10
“Hmmm…” Scott leans back on his hands and tilts his head. “I like to cook, and I do videography. I work out, but I don’t like doing that.” He scratches his cheek as he thinks. “I play a little guitar, and I like playing video games. I like archery and fishing, I’m pretty good with a Rubik’s cube, and I like camping. Oh, I can also juggle.”
My eyebrows lift. “You can juggle?”
“Yup.” He glances around, looking for (I’m assuming) something to juggle. Finding nothing, he turns his attention back to me. “I’ll teach you sometime. It’s not as hard as it looks.”
“Where on earth do you learn all these things?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. If I see something that looks cool I just look it up and try to learn it.”
“You’re amazing,” I say, and I mean it.
Scott gives me a small smile, but shakes his head. “I learn a lot of things, but it’s not like I’m a professional level at any of them. What’s the saying? ‘Jack of all trades, master of none.’”
I watch him for a few moments, lost in thought. Ever since I met Scott back when we were working at the coffee shop, I’ve always been impressed by him. It’s as if everyone is running a race, but Scott is in a race all his own. He doesn’t care what people think, doesn’t worry about failing. He just sees things he wants to learn or try or do, and he does them. Not only that, he’s good at them.
I wish I had the courage to do the same.
“What about you?” he asks. “Got any hobbies?”
“I play a little guitar, too,” I smile. “Mostly chords, though, so I can sing along.”
“Yeah?” Scott’s smile widens. “We should play together sometime. I could teach you what I know about finger picking and you could teach me some chords. I don’t actually know many. I sort of skipped straight to what seemed cool to play.”
“That sounds fun,” I smile.
“What else do you like to do?”
I blink. For some reason, whenever I’m asked basic questions like this, my brain likes to go on vacation. “Well… I like to read a lot. And I still watch a lot of movies.” I inwardly sigh. Scott must be thinking about how boring I am compared to him.
“You still love Star Wars?”
My eyes widen slightly. “You remember that?”
“Of course,” he grins. “You defended Episode VIII like your life depended on it.”
I purse my lips, hackles rising. “Aside from the boring casino scenes, The Last Jedi was fantastic. Admiral Holdo makes the whole movie worth it on her own.” I talk with my hands, gesturing for emphasis. “The director, Rian Johnson, knew what he was doing and he did a darn good job of taking Star Wars in a new direction. The overarching message is everywhere in the movie. Star Wars needed to move in a new direction, not repeat past stories. Episode VIII isn’t the problem, IX is. JJ Abrams took everything Rian Johnson did in VIII and threw it away to try to get back to the storyline he’d originally planned, which, incidentally, was just copying episodes IV-VI. No one wanted that, and it made everything feel disjointed. If we wanted IV-VI, we’d watch IV-VI.”
I mentally step down from my soap box and glance over at Scott, who’s holding back laughter. I freeze as embarrassment takes hold of me. “Um… not that you asked to hear any of that.”
“You’re a nerd.”
“Hey!” I frown as my cheeks turn red.
“It’s not a bad thing.” He nudges my arm. “I’m a nerd, too.”
“No way.” I shake my head. “You’re the coolest person I’ve ever met. Well, after Stephanie.”
“Seriously? Scary Stephanie has me beat?”
“See? Even you’re intimidated by her.”
He laughs “Fair point.”
“So, what makes you a nerd, anyway?”
“Pokémon.” He points to himself with his thumb. “Ask me any question and I promise I’ll have an answer.”
“Well, you’re gonna have to find someone else to quiz you, because I know nothing about Pokémon.”
“What?” He looks physically pained. “We’re gonna have to fix that.”
“You’re sure making a lot of plans,” I say, lifting my hand to count on my fingers. “Teaching me to juggle, cooking, guitar, Pokémon…”
“Guess I’m just excited to spend time with you.”
I lock eyes with him, and once again I’m a snowman in June. He smiles like the sun, his green eyes sparkling, then speaks.
“So, ready for the next part of our date?”
I cock my head. “There’s more?”
He stands, then reaches out a hand to help me up. I stand up, but he doesn’t let my hand go. Instead, he laces his fingers with mine. “Of course there’s more. You didn’t think I’d really just buy you a burrito then send you home, did you?”
I do everything I can to keep from glancing down at his hand over mine, which is entirely too distracting. “Where are we going now?”
He grins. “It’s a surprise.”
I gasp when I see what Scott had planned. He looks nervously at me, then, seeing my reaction, he relaxes and smiles.
