Page 14 of Check You Out

“Maple cinnamon latte with bacon, egg, and cheese on an asiago bagel.”

His face falls. “You get that every single time.” He strokes his beard before pointing at me. “Order something different. You need to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Get what she’s ordering.”

“But what if she orders…” My voice trails off and I shiver. “Decaf.”

He shivers. “Get the caffeine version, but it better be different. The more comfortable you feel with the uncomfortable, the better it’ll be when you do ask her out.” Xander stands up. “Maybe the forced proximity thing will help with the talking thing. It worked for us. You barely said a word when you moved in, and now we actually have full conversations.” He rests his hand on my shoulder. “I’m really proud of you.”

“Asshole,” I snap.

“See, you used to run off to your room and hide.” He chuckles. “Now, you call me an asshole. Progress!”

“I suppose.”

“You just need to believe.” He chuckles. “Now, if only I could get you to come to the gym with me. You look like a discarded chicken leg.”

“I don’t like gyms. They’re too noisy and too crowded.” I gesture to my body, which is on the leaner side. I’m not skinny, but I’m also not muscular. “I like how I look.”

Xander sits back on the couch and crosses his arms. “Fine. Now, when you see Charlotte tomorrow, what are you going to say?”

“‘Hi, how are you?’”

He nods. “Good. She responds, ‘I’m fine, thanks. How are you?’” He holds out his hand, gesturing for me to answer.

“‘Nauseous. I want to throw up,’” I reply with an impish grin.

He groans. “Don’t mention your digestive trauma. You say, ‘I’m doing great.’ What do you do next?”

I think for a few seconds. “I don’t know. Wait for her to say something?”

“Why not ask her something about herself? What did you guys talk about earlier?”

“Books and, fuck, I should’ve asked her about what books she likes to read.” I bury my head in my hands. “I really fucked this up, didn’t I?”

He shrugs. “She’s still going to see you tomorrow, right?”

“Uh… well… yes.”

Xander claps his hand onto my shoulder. “You didn’t fuck it up. I told you, if she didn’t want to see you, she would’ve told you to fuck off. I’ve seen her do it many times. She likes you.”

My interest piques. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not. She asked you to spend time with her. She did the flippy thing with her hair and everything. I have a feeling she likes you. You just need to close the deal.”

I sit up a bit straighter, setting my shoulders back and down. I feel a little bit stronger. Nodding with determination while simultaneously swallowing down the bile gurgling in my stomach, I say to my grinning roommate, “I’ve got this.”

7

Charlotte

40 Days until the Council Meeting

A flick of my wrist reveals I’m precisely ten minutes early. My plan is to arrive at Triple C, get a drink, and reserve the perfect table with about five minutes to spare.

I take one last look in the mirror, run my hands through my hair, and adjust my sundress. Grabbing my backpack with my laptop and notebook, I walk through the bookstore and tell my employee, Sarah, I’m heading out. She waves me away and turns back to restocking books. The bell above the door twinkles as I walk out, a wall of humidity hitting me straight in the face. I blink and shudder before walking toward the café, sweat already forming on this muggy late May day. Welcome to spring in Maryland. Tomorrow, it could be cold and rainy.

I bump right into someone’s lean, hard chest.

My body sways a little as I scramble to regain my footing. Two firm, steady hands grasp my biceps. I look up, and it’s Aidan. We’re so close that I have to tilt my head back to make eye contact. The faint smell of caramel and coffee wafts over me. For a second, I think I could reach up and run a hand through those soft brown waves.