze.
“Thanks for the date, Duke.”
“See you around, Nora.” His eyes were firm. His gaze locked on mine, and I truly believed he meant it.
And then I turned and walked away, a smile on my face and a touch of sadness in my heart, knowing that was not a possibility for us.
8
3 Years Later
I smoothed down my short-sleeved,black t-shirt before tucking it into black yoga pants that were fitted just right they could almost pass for something dressier. The mirror leaning against the floor in front of me was not helping any with my ego. My brown hair, tied loosely at my neck from working the diner all day, looked flat and lifeless and smelled faintly of bacon. After a quick debate with myself, I took it out of the scrunchie and fixed my hair. A high ponytail gave me a certain bounce that I definitely didn’t feel. I could have really used some blush or something to brighten my pale face, but I ignored the thought as I pulled on my black slip-ons.
“You look like you’re going to a funeral,” Mira said, leaning against my door frame. My best friend and soon-to-be ex-roommate stood, wearing her blue scrubs, about to head out the door to go be a nurse and save lives and stuff.
“Aren’t I?” I smiled over at Mira to let her think I was joking.
I was not joking. Black was the appropriate color for where I was headed.
“If you’re going to a funeral,“ Mira began, striding forward to grab the blush off my vanity desk in the corner, and proceeded to put some on my cheeks. “Then I’m going to try my best to help you look like a guest and not the main event.” My eyes drifted to her curly black hair resting prettily on top of her shoulders. Though I knew she’d have her hair up in a ponytail before long.
