“See!” Amy swats my arm.
I can pretty much feel the eye roll coming from Parker as he’s forced to wait and watch this play out. “Well.” I swallow hard. “Can I have your phone number so we can schedule a time to meet up? Maybe get coffee or lunch?”
Natalie nods with what I think is excitement as I pull my phone out. She extends her hands as I pull up the contact list, and I watch as she puts her number in there. Then, she opens a message to the number, and sends my name to her.
She’s really making sure we don’t mess this up.
And that starts feeling a lot like hope. Like she might actually want to go out on a date with me. I don’t know why it suddenly feels shocking, when in reality, I’ve had this moment happen plenty of times.
It’s all just been a disaster lately.
“Here.” Natalie hands it back to me, and I take it, giving her a more confident grin.
“I’ll hit you up when I get home so we can make plans.”
“Perfect.” She shoots me a little wink, then spins around, exiting the opposite way with her friend, who must’ve gottentired of the obstruction named Amy. I turn back around to shoo Amy out of the row of seats, and she giggles proudly to herself as we finally make our exit.
“That wassocute,” Amy gushes as she links her arm with Parker’s. “I think they had some real chemistry, don’t you?”
Parker’s brow raises slightly as he smirks over at me. “I don’t know. Weston lands a lot of first dates, but rarely any second ones.”
“Whatever,” I shoot back, rolling my eyes. “I can’t help it that I can land them, but I can’t keep them.” Insecurity flutters in my chest, and I mull over the thought as I follow the two of them out of the building and to the rideshare car Parker ordered.
Honestly, he has a point.
I don’t know why I can’t ever seem to have an actual girlfriend. Part of me thinks it might be that I’m too nerdy and weird once people get to know me. Or maybe I’m just too much.
The only woman I’ve been able to connect effortlessly with is … Brittany.
It’s just too bad that she’s my best friend’s little sister, and totally off-limits. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy our secret little card exchange over the past few weeks.
I wonder if she liked my Valentine’s Day Card.
I chuckle at the memory of the toilet bowl on the cover. I figured it might cheer her up on what is otherwise a depressing day for single folks. Trust me, I would know.
“Come on,” Amy calls out to me as she slides into the back seat of the SUV. “You don’t want to get left! We’ll drop you off first.”
I jerk my brain back into function mode and climb into the SUV. Amy sits in the middle and Parker on the driver’s side. I ride in mostly silence, listening to Amy drone on and on about how much she enjoyed the evening. Parker chuckles and listens to her the entire time, and I wonder, momentarily, how her bubbly personality doesn’t feel overwhelming.
But then again, Parker is a little underwhelming.
“First stop,” the driver calls out.
I bid everyone good night, then climb out, heading for my apartment complex. I still haven’t texted Natalie to schedule a date, but I tell myself that I will once I get inside and get settled.
I yawn as I slip through the doors, but before I can get to the elevator, one of the managers waves me down. I turn to him, trying to remember his name. “Hey…”
“Hey, you got a package,” he tells me, holding out a medium-sized box. “It came yesterday, but I didn’t see you.”
I nod. “Not a problem, thank you.” I take the box, glancing down at the label on it. My heart skips a beat as I see Brittany’s name right there, on the sender’s address.
What could she have possibly sent me?
A renewed sense of excitement fills my chest as I head for the elevator. I smash the button for my floor and then make the trip as quickly as I can. I set my phone and keys down on the kitchen counter as soon as I’m inside, then tear into the box, seeing its contents.
I pull out a carefully-wrapped present, and in big letters it says,“Do NOT Open First.”I chuckle and go for the card, tearing it open. It’s a Valentine’s Day card, but it’s been marked through with a sharpie. I flip it open.
Wes,
