Chapter 15 #2
We really do have business to discuss. I need to make sure the final arrangements are in place for the pre-game festivities in three weeks.
I need to make sure concessions are fully stocked—a nearly impossible feat since I don’t know how many people are going to show up, especially if ticket sales are going to jump up and down literally hour to hour. And we’ve got movie night tonight.
“Everyone knows you’re going to say you had a good time,” Everly tells me, biting into her sandwich. “You always want people to feel good about things they do for you.”
“Well, yeah,” I agree. “It was a super nice restaurant in the Quarter.”
“Heard the cheese was sixty-nine dollars,” Sutton comments.
I look at her. “Where did you hear that?”
“Alex.”
I set my spoon down. “Alex was there while everyone was discussing the date?”
“Oh, yeah.” She grins as she takes a bite of salad.
“So he knows they were downvoting his date?” Andi asks. She laughs and shakes her head. “Poor guy. He’s definitely going to need friendly faces at breakfast.”
I sigh. “This is not helping! He has to like it here! And they have to like him!”
“Okay,” Everly says. “I get that.”
“But you have to admit that date wasn’t really your thing,” Sutton says. “You’re a leftovers on the back porch while you watch the sunset girl, not a white tablecloth girl. He was trying to show off. The town saw right through that.”
I think about that and feel a little pain in my chest. I don’t know if I would have labeled it as showing off, but it was clear that Alex had been much more comfortable in the setting we were in last night than he probably was at Perks and Rec this morning.
Our lives are so different. And the people in my life, and the places I love here in Rebel, all around him, are constant reminders of that to him.
“Well, I didn’t hate the white tablecloths,” I say honestly. “But it was the company that I enjoyed. He’s a good guy. And we have a chance to show everyone that he can fit in here too. That’s what this movie night is about.”
“So the emergency is that you changed to a new movie,” Sutton says, getting up for a second helping of salad. “Why the change?”
Of course, these three are on the text message and email list that I send out Parks and Recreation information to.
When I decided to change the movie for tonight at the very last minute, I had to notify everyone.
Interestingly, no one had asked why. Or pushed back.
I assume everyone is just taking this in stride.
“Because this movie is Alex’s favorite. I wanted it to be something familiar to him, so he’d feel comfortable.”
Everly stops mid-chew. “You changed the movie for movie night to Alex’s favorite?”
I nod.
Her eyes narrow. “Wait a second.”
“What?”
“You actually like him.”
“I…” I frown.
I do. I told him that I was at risk of getting attached.
But I need to be careful. Not just because I don’t want the heartbreak, but I don’t want the people who care about me to be upset either.
I don’t want my grandpas or Ruth or Thea getting attached to Alex thinking he and I are more than we are.
I don’t want these girls thinking Alex is more to me than he can be.
“He needs to feel comfortable here,” I say for what feels like the hundredth time.
“He needs to feel accepted and happy. We want him to play well and do a great job promoting what we’re doing here with the hockey team.
If he feels like everyone is against him and they don’t like him or want him here, it’s going to be hard for him to smile and be happy in interviews and to ham it up on the ice. ”
Everly chews her bite of salad, then shakes her head. “But you like him.”
I sigh. “Fine. I like him.”
“So…what else happened last night?” Everly asks, leaning in with a smile.
“Nothing.”
“More than dinner,” she says, pointing her fork at me. “I can tell.”
I look at her in surprise. “You can not.”
“I can. You are so easy to read, Nora. You like him, and you did not just eat dinner and come home.”
“We walked through the Quarter.”
“And what else?”
I blow out a breath. “Fine. He kissed me.”
Andi sets her fork down. “Wow. Already?”
“Well, it wasn’t the first time.” I’m fighting a smile now. Alex makes me feel like smiling. That’s… complicated. But impossible to deny.
“They kissed at the Rec the first day he was in town,” Sutton says. “After practice.”
I nod.
“What?” Andi demands. “The guy’s been in town for what? Two days?”
“But we kissed at the airport the first time,” I tell them, suddenly enjoying their disbelief.
“What?” they all three say at once.
I tell them about how he kissed me to hide from Leo, Wilson, and Brewser.
“So what else did you do last night?” Everly presses. “Since you clearly like kissing him?”
I can’t help the little giggle that escapes. I should not feel giggly about this guy. “Nothing. I swear. He did offer a really fancy hotel suite…” I say.
“That is not your style, but I love it,” Sutton says.
“Smart guy,” Andi comments. “It’s not like he can take you to his place here…right above your grandpa’s kitchen.”
“Or her place,” Everly says. “Everyone in town would notice his truck parked there overnight.”
“We did not go to a hotel room,” I interject.
They all turn to me in unison.
“Why not?” Andi asks.
“I’m not going to sleep with him!” I exclaim. I get up with my empty plate and carry it to the wastebasket.
“Why not?” Everly echoes Andi.
I turn back with a laugh. “Because this is all for the team. It’s not serious.”
“You like him for real,” Everly says. “And you like kissing him. Why not let it go further?”
Sutton nods. “It started for the team, but why can’t it be more?”
It sounds reasonable, but are they forgetting that he’s leaving?
I frown. “I can’t get involved with him knowing it’s temporary.”
“I know that you’ve been hurt by guys in the past when they’ve left,” she agrees.
“But that’s because that was a surprise.
You got into a relationship with them, thinking it was going to be long-term and here.
What hurt was them upending your plans and leaving you when you thought you were building something lasting. ”
“Well…” I frown again. “Yeah.”
“But with Alex, that’s not the situation. You already know he’s leaving. So why can’t you just enjoy him while he’s here? Go out? Have fun? Have amazing sex with the hottest guy you’ve ever dated? The one that makes you smile like I haven’t seen you smile in…maybe ever?” she asks.
My hands fly to my face.
Everly is now nodding. “She makes a good point.”
“He is easily the hottest guy you’ve dated,” Sutton says.
“Does he make me smile like that?” I ask.
“Oh, absolutely,” Sutton says.
“You didn’t know that?” Everly asks.
My heart is now beating double-time.
Could I just go to a fancy hotel with Alex?
Could I just go to any bedroom with Alex?
Why not?
Suddenly, I can’t think of a good reason.
I can feel heat sliding through my veins like I’ve just taken a shot of my great-uncle Leo’s moonshine. It’s sharp at first and makes me suck in a breath, but then the warmth spreads and I feel a relaxed ooh, this is nice rolling along behind it.
“You all are bad influences,” I tell my three friends.
“I think you mispronounced ‘thank you very much’,” Andi says, lifting her drink in a toast.