“Alright, what time are you picking her up? Morning or afternoon?”
“Morning, we agreed on nine-thirty.”
“Perfect, have her favorite coffee ready before picking her up, and pack a cute little picnic—every girl wants a boy to plan a picnic, it’s probably on her Bucket List. I know it’s on my listof what a boy needs to do for me before I’ll actually be his girlfriend. And that’s it. Easy-Peasy.”
“That’s it? Coffee and a picnic? No flowers or anything?”
“Did you ask her out on a date?” she asks, sass dripping from her voice.
“No. I told you—”
I’m cut off by her saying, “No date, no flowers. Flowers are just for official dates. Trust me, you don’t want to scare her off before you can actually ask her on a date. Anything else you need help with?”
“No. Well, how am I supposed to know what her favorite coffee is?” I ask.
“Ian. She’s roommates with your best friend, figure it out!” she says, with an eye roll I’m sure, as she hangs up on me.
Before I can digest what she said, my phone starts ringing in my hands.
“What’s up?” I say as I answer.
“What’s this I’m hearing? You’re taking Hannah out on a date?” Levi asks.
“The words ‘will you’and ‘date’were not said,” I say, repeating Sadie’s words, happy I spoke to her first. “This time anyway,” I add on.
“Ian,” he says in a warning tone.
“I’m just helping her cross things off her List. Aren’t you the one who said she was here to grow and rediscover herself? I’m just here helping her out,” I say innocently.
“I know what you’re doing here, and I don’t like it,” he says solemnly.
“Levi, we’re going horseback riding, not getting married,” I say defensively, not liking the judging tone he’s taking. I know he assumes I’m some jerk to women because I never have the same woman around for more than a few weeks at a time, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I don’t sleep with all of them.Plus, they all know I’m not looking for anything more than a fling.
“Anyhow, what’s her favorite coffee? And is she allergic to anything?” I ask, giving myself a mental shake before I get mad at him. “Please, Levi. Give me something here.”
A few moments later, he finally says, “Dirty, iced chai latte with oat milk. And no, no allergies,” he says with a huff. Hopefully he understands that I’m not looking to hurt her, just get to know her. For now at least.
“Perfect, thanks, man.”
“I don’t like this,” Levi says.
“You don’t have to, it has nothing to do with you. But trust me, I don’t plan on hurting her.”
“We’ll see about that,” he answers before hanging up.
Knocking on Levi’s door Tuesday morning has me almost shitting my pants—why am I so nervous? And why am I knocking?I ask myself as I grab the door handle. I never knock on Levi’s door, I just walk in; it used to be my house too. I hope she’s still okay with going. I stupidly didn’t get her phone number over the weekend. What a rookie move. She has me in knots and I don’t even think she realizes it.
Before I can open the door, it’s opened for me by a frowning Levi.
“Is that Ian?” I hear being asked from deeper inside the house.
“Yeah,” Levi shouts back, looking at me as he lowers his voice and says, “Just don’t hurt her.”
Before I can answer back, Hannah joins us wearing a skintight pair of faded jeans, that I know hug her ass just right. Have I mentioned I’m an ass guy? Well, I am, and this girl has an ass made for grabbing.
Interrupting my train of thought, making my eyes travel back to her face, she says, “The only boots I have are Blundstones, is that okay?”
As my eyes finally reach her face, I see a slight blush high on her cheeks. Clearly I’ve been caught checking her out. Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to mind.