“Scott, I don’t… I can’t… this is amazing!”
I take in the scene again. Before picking me up today, Scott had hung a large, white sheet on the back of his parents’ house, then strung fairy lights all around the sheet. A pickup truck is backed in, with the truck bed facing the hanging sheet, pillows and blankets billowing over the edges. A projector sits beneath it, with two baskets full of assorted snacks and drinks.
“You did this?” I ask, glancing back at him.
He nods sheepishly. “Yeah. I hope it’s not too much.”
“It’s not too much,” I turn to him and squeeze his hand. “It’s not too much at all. It’s the sweetest thing in the world. Thank you.”
I smile warmly up at him, his hand still in mine. His eyes widen slightly as his face reddens, then he smiles, too. “Good. I wanted you to feel special. And I remembered how much you like movies, so…” He trails off with shrug.
My heart pounds a little harder as I fall a little more for him.
“Come on, hop in,” he says, gesturing to the back of the truck. We walk over and he gives me a hand, helping me step up into the mountain of pillows and blankets. I sit back in one corner as Scott starts up the projector and hands me a basket of snacks. I survey the smorgasbord, lifting bags of chips and candy and beef jerky out one at a time. Scott climbs up and settles next to me, grinning.
“Sorry, I didn’t know your favorites, so I just bought a little bit of everything.”
“It looks like you bought the entire store!” I laugh, then look up at him. “But, again, thank you.”
Music starts blaring from the speaker plugged into the projector, and I turn to face the screen.
“The Count of Monte Cristo,” I read aloud. “I’ve never seen this one.”
“Me neither,” Scott says, shaking his head, “but everyone online says it’s really good. It’s kind of old, from 2002, and it’s based on a book,” he adds, scooting closer. “I thought you might have read it. It’s a thousand pages or something.”
“A thousand?” I look up at him in shock as he settles back. “I draw the line at seven hundred and fifty,” I say, popping a peanut M we’re so close I can see the day’s growth of stubble on his chin, a small scar on his eyebrow, the sparkle of lights reflected in his eyes.
“To what?” he asks softly.
I swallow as my mind scrambles.
“To… um…”
He leans the slightest bit closer, his lips brushing mine, drawing me to him. I want to reach out and ruffle his hair, to memorize every fleck of hazel in his green eyes, to never be any farther apart than this.
The truck’s horn blares, causing me to jump. Scott steps back, just as startled and bewildered as I am. He looks around, frustrated.
“Dad?” he calls.
“Hey!” A man’s voice replies.
I can’t bring myself to move yet. I’m still reeling from the almost-kiss. I rest my hands on my searing hot face, recalling the moment. My head is light and floaty feeling.
“Needed to get something from my truck,” the voice, which I assume belongs to Scott’s dad, continues, “but I wanted to give you a warning I was coming.”
I glance up at Scott, who’s as red as a tomato. He scowls at our ill-timed visitor. “What the heck did you think we’d be doing?”
“Don’t know, but I didn’t want to see any of it.” He finally makes it to the truck and steps into view, smiling at me. “I recognize you!”
I smile and stand, though my heart is still pounding and my legs feel like jelly. Scott steadies me discreetly, his hand resting gently on my lower back.
“I work with Macy,” I say. “Um, I was also at her wedding.”
“Lucy’s the one who saved the day,” Scott says, smiling warmly at me.
“I remember!” His dad’s smile grows even wider, and he takes my hand and gives it a hearty shake. “We were so grateful for your help.” He glances at Scott, then leans forward, as if he’s telling me a secret. “If he gives you any trouble, you just let me know. Or tell Macy. We’ll whip him into shape.” He winks, I laugh, and Scott’s scowl returns.
With how happy they all are, I’m starting to think Macy’s entire family is just full of reincarnations of Mister Rogers. Or maybe they just eat a lot of McDonald’s. I don’t care how bad it is for you; you can never be unhappy when you’re eating McNuggets and fries.
Don’t judge me.
Scott’s dad smiles. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it. Nice to see you again, Lucy. Scott, bring her by for dinner soon, will you?”
“If she wants to come,” Scott says, still a little annoyed.
His dad looks to me, and I smile.
“That’d be great.”
“Well young lady, I’ll see you soon.”
I wave as he turns around one last time and heads back to the house.
Scott and I stand in silence for a few moments, both of us fidgeting awkwardly.
“I guess I’d better get you home,” he says, smiling. I catch his eyes lingering on my lips.
“Let me help you clean this up, first,” I stutter.
