Conrad tapped his finger against his lips. “We could check the Date Maker database for unmatched guys. I hear there’s a real winner hiding inthere.”
“Yeah, but he’s got terrible breath. That’s a deal breaker,youknow.”
He cupped his palm over his mouth and puffed out his breath several times. It wasn’t bad as far as he could tell, despite the coffee he’d gotten with Dominick earlier. When he was satisfied his breath wasn’t actually offensive, he raised his brows atLacey.
She giggled. “Well, it’s not bad…yet. But it will be when we finish what’s inthebox.”
“What’s in the box?” he said using his best Brad Pittimpression.
Her browscrinkled. “Huh?”
“Seven?”
She shookherhead.
Conrad sighed. It was one of the better movies that made it out of the nineties. Even so, it was over twenty years old. “That’s okay. It would be weird if you were too perfect. But I will be introducing you to that classiconeday.”
Lacey blushed and shook her head. “Well,” she said using a gruff voice. “Wanna see what’s inthebox?”
Her impression was terrible and caused Conrad to burst out in laughter. “Okay. What’s inthebox?”
She opened the lid to reveal at least three dozen garlic knots. Conrad’s eyes went wide at the sight. There was no way they’d be able to finish them all. “You weren’t kidding when you said we were going to have badbreath.”
“Nope.”
“But there’s no one I’d rather experience halitosis withthanyou.”
“Here, here.” Lacey smiled before reaching into the box and grabbing agarlicknot.
Conrad followed her lead and grabbed his own. “Now, let’sdothis.”
And they did. The two of them stayed outside the dorm eating garlic knots until their stomachs hurt—whether it was from the outrageous amount of food they consumed or the way they couldn’t stop laughing at each other as they continued to talk hourafterhour.
As far as first dates went, it wasn’t anything to write home about. But Conrad couldn’t remember ever having this much fun onadate.
Or ever caring less about garlic breath during afirstkiss.
ChapterTen
TWO WEEKSLATER:
“Well,”Conrad said as he stretched his arms over his head. “If that’s it, I really need to get going. My class starts in fifteenminutes.”
Morgan sighed as she looked around at the bookshelves that lined the room. She’d been conducting her first round of post-date interviews, and this one had to be thehardestyet.
She and Lacey weren’t entirely back to normal yet, which made any interaction painful. So much so, Morgan spent most of her time here at the campus library instead of herdormroom.
“Yeah,” Morgan said miserably. “I think I have what I need. Thanks,Conrad.”
He gave Morgan a sympathetic smile before turning his attention to his now-girlfriend, Lacey. “I should be done with Psych before lunch. Should I plan to meet upwithyou?”
Morgan looked down at her paperwork, trying not to watch the two, but she managed to catch the way Lacey pressed her lips together as she stole a glance her way. “Actually, I think I might need to catch you latertonight.”
“Okay,” he answered quietly, reaching over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Lacey’s ear. The intimacy between them did strange things to Morgan’sheart.
Conrad looked at Morgan once more, and she felt her cheeks warm as she redoubled her efforts to read the notes she’d just taken. Morgan heard the sound of a quick kiss followed by softgoodbyes.
With that, Conrad was gone, leaving Morgan and Lacey alonetogether.
