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An hour later, there was another one.
No one else is here, so don’t meet us. This might be my chance. Hope your leg is better.
I tried to picture Nina tearing Derek away from his playwriting obsession to focus on her in the Graham basement. She was probably going to be there for hours just working up the courage to make a move on him.
I typed a quick response.
Good luck. I want the deets.
I thought about letting her know about the impromptu TV date with Beau. It wasn’t a date, it was homework, but I hesitated. Nina would make something out of it.
I folded Ugly Quilt and placed it back on the couch. I surveyed the room. It was fairly neat. We spent most of our time in our bedrooms and only used the living room to watch TV or movies. Candace was the messiest, so with her out of the house it was easier to keep it presentable. I wondered what Pearce thought of her housekeeping skills.
I boiled a pot of water and tossed in some spaghetti noodles. Within fifteen minutes, I had a gourmet Italian meal ready to eat. I sat at the kitchen table, spinning my pasta on my fork while I pulled up the bucket list Beau wrote a few weeks ago on my laptop.
Some of the things seemed tame: “Take your picture with Rameses.” Ok, that was one I had always wanted to do. He was the school’s cuddly mascot.
I read one of the items buried in the list: “Hook up in Davis Library.” What? Who was this guy? He actually made a list that encouraged students to shack up on campus at the library—that was ridiculous and gross. I was right when I told Nina he was just like every other guy I met at school.
I continued reading through the list: “Have a picnic in the arboretum at night.” Ok, that one sounded slightly romantic.
I cleared the table and rinsed my bowl before placing it in the dishwasher. The doorbell rang.
I pulled back the heavy wooden door. Beau stood on the porch under our single lightbulb.
“Hey. Can I come in?”
“Oh yes. Sure. Come on in.”
He breezed past me, tucking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. He was wearing a T-shirt in our school colors, light blue.
“Nice place. Do you have roommates?”
“Thanks. Yes. I have two. But they are out right now. Want something to drink?”
Beau took a spot in the middle of the couch and leaned into Ugly Quilt. I fought the urge to reach behind him and grab my cuddle blanket.
“Sure. You have a beer?”
I had no idea if we had any beer. My grocery shopping usually consisted of juice, pasta, and cereal. I thought I remembered Candace buying some for Pearce just in case he was ever at our house. I shuffled through Chinese food containers and a bag of browning lettuce. There it was. A six pack of tall brown bottles. I grabbed one for my guest, but before I closed the fridge, I picked up a second.
I handed him the cold bottle and watched as he placed the edge of the cap on the coffee table and slapped the lid with his left hand. He tossed the cap in the center of the table and took a swig.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I followed the same steps as I had seen Beau just perform. Placing the lip of the beer cap on the edge of the table, I whacked the lid with my left hand. Instead of freeing my lid from the bottle, I sent the entire bottle to the floor and with it a bubbly puddle. Well, now he probably knew I had never opened a beer before.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath while I darted to the kitchen to grab some paper towels. I started mopping up the sticky liquid.
“Here. Let me help you. Looks like you’re having a rough day.” Beau pulled a handful of the towels from my hand. “First beer?”
“How could you tell?”
“It might have been how you placed the bottle on the table like you were getting ready to perform surgery.” He laughed. “That was serious concentration.”
I took the dripping mess from his hands. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
