Page 46 of The Has-Been

So much for one step at a time…

I know I have no business being alone with her. Not after last time, and certainly not after everything I’ve re-experienced tonight. But I’ve never been able to tell Aubrey Vaughn no.

So, I say more confidently, “Yeah, that’d be cool.”

Cool? Since when do I say cool? But I push the thoughts away.

“I’ll drive?” I ask.

“Well, I walked, so...”

I unlock my doors, moving around to climb into the driver’s seat. I take a quick second to try and gather my thoughts.

I can do this. I can be…friendly.

Right?

Apparently not, because we sit in complete silence as I make the short drive to Lover’s.

“I can put our order in—I bet it’s crowded,” Aubrey suggests.

“Good idea.”

More silence…

Fuck. This is so awkward. Wait—why am I making it awkward? It doesn’t need to be.

I know her. She knows me.

I shake my head as Aubrey takes her phone out, her fingers tapping the screen.

No, I knew her. She knew me. But that was a year ago. A lot has changed since then.

I clear my throat, “I’ll take the double⁠—”

But she holds up her hand. “Double-steak burger. Grilled onions. No mustard. Extra ketchup,” she rattles off, side-eyeing me as she keeps typing. “I remember your pain-in-the-ass order,” she laughs. Her eyes look brighter than they did last weekend, and I’m not certain if it’s because she’s wearing little to no makeup or from something else.

“Okay, at least I don’t order everything plain like a psychopath,” I chuckle, reaching for the radio to turn up the volume.

I don’t listen to much anymore; the girl currently sitting beside me ruined all of my favorite songs. My ears strain to hear what’s playing. I smile and turn it up a few more notches.

“Cigarette Daydreams” by Cage the Elephant starts playing as I sing along.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Aubrey’s head bouncing with the beat. How did I know she’d like it? Probably because we have the same taste in music.

“I’ve never heard this,” she admits, reaching for the volume. And for the first time in a long time, the speakers of my Jeep are pounding as I pull into Lover’s. The parking lot is crowded, as if everyone had the same idea of getting a burger before heading over to Melbourne’s for a long night of celebrating.

When I park, Aubrey immediately reaches for the door handle as I do the same.

“No, I got it,” I insist, turning down the volume so she can hear me.

But she continues for the door, pulling her wallet from her backpack. “No, it was my idea,” she counters.

Yeah—fuck no, she’s not paying for dinner. Things might be different…but not that different.

I immediately reach over the center console and pull her door closed. My chest is pressed against her back as she’s still turned to get out. My eyes slam closed as I take in a breath of her hair.

She still smells the same, like coconut and vanilla.