“So what do you say, Summer?” He leans in close so that only I can hear him. “Give me a chance. I’ll be the exception. I promise. Things won’t get toxic. And if you want to cut it off, I’ll still be your friend.”
I’m speechless. I know I’ve halfway fallen for this man already, but my past has taught me a lesson for a reason. I should listen to it. I really can’t afford to lose this friendship or this cute little town I’d like to stay in.
“You can trust me. I’m not them.”
And that’s the thing. He’s not them. I shouldn’t hold my past against him. I want to. I want to protect myself. I want to keep that little valve tightly closed so no air can seep out.
But this is Eli.
“Let me show you what it’s like between us outside of the friendzone. And if you don’t like it, I promise we can go back.”
My heart and mind are at war, but I know I’d hate myself if I didn’t give him a chance, so I find myself nodding.
“Is that a yes? I need to hear a yes.” He steps even closer. Right into my space. Nipple to nipple.
“Yes,” I whisper.
And then he turns to the small crowd, cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, “She said yes.”
A loud cheer followed by clapping fills the air.
“Can’t see how she would have given any other response,” a crackly voice pipes up.
“Thanks, Alva,” Eli grins at the older lady who must be about seventy. She’s front and center, and I wonder how much she heard.
“If she wouldn’t have said yes, I would have taken you out, Eli.”
“Thanks, Reba.” Eli flashes another smile that makes the two elderly women giggle. They look so cute together, and I make a mental note adding the image of those two to my best friend goals.
“‘Course you would say that, Reba. But the man’s a third of your age, for Pete’s sake,” an old man interjects on the bestie’s good time.
“You’re just jealous that I’m not asking you out, Allistair.”
The old man harrumphs and grumbles loudly as he walks away.
The rest of the crowd is still eagerly watching us, when it parts slightly and Em emerges. Obviously having followed us out of the bookstore, she walks up to me and hands me the book. “Don’t forget this. I signed it for you, too.”
“Oh my gosh, thank you, Em.”
“You’re welcome.”
Eli pulls out a twenty dollar bill and stuffs it in Em’s hands while she tries to refuse it. Then his hands are around my waist and he swings me around.
Nope. No kiss.
Darn it. But that’s okay. His arms feel amazing just holding me. I can’t believe he just did that in front of half of his town. They all know him. It’s not like he can play that off. He took a huge risk in asking me out that way. And the two cuties that witnessed it? They probably know everything about him. Maybe changed a diaper or two of his, I’m not sure.
This town is so ridiculous. But I love it. I actually can’t imagine not staying here now. It’s terrifying how quickly it grew on me. And that’s part of why I wasn’t going to date Eli. I didn’t want an ex in this small town before I even settled in.
Now I just have to figure out my feelings for Eli so that I don’t lose the friendship or this cute little town when things take a turn for the worse. Because they will.
