AllFreeNovel
Share Us
From deep within my purse, my phone chimed. I pulled it out and then froze when I saw the caller ID.
Be cool, I told myself fiercely, forcing the embarrassment down.Be Stella.
“Hey,” I greeted once I pressed the cell to my ear, forcing my voice to be calm. “I was just thinking about you.”
I said be Stella! That wassonot Stella.
“What a coincidence,” Harry’s soft voice murmured in response. “Me too. Or, I mean—well,Iwas thinking aboutyou.” He paused. “That was so smooth.”
“Totally.” I bit down on my lower lip, any nervousness about talking to him totally disappearing. Margot admired her cuffs happily while the guy continued to measure her one last time. “What are you up to?”
“Funny thing, I was going to askyouthe same question. I know we planned on maybe doing something tomorrow, but Addy and Vincent are going to get ice cream over in Greenville before the show tonight. Do you want to tag along? You’d save me from being the horribly awkward third wheel.”
He was inviting me out with his friends. Was this technically a double date? Margot caught my gaze in the mirror, so I forced my expression to appear neutral, tonotlet my stupidly ecstatic grin show. “Ice cream in February?”
“Apparently Vincent is craving something called blue goo. Sounds gross if you ask me.” He hesitated, but ultimately ended up adding, “But I’d love to see you. Do you want to meet at the café or over in Greenville?”
Greenville was less than fifteen minutes away, and Ineeded to put Stella on. No way on earth would I show up in my Eastview Academy uniform.
It was a stroke of luck, actually. After rushing out of Crushed Beanz yesterday to get home in time for dinner, I had to leave my Stella bag in the car. It’d make for an easy change. “I can be at the ice cream parlor in twenty, if that works.”
“Sounds great. Drive safe, okay?”
I swear, each time he said that, my heart melted a little.
“So, what’s happening in twenty minutes?” Margot asked as I collected my things, sliding my cell back into my purse. “Outing number four?”
“Outing number four,” I confirmed happily, tucking my jacket over my arms. We’d driven to the outlet mall in our own cars, so I wasn’t leaving Margot stranded, but I felt a little bad about leaving her alone. “Can we do a rain check on our shopping trip?”
She lifted her shoulder. “Fine, fine. Hang out with Harry Hotpants. But don’t stress about Stella and Destelle, okay?”
I nodded, but I wasn’t sure I took it to heart. “I’ll text you later.”
And as I walked across the store, passing a few high-end customers and well-tailored workers, Margot shouted after me, “And if you’re going to ignore me and stress about it all anyway, make sure you kiss him!”
