“Might be worth it.” She bit her lip, seductress that she was, and that old fear rushed back in, making me worry all she wanted from me was what I wasn’t willing to give her right now. “But don’t worry. I’ve still got next week to prove Lauren wrong.”
“You know, I could maybe give you some pointers.” I didn’t really know the first thing about production, but I had a lot of experience on the air. “If you like, I mean.”
“Yeah, that would be amazing.” She wrinkled her nose. “Though I don’t know how I can undo a bad first impression.”
“Pop into the meteorology office on Monday, and we can try to plug any holes—” Elizabeth pressed her lips together, and I quickly amended, “In your knowledge.”
“Mm hmm.” She was definitely laughing. “I’m sorry. I collect sexual innuendo. I can’t help myself.”
I shook my head, then opened the door. “Will you text me when you get home?” I asked, like a worried dad. She’d only be driving a mile or so, but it was getting late. “I want to make sure you get home safe.”
“You won’t ghost me?”
“Um. Technically, I didn’t before.” Ihadtexted her back in a way, it just hadn’t beenher. With one foot out, I added, “Besides I’ll see you at work on Monday.” The thought poured a bucket of cold ice on my warm fuzzies. I had good reasons not to want to date a coworker, but it was getting hard to remember them when she was looking at me like that.
“Well, whatever.” She pointed at me. “I still want you to text me back so I don’t have to feel like a la-hooser again.”
“I will,” I said, climbing out. “See you Monday.”
She held a hand up in a casual wave. As soon as I was out of the road, she rolled away, her taillights leaving red scars in the reflection of the street.
Chapter Nineteen
Elizabeth
“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.”
Romeo and Juliet
I made it home. You don’t have to send out an APB.
Evan kept his word, texting back,an avocado peanut butter?
I smiled, loving how he played along with my brand of weird.anxious pretty boy.
In my defense, I’d dipped into a bottle of wine. It wasn’t even midnight, and I was rattled by that kiss. I’d wanted to stop at Chelsea’s to unpack it all with her, but to my absolute shock, Basil’s car was still parked on the road, and the lights were out inside. I wasn’t sure whether to root for my friend or pity poor Bas. She’d eat him alive. Still, I couldn’t remember a time when she’d given a guy her address, let alone invited him home. Now he’d know where to find her.
Meanwhile, I’d been shot down from a simple kiss.
But that kiss…
I must have short-circuited his wires temporarily, and that made me feel eleven kinds of gross. As soon as his brain caught up, he’d shut me out.
I had second-hand embarrassment re-reading my last text, such a failed attempt to flirt. If he’d left me on read again, I might have had to move to Canada rather than show up at work Monday, but Evan volleyed right back.
Evan:the anxious part’s right
Me:you’re being humble about the pretty
Evan:shucks
Hanging out with him, acting dorky, I’d seen beyond all that pretty. In the parked car, barely lit by weak streetlights, I couldn’t even see his face. That magnetic draw, the desire to kiss him, went way beyond the superficial.
Me:you’re like a transformer
Evan:the shape-shifting alien robots? how did you guess?
Me:wait, are you? god that would explain so much.
