I keep my face impassive and don’t even roll my eyes or answer his stupid question. The answer is a solid no. It has nothing to do with Medley’s, though. They have great food and drinks, and it’s become one of our hangout spots. It’s also become everyone else’s hangout spot. Over the summer, a plethora of families and young professionals moved to Rhodes, nearly doubling the population at record speed.
“Let me guess,” he says when I don’t respond. “Medley’s is too rowdy for you.”
“No. I’m just. . .” I shake my head.
“Boring?” he asks with a cheeky grin.
“If I’m so boring, why do you wanna hang out with me so bad?” I arch an eyebrow and look at him.
He rolls his eyes. “Fine, you’re not boring.”
“I’ll go,” I say, surprising myself. A drink with a friend can’t hurt, and it’s not like I have so much going on.
“Cool.” His smile shows off his dimple and now I roll my eyes. He ignores it. “Eight o’clock?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven forty-five,” he says.
“Wait. You’re picking me up?” I stop dead in my tracks, and he pivots to start walking in the direction we just came from.
“Yep,” he says from the other side of the sidewalk as he jogs away backward, still smiling at me. “It’s a date.”
“It’s not a date,” I shout back. “I’m serious.”
“I can’t hear you.”
I don’t even bother. I just turn around and keep walking until I get to my car, which is parked in front of Marissa’s businesses. I unlock it, set my bag inside, and relock it as I head to her smoothie store. I walk in, feeling incredibly annoyed, which is normal, but these days when I’m incredibly annoyed, it shows. I hate it. Marissa looks up from behind the counter and arches an eyebrow when she takes in my demeanor.
“What the hell happened to you?” she asks as I reach her.
“Wade invited me to Medley’s, told me he’d pick me up, and then said it was a date.”
“Whoa.” Her brows shoot up. “He finally grew a pair.”
I bring up my hands and shake them, as if it’ll help me get out the words I want to say. “I don’t want to date. I’m not ready.”
“You’re never going to be ready, Lyles. Face it, you’re going to have to fake it till you make it. That’s how my parents started out, and look at them.”
I massage the back of my neck, which is tense because of all of this. “I don’t want to date Wade, and going on a date will lead him on.”
“It’s been three years!” she says as if I need a reminder.
I shoot her a look. “I know exactly how long it’s been.”
“You’re going to end up being one of those cat ladies.”
“I’m allergic to cats.”
She gives me a droll look. “Seriously?”
“I really am, and I hate that being a ‘cat lady’ is used in a negative way, when in reality, they’re probably happier than most people who have partners.”
“Whatever. No cats then. Come out with me. I can be your wing-woman.” She grins wide. “OrI can tell Pres to call his hot friend from work, and we can go out with him so you can meet him.”
“God, no.” I scowl. “I hate lawyers.”
“You’ve never even been with one!”
