“Shall we go back upstairs?” I suggest. “Take the skates off and have a milkshake?” Her shoulders tense as the chorus hits. “Or how about we get out of here?” I’m clutching at straws here. “If you’ve never tried the Tea House’s cinnamon buns, we need to change that.”
Her shoulders visibly sag, letting me know this is the best course of action. “Are you sure you don’t mind leaving?”
“I absolutely don’t mind.” I wrap my arm around her waist to steer her back to safety. There’s no way I’m letting her go until those wheels are off her feet. “Come on.”
I’ll do anything to see that dazzling smile again.
SEVEN
Delilah
PRESENT DAY
After changing back into my shoes and excusing myself for a restroom break, I call Sabs as soon as the stall door closes behind me.
“Del!” Sabs answers on the first ring, dance music pumping in the background. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s…”
“Do you need to use your code word?” Her voice is sharp. “Hell, I can run over from the gym and be wherever you are in, like, two minutes.”
“No, I’m good,” I rush to reply. “I mean, Tae’s great. He’s been so sweet. It’s just…” I sigh.
Maybe it was stupid to have called her.
“What is it?” The concern in her tone rises. “If everything’s okay, you wouldn’t be calling me in the middle of your first date in a year.”
“We were skating, then aPack Firesong started playing, and…” I cringe, thinking of what Tae must’ve thought of me. “I made a fool of myself and fell over. Hearing Jagger’s voice just caught me off guard.”
Even on a date, I can’t seem to get away from him. Wherever I go, he’s always there, hovering in the background like anannoying gorgeous ghost. If there was a Ghost Buster team who could get rid of exes, my life would be so much easier.
“Okay, listen up!” Sabs barks down the phone with the aggression of a drill sergeant. “You are not lettinghimscrew up this date. Jagger-fucking-Knight can go to hell!” I hear a muffled voice say something in the background on her end before Sabs yells, “What’re you staring at? I said what I said! Go back to crunching those abs!” She huffs, turning her attention back to me. “Anyway, you said you’ve been having fun, right?”
“Yes.” I recall how good it felt to have Tae’s hands around my waist. Being in his company is effortless. It feels like we’ve known each other for years.
“And he’s smoking hot, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
“And where is he now?”
“He’s waiting for me outside the restroom…”
“You need to get your cute ass out of there and quit hiding!” Sabs bellows. “You put your life on hold for too long after what happened with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Don’t let him ruin tonight for you too. You’re amazing, and Tae obviously sees that. Now go enjoy yourself.”
I laugh, my wobble over hearing Jagger’s voice already fading. “Thanks, Sabs.”
“GO!”
I laugh and hang up, instantly feeling better. I splash my face with some cool water then reapply a fresh layer of strawberry-flavored lip gloss, feeling like a soldier suiting up to do battle. Sabs is right; I can’t let one asshole ruin the rest of my life. No matter how much it still hurts.
“You’ve got this.” I fluff up my hair to give it extra volume. Tae isn’t Jagger. “Have fun.”
Outside, I find Tae leaning against the wall waiting for me. Exactly where he said he would be.See?Not all guys are assholes who will run out on you.
“Good to go, cookie?” Butterflies flutter in my stomach at the sight of his panty-melting grin and hearing him use his cute nickname for me. I thought it’d be a passing remark, but cookie appears to have stuck, and I kinda love it. “Pastries await!”
“Sorry for making us leave early,” I murmur as we head outside.
