“Give me a chance to take you to dinner.”
“EJ …” I practically beg him to understand my situation.
He smiles wider as if my plea is somehow an admission of a lingering desire to say yes.
And maybe it is.
But, regardless of what I want, I can’t.
“It's not a marriage proposal,” he practically whispers, obviously aware of the eyes and ears around us. “I just want to take you out.”
“I can't do casual.”
His smile grows even wider. “Then let's do formal. And serious. Very, very serious. I won't even smile the whole meal.”
I finish running my hands through his hair and turn on the spray to rinse the shampoo.
“I doubt you can keep a straight face for five minutes, let alone a whole date.”
“Is that a challenge?” He smirks. Then he says, “Challenge accepted.”
I huff. “EJ.”
“You didn’t say no,” he says.
I glance around, grabbing a towel to dry his hair.
I don’t correct him. I will. It’s just, looking down at him—the way he’s smiling—I want to enjoy his reaction for a few moments longer.
EJ behaves himself the whole haircut, talking about the festival and telling Laura and me about Decker getting stuck in the Corny costume.
When he’s leaving he says, “I’ll be back to collect on that challenge.”
“EJ,” I say. “I can’t.”
“You’re not the one being challenged here, Angie,” EJ says with a wink. “And I’ve never been one to turn down a challenge.”
I shake my head and he turns to leave, doing an admittedly cute victory dance all the way out the door, shuffling his feet and wiggling his hips, bobbing his head and saying, “Challenge accepted. Yes, it is.”
“Did I just agree to a date?” I ask Laura.
“That's what it looked like to me,” Laura says with a smile.
I grimace, but inside, a part of me is secretly hoping EJ follows through—even though I know things can’t go anywhere between us.
Chapter 4
EJ
People who say "it is impossible",
should not interrupt
those who are trying to make it possible.
~ Unknown
Unfortunately, Truck has decided I’m his latest project.
