Chapter 15
Paige
S eth took over three weeks from our run-in at the coffee shop to finally ask me out on a proper date. I try not to be annoyed, considering we have been flirting heavily through text since he showed up at the condo. Things have seemed better between us, but I haven’t seen him since he left after Bre got home Sunday morning.
The plan is to grab a few drinks from a small bar before heading to the nearby drive-in. They were having an IT marathon, and the fall girl in me is dressed for the occasion. I am comfortable but cute in my favorite Derry Maine Hoodie and cut-off shorts. It is late May, and it still cools down at night.
I leave my hair down with a two-day curl in it before brushing more dry shampoo through it than I should before throwing on some simple makeup. Tonight is all about comfort, so I slip on my favorite old pair of black vans. I feel great and am busy packing my small backpack full of all my random girl necessities when my phone chimes with two new messages—the first from Seth.
Seth: Hey! Can you meet me at the bar? I got tied up with some work.
I smile and quickly reply before checking my other message. It is from Graham, and I can feel the smallest butterflies flutter in my stomach. I hesitate because this is the first time he has text me.
Fighting my smile, I open the message to a picture of Graham and Chris both in scrubs with beaming smiles. They are holding some sort of paper of recognition, and I love the image before saving it to Graham’s contact photo.
I zoom in on both guys and realize this is the promotion ceremony he discussed at the steak house. Graham somehow looks even sexier in a scrub cap. Chris is a handsome idiot, like always.
I pocket my phone, grabbing my favorite Stephen King blanket and the small backpack. When I make it to the parking lot, I smile and am excited for tonight as I spot Bre and Chris heading toward our apartment. Bre just rolls her eyes at my sweater. She hates the movie IT and has an irrational fear of clowns. I often like to play the movie on repeat during the fall.
“Where are you off to?” Chris asks with a smile.
“Date night,” I say with a wink before digging out my phone to show him the picture Graham sent me.
“Look what I got today.”
I stop to let them look over my phone, and Bre smacks Chris on the shoulder.
“Why didn’t I get this picture? Paige, send it to me. It’s going on the fridge,” Bre says, annoyed, before Chris hands me back my phone. I can’t help but laugh as I forward her the image before heading toward my car, not wanting to be late. It takes about twenty minutes for me to get to the bar and another ten to find somewhere to park. The bar is crowded, and hockey is on every screen. I try not to pay attention as I scan the crowd for the blond-haired dream boat I am meeting. I call him twice, but there is no answer before texting.
Me: I’m here at the bar. Where are you?
I order a round of drinks so we won’t be late for the movie in an hour, but with how crowded this bar was, I know it will take a while. It’s nearly ten minutes before I get the beers and attempt to call him again.
I shoot off another text and try to control the minor panic settling in my chest. After five of the longest minutes of my life, I finally get a response, which irritates me more.
Me: Everything okay?
Seth: Lost track of time. On my way!
I let out a slow, controlled breath and don’t bother responding to the message. I need to calm down before I leave and never talk to this guy again. I take a sip of my water and head to my contact list. Chris answers two rings later.
“Hello?” Chris answers in a confused tone.
“Your friend sucks. Why does your friend suck?” I ask, letting my frustration show more than I want to.
Silence is followed by what sounds like Bre in the background.
“What happened?” he asks with a concerned tone.
I smile to myself. For whatever reason, he seems to care about my feelings.
“Seth is almost thirty minutes late for our date. He ignores my calls and barely lets me know he is on his way. If he is at your place, that’s another thirty minutes easy. This will make us late for the movies, and I hate being late for the movies,” I whine, exhausted.
I can feel the lump of emotion building in my throat, and I take another long sip of my beer, trying to soothe the discomfort.
“So let me get this straight. He takes weeks to ask you out, and now he has the audacity to make you wait on him?”
I hear Bre say horrified on the phone, followed by a smacking sound.
“Ow.”
I let out a much-needed laugh.
“Did she just hit you?”
