I shrugged. “He’s wasted, I guess. But also entitled to his own dumb opinion.”
“Dumbbeing the key word,” Luke said. He rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s ... whatever. Everybody knows you’re beautiful.”
My heart stopped at the word.Beautiful.
According to Luke Cohen.
When I recovered enough, I figured the only way forward was to make light of it. “That’s nice of ... everybody to say.”
A small smile crept across his face. “Everybody says you’re welcome.”
I grinned at him and then realized, a minute later, that we were standing in a corner of the Continental smiling at each other.
Also, that he thought I was beautiful.
The next few moments were a string of things I should have done—and didn’t.
Should have: taken three steps and closed the distance between us.
Should have: taken his hand in mine.
Should have: leaned up and kissed him, because he was leaving for college in a couple of weeks and there would never be a better chance.
I stayed in the same spot.
I clasped and unclasped my hands.
I said, “How was karaoke?”
He seemed dazed for a moment, and then he said, “Oh, yeah. Fine. I took your advice.”
“The Henley?”
“That, and the shoes, and singing a song everyone knew. All of it.”
“And?”
“Thanks,” he said, but did not elaborate on how things had gone for him after that. Was the girl who invited him impressed? Did she kiss him like her life depended on it and convince him to let her keep his shirt, like a normal lovestruck fool would have done?
I didn’t ask, and Luke didn’t tell.
We walked back to our table in silence.
I drove Mel and Naomi home after that, beating myself up internally the entire way to Naomi’s place and then to Mel’s.
Why, why, why hadn’t I been brave enough to kiss him?
Why was I such an obsessed nut job?
Why was I such an obsessed nut job with no balls to do the thing I most wanted to?
I had said goodbye to everyone and was sitting in the driveway in Mel’s car when a light came on in my head.
Mel had told me to drive myself home in her car, return it tomorrow, and get a ride home with one of the boys.
I could do that.
I could pull out of her driveway, go home, and forget this night ever happened.
