Chapter 14 #2
The next hour flies by in a mix of soap suds and laughter.
I'm caught off guard by how at ease I feel with the frat guys, who make me feel like I'm one of them. Many customers try to flirt with me while I’m washing their cars, including this guy in a BMW who asks for my number when his girlfriend steps away to use the washroom.
I notice Tyler watching as this guy talks to me. His face gets all serious when the dude leans out his window to say something that makes me laugh awkwardly. Once the BMW drives off, Tyler comes over with some clean towels.
"Making friends?" he asks, his tone light but his eyes serious.
"Not intentionally. Apparently, car washes bring out the bold in people."
"Tell me about it," Tyler grumbles, glancing across the lot where Cher is still lingering, pretending to talk to some friends while watching us. "Sorry about her, by the way."
"Not your fault. Besides, Marcus ran interference pretty well."
"Yeah, he's good at that." Tyler lowers his voice. "For the record, she and I were done long before... this." He gestures between us.
"I know," I say. "You and your brothers made that pretty clear."
Tyler looks relieved. "They like you, you know. They usually don't warm up to outsiders this quickly."
"I like them too," I admit. "They're friendlier than I expected and not at all… fratty. Is that a word?"
Tyler laughs. "Oh, they're plenty fratty. Wait until you see them drunk at a football game. But they're also good guys."
"I'm learning that," I say softly.
Tyler's eyes drop to my chest, where my dark shirt is plastered to my skin. "You're soaked."
"Hazard of the job," I shrug. "Though I'm not sure this shirt was the best choice for a car wash."
"You could take it off," Tyler suggests, his voice dropping. "No one would mind."
Heat rises up my face. "I'm good, thanks."
Tyler studies me for a moment. "You know you have nothing to be self-conscious about, right? You look amazing."
The sincerity in his eyes makes my heart skip. "Says the guy who looks like he belongs on the cover of a romance novel."
"I work out because I enjoy it," Tyler says. "But trust me, you have nothing to be insecure about."
Before I can respond, Drew calls Tyler's name, gesturing toward a new influx of cars.
"Duty calls," Tyler sighs. "But we're almost done for the day.
Can you stick around after? This hasn't been much of a date.
" He grins ruefully. "I think Drew is hazing me today, deliberately keeping us at separate stations.
But we're having pizza delivered after, so maybe we could hang out then?
" His words trail off as he looks at me hopefully.
"Sounds good," I agree.
As he jogs back to his station, I smile, even though I'm soaked and uncomfortable. My clothes are sticking to me, his ex is lurking somewhere, and I have no idea where this is heading, but being with Tyler just feels weirdly right.
By three o'clock, the line of cars is over, and the brothers are cleaning up, collecting the last of the donations and high-fiving over a successful event. According to Drew's count, they've raised over $4,000 for the animal shelter.
I'm helping Marcus drain the buckets when Tyler appears with a stack of pizza boxes.
"Food's here," he announces. "Ethan, come eat. You've more than earned it."
The brothers gather around a cluster of picnic tables, diving into the pizza with the enthusiasm of guys who've been working hard all day. I am seated between Tyler and Gavin, who immediately launches into a story about a dog he fostered last semester.
"He ate my favourite shoes," Gavin says mournfully. "But I couldn't even be mad because he looked so proud of himself."
"That's why I'm a cat person," Ian chimes in from across the table. "They destroy your stuff with intention, not stupidity."
This starts a big dogs-versus-cats argument, with everyone picking sides. I just sit back and enjoy watching these guys get along so well. Under the table, Tyler's leg touches mine, warm and solid.
"What about you, Ethan?" Drew asks during a lull in the bickering. "Dogs or cats?"
"Both," I say without hesitation. "I grew up with both. They each have their charms."
"Diplomatic," Drew nods approvingly. "I like it."
"Speaking of diplomacy," Ian says with a mischievous grin, "I think we raised an extra three hundred bucks just from people coming to ogle our VP today."
Tyler chokes on his pizza. "What?"
"It's true," Marcus agrees. "That group of nursing students who 'happened' to need their cars washed at the same time? They were here for the show."
"They asked me if you were single," Gavin adds, nudging Tyler. "I told them you were very taken."
Tyler glances at me, a question in his eyes. I feel a flutter in my chest at what he might be asking.
"Anyway," Drew says, mercifully changing the subject, "great job, everyone. The shelter coordinator will be happy with the donation."
Tyler leans close to me as the conversation shifts to upcoming fraternity events. "Sorry about all that," he murmurs. "They have no boundaries."
"It's fine," I say honestly. "They're... nice, and besides, I'm pretty sure the nurses came to check you out because I might have mentioned being here today." My face pinks up at the admission.
Tyler grins. "Well, thanks for coming today and bringing in more cars." My blush darkens when he winks at me. "I know it's not exactly a normal second date."
"I had fun," the reassurance comes out gentle but firm. "Though I might need to get brave and wear a white t-shirt if I'm going to help at the next one."
Tyler's eyes darken. "I'd be okay with that."
Our eyes lock, and for a moment, the noise and people around us just disappear. Then Gavin knocks over his soda by accident, breaking the moment as we jump back so we don't get splashed.
While everyone passes paper towels and cleans up the spill, Tyler slides his hand under the table to find mine. Our fingers lace together, and I give his hand a little squeeze. He squeezes right back.
Whatever doubts I had about this, about us, don't seem so big anymore. Sure, Tyler might still be working things out. And yeah, maybe we're both stepping into new ground here. But sitting here, with his friends who've made me feel welcome right away, his hand warm in mine, I don’t feel scared.
Maybe that's the difference between settling and finding something real. Real terrifies you and thrills you in equal measure. And right now, the thrill is winning by a mile.