Shera’s lips twist up, and now I’m embarrassed.
“This isn’t why most people come to talk to you. I’m wasting your time. I’m sorry.”
I’m about to get up again, and wondering if I’m just trying to make up another excuse to leave, when she says, “Maybe you could tell me what he likes. Do you know his interests?”
“He’s really smart. He’ll listen to podcasts when he stays over, mostly stuff related to medicine—he’s studying to become an RN. He also plays these games on his phone, like number and word puzzles. And he clearly cares about art because he volunteered to model for my class and he has an eye for it. We’ve discussed some of my paintings.”
“So art is something the two of you appreciate together? That sounds like something you could make into a date.”
I mull this over. “There is the Peachtree Springs Art Museum. I typically go there when they get new pieces, and they’re touring Van Gogh next weekend.”
“That could be fun.”
“Yeah, but it’s just something I would normally do.”
“But would you normally do it with someone else? And isn’t the point of a date getting to know each other better? He probably wants to see more of this side of you.”
Touché, Counselor.
And I want him to see more sides of me. I want to share so much more with him.
“Maybe like, get dinner and then head over and do that?” I ask. “That sounds fun, right? Like he would like that, you think? Jesus, when did I become so insecure about shit?”
“I think he would like that.”
I nod. Yeah, that’s it. It was so obvious, I should have thought of it myself. “Welp, thanks for the help.” I hop up and head for the door.
“Um…”
“Don’t worry. I gave my card to the front desk, so they’ll bill me. This date has only cost me one thousand one hundred and fifty dollars or something, right?”
“It’s through the school, so it’s only thirty,” she says, obviously not understanding what the hell I’m talking about, but thirty dollars? Damn, that’s better than I thought.
As I open the door, I spin back to her. “Cool, cool. Maybe I’ll hit you back when I need help with something else.”
She shrugs. “Sure. I’ll be here.”
I like this Shera woman.
I didn’t talk to her about any of the shit I really need to deal with, but I wonder if in some way, this wasn’t a perfect excuse to open that door, test the waters, see if there could be hope for me after all.
As I head into the courtyard, feeling confident, I pull out my phone and text Dax:So…I know where I want to take you on our date.
26
Dax
Ihave neverbeen this excited for a date, but I’ve also never had a date with aboyfriend. I still have no idea how that happened. It’s this blur in my mind where one minute I didn’t have a boyfriend and the next I did, and I’m really fucking happy about that. Which is weird because it’s never been something I wanted, and part of me is still confused that I want it withMiles Tanner, but then when I think about how I feel when we’re together, it makes perfect sense.
Apparently, we’re going to dinner and to the art museum. Though he would probably hate hearing this, it was really cute when he texted to tell me, like he wanted to make sure it was okay, like he worries he isn’t doing this right. I’m so fucking privileged I get to see all the parts of him.
I rinse the conditioner out of my hair, turn off the shower, and dry off. I’m shaving at my bathroom sink, a towel wrapped around my waist, when the door to my bedroom flies open, Andy and Teddy tripping over each other to get inside.
“Make yourself at home,” I tease. “What if I was naked?”
“Please, like we haven’t seen you naked,” Andy jokes.
Yeah, but that was before I had a boyfriend. I have a feeling my guy wouldn’t like that, and in a way I never expected, I find that incredibly hot. There’s something sexy as fuck about a possessive boyfriend.
