waiter drops complimentary little garlic bread balls on our table, I know I’m head-over-heels for the place. If they have chocolate cake, I might just Google if someone can marry a restaurant; I could easily promise to love, honor and over-pay for garlic bread balls and good chocolate cake.
“Oh yeah, I’m sure she’ll be so angry if you make your ass bigger in those pants. Definitely tell her it was all me. I’ll probably get a raise,” says Nate, his mouth filled with bread.
I decide to ignore his statement, as I never know what to do with anything that even slightly resembles a compliment. Instead, I figure I’ll stick to talking about things I know. “So, how’s school?”
“Actually, pretty good. Never hurts that every time I’m on campus everyone thinks I’m the king of football.”
“And you, of course, never correct them.”
“And lose my adoring fans? Never. The coffee cart girl gave me a free coffee the other day.”
“Seriously?” I ask, staring at Nate with disbelief.
I really shouldn’t be that shocked, having watched all through high school how girls throw themselves at Grayson. But I am. I figured college girls would be a little different. I guess I thought they would be more like me. Too shy to be so forward. Too meek to offer themselves like prized cattle.
“Yep. Apparently, my younger brother doesn’t need to pay for coffee. Or anything else on campus for that matter.”
“Which, of course, means you don’t pay for coffee. Or anything else on campus.”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt the poor girl’s feelings by rejecting her goods.”
I can’t help but giggle at the way Nate is benefiting from his brother’s success. “You are priceless.”
“And for everything else, but coffee girl’s coffee, I plan to use my MasterCard. Anyway, while we’re on the topic of my beloved brother, I don’t suppose you’ve seen him in class yet?”
“He’s meant to be in my sociology class. They call his name when they take attendance, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
“And how are we handling this?” Nate questions carefully.
I wasn’t surprised he asked. I knew it was a matter of time before he would be curious about whether I was still watching Grayson. A few shifts ago, I thought I spotted him in the crowd and totally scurried and hid behind the bar.
Just for future reference, scurrying in six-inch heels around a nightclub, especially one that has a drink or two spilled on its floor isn’t a great idea. There is nothing subtle or unassuming about that action.
Thankfully, it turned out not to be him. Another false alarm.
But my ridiculous actions did not go unnoticed by Nate. So of course, he wouldn’t stop grilling me every shift until I finally gave him the story of my life. My hopeless, unrequited love story that started with a baby-crush, which was followed by an unsuccessful introduction, then stealthy admiration from afar, and continues to involve my sad need to be in close proximity to his smiles. Somehow, I had managed to keep my secret from Millie for years, but since coming to Penmore everything seems to be unraveling. I guess I could no longer blame my dad for my weird behavior.
Deep down, I think Millie probably knew I had a crush on Grayson. She never once mentioned hypothetically dating someone on the football team as she sprawled across my bed during high school. Not to mention the bizarre looks she always gave me when I would shut my drapes quickly if she joined me in my room. The amount of people now aware of my pathetic-ness at Penmore, however, was getting ridiculous.
“I’m okay. Apparently, driving hundreds of miles to be in the same town means I don’t need to see him daily anymore.”
“Sure you don’t. But no one would blame you for needing to see him. He is unbelievably good-looking.”
“You’re complementing yourself again, aren’t you?”
“ Moi ? Of course not. I was, however, thinking about maybe moving into the ground-floor
“Oh yeah, I’m sure she’ll be so angry if you make your ass bigger in those pants. Definitely tell her it was all me. I’ll probably get a raise,” says Nate, his mouth filled with bread.
I decide to ignore his statement, as I never know what to do with anything that even slightly resembles a compliment. Instead, I figure I’ll stick to talking about things I know. “So, how’s school?”
“Actually, pretty good. Never hurts that every time I’m on campus everyone thinks I’m the king of football.”
“And you, of course, never correct them.”
“And lose my adoring fans? Never. The coffee cart girl gave me a free coffee the other day.”
“Seriously?” I ask, staring at Nate with disbelief.
I really shouldn’t be that shocked, having watched all through high school how girls throw themselves at Grayson. But I am. I figured college girls would be a little different. I guess I thought they would be more like me. Too shy to be so forward. Too meek to offer themselves like prized cattle.
“Yep. Apparently, my younger brother doesn’t need to pay for coffee. Or anything else on campus for that matter.”
“Which, of course, means you don’t pay for coffee. Or anything else on campus.”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt the poor girl’s feelings by rejecting her goods.”
I can’t help but giggle at the way Nate is benefiting from his brother’s success. “You are priceless.”
“And for everything else, but coffee girl’s coffee, I plan to use my MasterCard. Anyway, while we’re on the topic of my beloved brother, I don’t suppose you’ve seen him in class yet?”
“He’s meant to be in my sociology class. They call his name when they take attendance, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
“And how are we handling this?” Nate questions carefully.
I wasn’t surprised he asked. I knew it was a matter of time before he would be curious about whether I was still watching Grayson. A few shifts ago, I thought I spotted him in the crowd and totally scurried and hid behind the bar.
Just for future reference, scurrying in six-inch heels around a nightclub, especially one that has a drink or two spilled on its floor isn’t a great idea. There is nothing subtle or unassuming about that action.
Thankfully, it turned out not to be him. Another false alarm.
But my ridiculous actions did not go unnoticed by Nate. So of course, he wouldn’t stop grilling me every shift until I finally gave him the story of my life. My hopeless, unrequited love story that started with a baby-crush, which was followed by an unsuccessful introduction, then stealthy admiration from afar, and continues to involve my sad need to be in close proximity to his smiles. Somehow, I had managed to keep my secret from Millie for years, but since coming to Penmore everything seems to be unraveling. I guess I could no longer blame my dad for my weird behavior.
Deep down, I think Millie probably knew I had a crush on Grayson. She never once mentioned hypothetically dating someone on the football team as she sprawled across my bed during high school. Not to mention the bizarre looks she always gave me when I would shut my drapes quickly if she joined me in my room. The amount of people now aware of my pathetic-ness at Penmore, however, was getting ridiculous.
“I’m okay. Apparently, driving hundreds of miles to be in the same town means I don’t need to see him daily anymore.”
“Sure you don’t. But no one would blame you for needing to see him. He is unbelievably good-looking.”
“You’re complementing yourself again, aren’t you?”
“ Moi ? Of course not. I was, however, thinking about maybe moving into the ground-floor
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