“Wanna be my date to a party next Saturday? Tristan—lead singer from Grant’s band—always has this giant start-of-summer bash the week his parents leave town. DJ, caterers, keg—the works.”
I stop spearing the innocent dumpling and drop my hands to my lap. There isn’t a reason in the world to say no. Yet my vocal cords seem paralyzed by yes. Snap out of it!
“Come on, it’ll be fun. Some of the guys have even been known to wear loincloths and Viking helmets.”
I smile at this; my vocal cords loosen a smidge. “Are you one of them?”
“I prefer not to incriminate myself. Unless that’ll score me a yes?” Hope wavers in his expression. He runs a hand through his dark hair. “Look, no pressure—come, don’t come—I just thought you might have a good time.”
Deep down I know the true reason I hesitate. It’s the same reason I’m now shredding the napkin on my lap. What if Irina is right? What if I feel something for Grant? A big something?
Once again, I’m on the verge of screwing up the cornucopia of awesome the universe has generously placed before me. “I’ll come,” I say resolutely. “I want to come.”
“Yeah? Cool.” But the way he tugs at his earlobe, there’s something else I’m missing.
I start to reach across the table for his hand, but feel pushy and lose my nerve. Instead, I redirect my fingers to the side of the battered teapot. “Was there something else?”
“Maybe.” He rests his fingers on mine. They’re as warm and soft as I remember them from our walk along the river. “That night at Absinthe, when you agreed to go out with me. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t been—”
“Two bibimbap?” The server halts at our tableside. His tray is loaded with two heavy stone bowls of sizzling rice with meat and vegetables. A sunny-side-up egg tops the dish.
“That’s us. Thanks,” Seth says, relaxing back in the booth. He nods at me. “Better dig in, next stop is a good forty-minute drive.”
Taking my cue from Seth, I relax, too. “Can’t you give me one teensy clue?” I plead.
Steam rises from his bowl as he pokes at the mounded egg yolk, stirring it with the other ingredients. “Oh, I don’t know.” He leans forward, and lowers his voice. “I kinda like you breathless with anticipation.”
S eth’s right. I never would have guessed this in a million, trillion years. And… I love it. Even Iri won’t be able to dismiss the epicness of this surprise.
He runs his warm hands up and down my bare arms, making my skin seem chilled by contrast. We’re almost halfway into June, but it isn’t unusual for evening temperatures to have a touch of seasonal dyslexia. Tonight it feels more spring than summer.
“Warm enough?” Seth asks.
The pilot opens a valve. “Hold on, I’m taking us higher,” he calls out.
Propane burners roar overhead, raising our altitude. The city grows steadily smaller. Even the Opal River has shrunk to a thin vein of squiggling greenish blue.
“Who cares? I’m in a hot-air balloon!” I squeal. “This totally puts the view from the water tower to shame. I can see everything. ”
My greedy eyes gobble up Carlisle from afar as we ascend through wisps of cloud cover. When the burners stop firing, we lapse into silence, floating like a dandelion tuft caught in a gentle breeze. Gripping the edge of the basket, I barely register the goose bumps prickling my skin as I take in the patchwork landscape below.
“See? This is why I said bring a sweater.” Seth opens his jacket, wrapping me inside of it. “Although…keeping you warm definitely has its advantages.”
“It does.” I snuggle closer, relishing the heat and the feel of his body at my back. “I still can’t believe you set this up. I think this ranks as one of the best surprises I’ve ever had. Exactly how many girls have been completely swept off their feet by this gesture?” I pause. “By the way, that was an accidental pun.”
Seth laughs. “None. This
I stop spearing the innocent dumpling and drop my hands to my lap. There isn’t a reason in the world to say no. Yet my vocal cords seem paralyzed by yes. Snap out of it!
“Come on, it’ll be fun. Some of the guys have even been known to wear loincloths and Viking helmets.”
I smile at this; my vocal cords loosen a smidge. “Are you one of them?”
“I prefer not to incriminate myself. Unless that’ll score me a yes?” Hope wavers in his expression. He runs a hand through his dark hair. “Look, no pressure—come, don’t come—I just thought you might have a good time.”
Deep down I know the true reason I hesitate. It’s the same reason I’m now shredding the napkin on my lap. What if Irina is right? What if I feel something for Grant? A big something?
Once again, I’m on the verge of screwing up the cornucopia of awesome the universe has generously placed before me. “I’ll come,” I say resolutely. “I want to come.”
“Yeah? Cool.” But the way he tugs at his earlobe, there’s something else I’m missing.
I start to reach across the table for his hand, but feel pushy and lose my nerve. Instead, I redirect my fingers to the side of the battered teapot. “Was there something else?”
“Maybe.” He rests his fingers on mine. They’re as warm and soft as I remember them from our walk along the river. “That night at Absinthe, when you agreed to go out with me. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t been—”
“Two bibimbap?” The server halts at our tableside. His tray is loaded with two heavy stone bowls of sizzling rice with meat and vegetables. A sunny-side-up egg tops the dish.
“That’s us. Thanks,” Seth says, relaxing back in the booth. He nods at me. “Better dig in, next stop is a good forty-minute drive.”
Taking my cue from Seth, I relax, too. “Can’t you give me one teensy clue?” I plead.
Steam rises from his bowl as he pokes at the mounded egg yolk, stirring it with the other ingredients. “Oh, I don’t know.” He leans forward, and lowers his voice. “I kinda like you breathless with anticipation.”
S eth’s right. I never would have guessed this in a million, trillion years. And… I love it. Even Iri won’t be able to dismiss the epicness of this surprise.
He runs his warm hands up and down my bare arms, making my skin seem chilled by contrast. We’re almost halfway into June, but it isn’t unusual for evening temperatures to have a touch of seasonal dyslexia. Tonight it feels more spring than summer.
“Warm enough?” Seth asks.
The pilot opens a valve. “Hold on, I’m taking us higher,” he calls out.
Propane burners roar overhead, raising our altitude. The city grows steadily smaller. Even the Opal River has shrunk to a thin vein of squiggling greenish blue.
“Who cares? I’m in a hot-air balloon!” I squeal. “This totally puts the view from the water tower to shame. I can see everything. ”
My greedy eyes gobble up Carlisle from afar as we ascend through wisps of cloud cover. When the burners stop firing, we lapse into silence, floating like a dandelion tuft caught in a gentle breeze. Gripping the edge of the basket, I barely register the goose bumps prickling my skin as I take in the patchwork landscape below.
“See? This is why I said bring a sweater.” Seth opens his jacket, wrapping me inside of it. “Although…keeping you warm definitely has its advantages.”
“It does.” I snuggle closer, relishing the heat and the feel of his body at my back. “I still can’t believe you set this up. I think this ranks as one of the best surprises I’ve ever had. Exactly how many girls have been completely swept off their feet by this gesture?” I pause. “By the way, that was an accidental pun.”
Seth laughs. “None. This
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