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Holding up her hand, she asks, “Pinky promise?”
Smiling, I reach out and wrap my much-bigger pinky around hers. “Pinky promise.”
Her lips curl upward at the childish gesture we all used to do back in grade school. “All right, then let’s give it a try.”
“Yeah?” I ask, unable to keep the smile from my face.
“Yeah. I’m terrified though,” she confesses, even though it wasn’t much of a confession to me.
“I know you are. I promise not to take your trust for granted.”
She exhales before falling back and closing her eyes. “I can’t believe I just agreed to go on a date with you.”
Deciding to join her, I lean my back against the plush cushion and stretch my legs out in front of me. “You’re right, this thing is pretty comfy.”
“I’m always right,” she sasses, bumping my shoulder with her own. It’s the first time we don’t keep inches of space between our bodies. Not that we’re pressed against each other, but we’re aligned to where her arm could easily brush against my own if one of us moves just a touch.
After a few minutes of enjoying the quiet, I say, “I’m glad you said yes, El.”
She glances over before resting her head against my shoulder. “Me too, but you should be warned, I might suck at this. I think I can count on one hand how many dates I’ve had in the last decade.”
A possessive growl threatens to erupt from my gut. “You won’t suck at it. You can’t, because you’re you and I like everything about you.”
Even though I can’t see her face, I feel her cheek move when she smiles. “I like everything about you too, Thomas. Except for that nasty ice cream you like.”
A bark of laughter flies from my mouth. “I take it back. I like almost everything about you. Stop calling me by my given name, Ellie.”
“Never, Thomas Dexter.”
I sigh contently and lean the side of my head against hers. “You’re lucky I like you.”
Smiling, she replies, “I like you too.”
And that’s how we sit until it’s time to get the fish ready to bake.
I can’t believe it. Ellie—my Ellie—agreed to go on a date with me. Actually, I never thought I’d have the balls to take the chance. Not because I haven’t wanted to for as long as I can remember, but because I felt her own answer would be a rejection. That’s why I’m determined to ensure our friendship remains one-hundred-percent intact if a relationship shouldn’t work out.
But something tells me it’ll not only work out but be worth it in the end.
She thinks she might be bad at this?
Im-fucking-possible.
I’m going to give her the best fucking date of her life.
Chapter Thirteen
Ellie
Me: Mayday, mayday! I need help!!
Blair: What’s wrong?
Hallie: Are you ok?
I’m pacing my bedroom, while Brody is taking a shower and preparing for bed. That’s exactly what I should be doing, honestly, but my brain won’t slow down, swirling with the questions on whether or not I did the right thing earlier tonight by accepting TD’s date request.
Me: I’m fine, physically. I might have a date Saturday night, and I’m kinda freaking out a bit.