“It was a love tap,” he says with a smile to his tone before continuing.
“Paige, I have known Seth for a long time. He can be unpredictable sometimes, but he will do anything for someone he cares about.”
“Do I leave, or do I stay?” I ask him honestly but am unsure if I want the answer.
Internally, I am screaming at myself for ignoring those obvious red flags. I have known this guy for under a month, and it shouldn’t be this hard already.
“What would you like to do?” Chris asks softly.
I let the question roll around in my mind.
“I want to go to the goddamn movie. This bar was all his idea. I’m leaving,” I say, clearly understanding how this can leave things between Seth and me.
“Do me a favor and at least text him to meet you at the drive-in instead. Go have fun, and if he shows up, hear him out,” Chris says.
I don’t hate the suggestion.
“Thank you.” I groan before eyeing the drinks I just paid for.
“Now, if you excuse me, I have to find someone to drink these beers. I’ll see you later.”
Chris laughs softly before hanging up the phone. I bump the arm of the woman next to me.
“Excuse me, sorry to bother you. I just got stood up. Is there any chance you would want this round of beers?”
I smile softly as she studies me before her attention drifts behind me. She points over my shoulder with a grin.
“Honey, you weren’t stood up.” The woman nods in her thick accent.
I turn around to see Seth standing behind me. Freshly showered but drunk. His shaggy blond strands have soaked his white t-shirt. A million-dollar shit-eating grin is on his face, and I know he heard every word of my conversation.
“I texted you to say I would be late,” he says.
I can’t tell if he wants to start trouble or is trying to be playful.
“Take these,” I tell the woman I have been sitting next to before standing up and acknowledging Seth.
“Your text didn’t make it seem like you would be.”
I look over to my watch and do the math.
“Thirty-six minutes late, to be exact. All you asked was for me to meet you here.”
I motion around the bar just as one of the hockey players makes a game-winning shot.
The bar erupts into a thunderous roar, and I just smile, shrugging my shoulders before grabbing my bag and dropping a cash tip on the counter.
I shove past Seth but don’t make it a foot before he grabs my hand and pulls me to him. Crashing his lips against mine. I can taste the vodka and cigarettes on his lips. I find it intoxicating and I lift myself on my toes to deepen the kiss.
He wraps his arms around my waist and pins me to him. I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips as he buries one of his hands in my hair and grips it firmly before pulling away. Even his smile seems drunk when he looks at me, and I take a second to remember my name and then another few to remember why I’m mad.
Before I know it, he has managed to grab my hand and lead me towards his truck. I can see the bed of his truck has something tarped down, and a ridiculous number of pillows and blankets are in the back seat. I offer to drive, and he accepts after opening the driver-side door for me and buckling himself into the passenger seat. Seth reaches for my hand and softly kisses my knuckles.
“Can we start this date over?”
He asks so genuinely that the voices roaring in my head suddenly calm down. I look him in the eyes and can only think about how gem-like their blue is in the dim streetlight. I smile and nod before returning to the dash and putting the truck into gear.
It is a short drive to the theater and I park just in time for the opening scenes of the oldest version of the classic horror flick. I laugh as he opens my door and offers me his hand. I accept and grab my blanket while he grabs all the bedding in the backseat.
I walk to the truck’s bed, and he has pulled off the tarp, revealing an inflatable mattress. We waste no time creating a comfortable space. It is one of the most creative dates I have been on.
“You’re lucky this isn’t my favorite version of this movie,” I tell Seth playfully as I flop onto the comfortable bed. Seth smiles softly, and I pat the bed beside me—an invitation to join.
He hesitates at the tailgate, and I can’t figure out why. The confusion must show on my face.
“Snacks?” he says with his charming smile, and I nod excitedly.
“Popcorn, please, with extra butter!”
He laughs before leaning over the truck bed and kissing me once quickly. I feel my cheek blush when he pulls away, and Seth smiles before disappearing toward the concessions.