than coffee. I’m starving.”
“I’m still full from lunch with Bri and her mom. I’ll stick with coffee.” Then I spotted the dessert section of the menu. “Mmm, and maybe I’ll have some homemade blackberry cobbler to go with that.”
“Now you’re talkin’.” He smiled approvingly.
I proceeded to tell Trent about lunch with Bri and Nina. We shared a good laugh, and then we ordered. When our waiter left, we talked about our classes for a while.
“So I guess it’s your turn now,” I said.
He looked at me a little unsure. “My turn
?
” he questioned.
“To tell me about you.”
Just then our waiter set Trent’s chicken fried steak in front of him. It looked delicious and was served with fluffy mashed potatoes and peppered white gravy. Steam was rising off it. Without any fuss the waiter handed me my cobbler then quickly left us.
“Well, this won’t take long. There’s not much to tell. My parents and I weren’t getting along. I don’t even remember why now—stupid stuff. Anyway,we got into one too many arguments, and now here I am, all the way from Dallas. I’m staying with relatives.”
“I’m glad,” I said without thinking. “I mean, I’m sorry about your parents of course…but I’m glad you’re here.” I bit my bottom lip then quickly took a sip of coffee so I wouldn’t embarrass myself further.
I wasn’t sure if I was being paranoid, but I could’ve sworn Trent had a funny look on his face for a second.
Why did I said that? It was too much.
Finally he said, “I’m glad I’m here too.”
I felt better. But then he smiled very sweetly, and said the F-word!
“Being new in town, I need all the friends I can get.”
Friends
. I did my best to smile as I tried to squeeze my cobbler down my throat. My hopes of our having a relationship died at that moment. I could almost hear the thud of the dirt as it hit the lid of the coffin.
Thoughts of Blake flashed through my mind, and I felt terrible all over again. I figured this was my payback. I wished I could be half as confident as Blake, but all I felt was deflated.
We ate our meal while discussing politics, music, and movies. We discovered we had a lot in common.
It’s good for “friends” to have a lot in common
, I thought sarcastically.
I sighed. Trent and I would have made a great couple. His nose really was a wreck, though. I bet a girl had broken it when he had called her his “friend.” His teeth were straight enough, I guess. But he really did need to see someone about that crooked lip; it threw off his entire smile. Maybe it was the lighting in there, but he really was a mess.
I finally finished my cobbler. “I guess I’d better lay off the coffee,” I said, pushing my cup away. “I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I don’t.”
Trent paid the bill, and we headed back to my house. Despite the coffee I’d had, I was exhausted. I leaned my head against the seat. We didn’t speak the entire way home. And I didn’t feel any pressure to either. I allowed the rhythmic thud of the tires on the road to lull me.
As we pulled into my driveway, Trent made small talk. If he were Blake, I would have known he was stalling because he didn’t want to leave. But he wasn’t. He was Trent. My
friend
.
I barely heard a word he said. I was mesmerized by his lips as I watched them move.
“Are you listening?” he asked.
Busted!
“I was thinking about…what a nice time we had.”
He smiled. I decided to shut up before I ruined something.
“Thanks again for dessert.” I turned to open the car door.
Trent surprised me when he placed his hand on mine. My pulse quickened, but before I could even look at him, he moved his hand away.
“I’ll see ya tomorrow.” He gave me a quick, friendly smile.
“OK,” I said, as I got out and closed the door behind me.
He rolled down his window. “Good night, Ashley.”
“Good night.” I smiled and walked to the front door. He didn’t leave until after I made it
“I’m still full from lunch with Bri and her mom. I’ll stick with coffee.” Then I spotted the dessert section of the menu. “Mmm, and maybe I’ll have some homemade blackberry cobbler to go with that.”
“Now you’re talkin’.” He smiled approvingly.
I proceeded to tell Trent about lunch with Bri and Nina. We shared a good laugh, and then we ordered. When our waiter left, we talked about our classes for a while.
“So I guess it’s your turn now,” I said.
He looked at me a little unsure. “My turn
?
” he questioned.
“To tell me about you.”
Just then our waiter set Trent’s chicken fried steak in front of him. It looked delicious and was served with fluffy mashed potatoes and peppered white gravy. Steam was rising off it. Without any fuss the waiter handed me my cobbler then quickly left us.
“Well, this won’t take long. There’s not much to tell. My parents and I weren’t getting along. I don’t even remember why now—stupid stuff. Anyway,we got into one too many arguments, and now here I am, all the way from Dallas. I’m staying with relatives.”
“I’m glad,” I said without thinking. “I mean, I’m sorry about your parents of course…but I’m glad you’re here.” I bit my bottom lip then quickly took a sip of coffee so I wouldn’t embarrass myself further.
I wasn’t sure if I was being paranoid, but I could’ve sworn Trent had a funny look on his face for a second.
Why did I said that? It was too much.
Finally he said, “I’m glad I’m here too.”
I felt better. But then he smiled very sweetly, and said the F-word!
“Being new in town, I need all the friends I can get.”
Friends
. I did my best to smile as I tried to squeeze my cobbler down my throat. My hopes of our having a relationship died at that moment. I could almost hear the thud of the dirt as it hit the lid of the coffin.
Thoughts of Blake flashed through my mind, and I felt terrible all over again. I figured this was my payback. I wished I could be half as confident as Blake, but all I felt was deflated.
We ate our meal while discussing politics, music, and movies. We discovered we had a lot in common.
It’s good for “friends” to have a lot in common
, I thought sarcastically.
I sighed. Trent and I would have made a great couple. His nose really was a wreck, though. I bet a girl had broken it when he had called her his “friend.” His teeth were straight enough, I guess. But he really did need to see someone about that crooked lip; it threw off his entire smile. Maybe it was the lighting in there, but he really was a mess.
I finally finished my cobbler. “I guess I’d better lay off the coffee,” I said, pushing my cup away. “I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I don’t.”
Trent paid the bill, and we headed back to my house. Despite the coffee I’d had, I was exhausted. I leaned my head against the seat. We didn’t speak the entire way home. And I didn’t feel any pressure to either. I allowed the rhythmic thud of the tires on the road to lull me.
As we pulled into my driveway, Trent made small talk. If he were Blake, I would have known he was stalling because he didn’t want to leave. But he wasn’t. He was Trent. My
friend
.
I barely heard a word he said. I was mesmerized by his lips as I watched them move.
“Are you listening?” he asked.
Busted!
“I was thinking about…what a nice time we had.”
He smiled. I decided to shut up before I ruined something.
“Thanks again for dessert.” I turned to open the car door.
Trent surprised me when he placed his hand on mine. My pulse quickened, but before I could even look at him, he moved his hand away.
“I’ll see ya tomorrow.” He gave me a quick, friendly smile.
“OK,” I said, as I got out and closed the door behind me.
He rolled down his window. “Good night, Ashley.”
“Good night.” I smiled and walked to the front door. He didn’t leave until after I made it
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