He waves me away. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it. It’s late, anyway. You’re probably wiped out from work.”
I smile up at him as he leads me to his car. “Thank you.”
We make it back to my apartment complex and up the three flights of steps much too quickly.
“Thank you, Scott. Tonight was perfect.”
He grins, looking much too handsome for his own good. “I’m really glad.”
“So… I’ll see you again soon?”
“Yeah. I’ll text you,” he says.
“Okay.”
A few more silent seconds pass with no sign of Scott planning to leave, both of us avoiding eye contact. Scott bounces his weight from foot to foot, and I squeeze my hands together. Finally, I start to laugh. “Oh my gosh, why are we so awkward?”
Scott lets out a sharp puff of air that’s almost a laugh, his shoulders relaxing. “I don’t know, but I’d really like to hug you before I go home.”
“Please do,” I smile.
He pulls me into a tight hug. I slip my arms around the back of his neck as he squeezes me. In the middle of our hug, Jessie swings the door to the apartment open, nearly slamming it into my back. Scott notices just in time and deftly spins me around, taking the full force of the door to his shoulder instead.
I jump back as he releases me, confused as to what just happened.
“Oh my gosh!” Jessie’s eyes are wide and she drops the big trash bag she’d been holding. “I’m so sorry! Did I hit you?”
Scott winces a little, rubbing his back, then shakes his head. “No, I’m fine.”
I place a hand where the door had landed a hit on him. He winces slightly.
He’s not quite as fine as he’s pretending to be.
My eyebrows knit together in worry. “You okay?” I ask.
He softens at my expression. “I’m fine, really. I fell and slammed into things all the time as a kid. Once, I even fell down a whole flight of stairs. About broke my neck, too. This is nothing.”
My lip quirks upward and I shake my head.
“Um… I’m seriously so sorry,” Jessie says. She looks like she might cry. “I feel so bad… I had no idea you were out here! I didn’t mean to hit you or ruin the moment or—”
“It’s alright, Jessie,” Scott says.
I walk over to her and pat her on the back, trying to reassure her. If there’s one person I can’t stand to see cry, it’s Jessie.
“Were you taking this to the dumpster?” Scott reaches down and picks up the bulging trash bag. “I’ll take it for you.”
Jessie protests. “No, you don’t have to—”
“I’ve got it.” Scott smiles, then waves goodbye to me one last time. “I’ll text you later, Lucy.”
My heart flutters in my chest. “Mhm.”
Scott moves quickly down the stairs as I usher Jessie back inside, who’s too sullen to pepper me with questions like she usually would. I stop in the kitchen for a glass of water before showering and changing into pajamas for bed. I slip under the covers and sigh in contentment, unable to keep a ridiculously large grin from spreading on my face as I think about the events of the night.
My phone vibrates, pulling me out of my reverie. I pick it up to find a text from Scott.
Scott: Just finished cleaning up. You asleep?
Me: Not yet
Scott: I had a really good time tonight
Me: Even though you were attacked by a wild door?
Scott: It was worth it. Couldn’t let it hit you
I smile to myself and kick my feet before responding.
Me: My hero :)
The typing bubbles bounce for awhile. I watch them in anticipation, waiting for whatever he has to say next. Finally, the message appears.
Scott: You’re free Saturday mornings, right?
Me: Yes!
Scott: Can I pick you up for brunch?
I start to type a response, but he hastily sends another message.
Scott: Wait, you said you’re not a morning person
Me: Doesn’t matter. Brunch sounds amazing :)
I smile at Scott’s response.
Scott: Cool. I’ll be by at :30, then :) Night, Lucy.
Me: Night!
“Lucille Greene!”
I freeze, taken aback by Macy’s outburst. She jumps up from behind the receptionist desk as the office door shuts behind me.
“…yes?”
“When were you gonna tell me you’re dating my brother?”
I cross my arms and tilt my head, equally on the offense. “When were you going to tell me you have a brother?”
She stops, her expression transforming from indignant to confused. “I… never told you I have a brother?”
My lip quirks into a half smile, and I let my arms fall to my sides. “Macy, the only things you ever talk about are Jacob and the latest books you’ve read.”
She furrows her brow. “Really?”
“Mhm,” I say. “Oh, I guess you like to talk about the latest restaurants you’ve discovered, too.”
“Mmmm… I do like food,” she says, her eyes glazed over as she recalls past meals.
I laugh and start to walk to my desk.
“Hey, wait!” she calls out as she catches up with me. “We’re not done!”