All day long, I was sure fellow students had been staring at me, judging me, and calling me names behind my back. While nobody made direct eye contact with me or tried to speak to me, I was convinced that each person who I caught glancing even slightly my way was laughing at me.
The outfit Eden chose was pretty… on everybody that wasn’t my own.
It had been one of the most draining days insolong that I was seconds away from sending Eden a text that there was no way we’d be going shopping today. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have his number, and I wasn’t sure he was going to see my message on his social media.
As I waited for Eden right in front of the hockey arena, I made a mental note to ask for his number. If he was serious about me teaching him how to bake, I should’ve been able to reach him so we could discuss his availability.
Baking wasn’t done in just ten minutes, so he’d probably have to clear up some space in his calendar for it. I couldn’t imagine his hockey training barely took up any of his time. In fact, I was convinced he had little to no time at all because of it.
After another ten minutes of waiting, the first handful of guys came outside, joking around without paying any attention to me whatsoever. And yet… their laughter made my stomach drop.
What if they’d seen me through the glass doors and made fun of how I looked in this too-tight shirt? It wouldn’t have been the first time this happened.
I closed my jacket, hoping it was going to hide my body just a tiny bit more. It felt right, even if I knew it barely hid anything, as even my jacket wasn’t the usual two sizes too big on me.
Perhaps this was a bad idea. I should’ve waited by his car or… across the parking lot since I had no idea what Eden’s car looked like.
Just as I was about to walk away, feeling the weight of embarrassment settling deep in my stomach, the doors behind me opened one more time and a familiar voice spoke. “Hey there, Ally-Bear. I’m sorry I’m late. Coach was a bit bloodthirsty today.”
I turned back around and met Eden’s captivating gaze for only a second before my eyes moved to his blond hair. It was wet, but not wet enough to still be dripping with water. At least he attempted to dry his hair, I suppose. And it was good to know he actually took showers after hours of practice.
Once again, Eden looked so well put together.
He wore something elegant, something that screamed wealth. Suit pants and a white dress shirt, paired with some kind of loafers, I assumed. I didn’t know much about shoes or fashion, but they definitely weren’t tuxedo-kind-of shoes or sneakers.
The only thing out of place was his wet hair.
“Aren’t you cold?” I asked, noting that he didn’t wear a jacket in the middle of December.
“I left my jacket in the car.”
I smiled at him softly. “So youarecold?”
“I’d like to think of myself as pretty hot.” A playful grin tugged at the corners of his lips just before he winked at me.
“Smooth,” I teased, feeling a sense of relief rush through my veins as Eden’s light-hearted banter lifted my spirit. It was a very welcome change from the self-conscious thoughts that had occupied my mind all day.
“It’s just how I roll.”
“You ruined it.” I laughed. “It’s how I roll? Who even says that anymore?”
Eden chuckled at my comment, his green eyes lighting up with amusement. “I’m a trendsetter, Alana. In a few weeks, everyone’s going to say it again, just you wait,” he replied, flashing me a cheeky grin.
My eyes rolled. “Sure, sure.”
Despite the lingering uneasiness in my stomach, I found myself relaxing in his presence. There was something oddly comforting about Eden that made my worries melt away, if only for a short moment. It was strange.
“Should we go?” he asked, gesturing toward the parking lot. “My siblings are waiting at the Palisades Center for us.”
“Siblings? Plural?” I thought it was just going to be his younger sister and us.
“Right, I didn’t tell you. Nova doesn’t like driving for longer than twenty minutes all by herself, so Elliot’s driving her. Since it takes about an hour from Staten Island to West Nyack, he’ll wait for her to take her back home.”
I guess I could survive meeting his younger siblings at once. Maybe. Though perhaps not as I was sure whoever saw all four of us together would seriously question whyIwas with them.
As we began to walk toward Eden’s car, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him when he wasn’t looking. The way his dress shirt clung to his broad shoulders, and the easy confidence in his stride, made my heart flutter in a way I hadn’t expected.
I could barely stand the guy, so these flutters must’ve been a very bad sign for whatever was to come.
