“Yeah,” I admit, keeping my eyes on my plate. “She hands out these cards after she plays. Name, number, QR code. Yesterday, I took one.”
“And looked her up,” Mom says.
I nod again. “Yeah. I scanned the code and looked up her stuff online. Found out she bartends at The Mission.”
Dad leans back, watching me. “So you went.”
“I did.” I let out a breath. “I dragged Daniel and Jamie from work with me.”
Mom smiles. “Moral support.”
“Something along those lines.” I glance up. “It wasn’t even a plan. I saw her name, saw the club, figured I should go.”
“A wild hair,” Dad says.
“Yeah,” I admit. “Pretty much.”
“I went in expecting to find her behind the bar.” I shake my head. “Then she walks out onstage with a guitar as the opener. She captivated the entire room.”
Mom’s eyes widen.
“After her set, she goes right back to bartending with no ego at all,” I continue. “That’s when I thought, okay, I should go talk to her.”
Dad leans forward. “And?”
“And nothing.” I cast my eyes downward. “I stood there. Thought about it. Then I left without.”
Mom watches me for a second longer than usual. “What stopped you?”
I shift in my seat. “Everything.”
“Ah, sweetheart.”
I look up. “She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”
“How do you mean?” Dad drums his finger on the table.
“She’s out of my league.” I gesture vaguely. “Crowds. Music. People watching her. She’s magic.”
Mom studies me. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” I swallow.
“I don’t get why you put yourself down as if you’re not good enough.” She grips my wrist. “When you’re amazing.”
I don’t answer.
Dad leans back, folding his arms.
Heat creeps up my neck. “I’m not a very social person. I get tongue-tied. It makes me feel less than. Unworthy.”
“How so?” He studies me for a second.
“I can talk to women,” I go on, eyes still on the table. “At work, in meetings. I know what I’m doing there. I sit down, I explain things, I answer questions.” I glance up. “The thought of talking to her is terrifying.”
Dad leans forward a little. “You’re a bit of a late-bloomer and have your first crush, whichcanbe terrifying.”
“Yeah.” I whoosh out a breath. “It makes me wish I’d been a little more social in school. My skill set is extremely lacking.”
