"Jenny," I said, when she didn't respond to my earlier words. "I like Rainier. I'd sworn off anything romantic until I met him. And now I want nothing more than to see what might happen between the twoofus."
"He'll still leave,youknow."
"What do you mean?" The words caught me offguard.
"I think he likes you too, but when the summer is over so is whatever happens between the two of you. He's going back to school in the fall. Everyone in the band has tried to convince himotherwise."
"Maybe I'll be the straw that breaks thecamel'sback."
"But then aren't you doing what you just told me nottodo?"
She had a point. I didn't like that she had a point. I was fighting to come up with an answer that I knew wouldn't come, when a customer came in. Never had I been so happy to see someone looking forbooks.
I let Jenny take care of her. As much as I'd learned in the last few weeks, I wasn't nearly as knowledgeable as my co-worker. I listened as she answered every question she was asked. Jenny was patient, kind. Everything Iwasn't.
But most importantly, she wasn't suited for Rainier. I could tell in the way she was able to change her mood so quickly with thiscustomer.
It was possible Jenny loved Rainier, but no more than I had loved Julian. She would be okaywithouthim.
I only hoped the same could be saidforme.
ChapterTwenty
Rainier
Iparkedmy car in the driveway of Michelle’shouse.
I was torn on whether or not I wanted to be here. There was no denying there was a weird chemistry forming between the two of us. It was just yet to be determined if that was a good thingornot.
We were so different, and it was hard to forget all the horrible things I’d heard about her. My phone buzzed in my lap and I looked down to see a message from Michelle lighting up thescreen.
Michelle: Are you going to come in or just sit out thereallday?
I looked up to see her figure in the front window of the house. She was wiggling her fingers in apatronizingwave.
Tap,tap,tap.
I got out of the car and grabbed my guitar from the back seat. By the time I made it up the sidewalk to the front door, it was wide open with a smiling Michelle on theotherside.
Even though she hadn't worn her bookstore uniform to Wild Bill’s, it was still strange to see her out of the usual black shirt and khaki combo I was used to seeing. Today she wore a loose tank and cutoff shorts. Her hair was braided over one shoulder, and it looked like she was wearing less makeup thanusual.
“Like what you see?” she asked, pulling me from my perusal. I could feel my face burning from the embarrassment of getting caught checking her out. But when I met her eyes, she didn’t look upset. In fact, her smile seemedbigger.
“Oh, don’t freak out Rainier. I’m just teasing you.Comein.”
I followed her into thelivingroom.
After a few minutes of sitting awkwardly on the couch, I opened the case and pulled out myguitar.
“Oh." Michelle looked at my guitar. "That’s a different one than what you used lastnight.”
“It’s my acoustic. I thought it would be betterforthis.”
“Okay." She leaned forward in her seat. "Where do westart?”
I cleared my throat. “Are you left or right-handed?”
“Right.”
