AllFreeNovel
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“Show her the real you,” he says. “The you that wants something more, the you she hasn’t seen before.”
After Jack leaves, I hang back in the shed, turning his words over in my head as I try to come up with something I can do that proves to Tess that randomly hooking up is not what interests me anymore either. My mind wanders back to the lunch we shared and all the things she told me when I asked why she blew me off and I finally get an idea.
Pulling out my phone, I scroll through to her number and start typing.
Me: Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?
Me: Hot guy from the gym btw
Me: Also known as Dylan
Me: Dylan Murphy in case you were curious
Me: I work maintenance at Somerville’s and Apple Jacks
I sit, staring at my phone as I wait for her to reply. Almost immediately, the bubbles pop up, signaling that she’s typing, and I hold my breath, silently hoping Jack knows what the fuck he’s talking about.
Tessa: Cute, almost looks as though you’re trying to convince me you’re a nice guy…or more than a random hook up anyway…
I feel a smile curl at my mouth, because even though it’s not a yes, it’s not a no either.
Me: And…is it working?
Tessa:…Maybe…
Me: I’m willing to keep trying…so, dinner? Tonight? You and me?
The bubbles pop up and disappear for a solid minute or so, making me wonder what the fuck she’s typing and then deleting. Eventually my phone vibrates in my hand and holding my breath, I read the message.
Tessa: Ok, dinner…just dinner. Where?
I’m smiling like an idiot as I read her message, knowing that this is definitely a step forward.
Me: Just dinner…tonight anyway ;)
Me: I can pick you up or you want to meet me?
Tessa: Cocky…I’ll meet you, text me the address.
I laugh, typing out the address and hitting send before I shove my phone into my pocket and stand, knowing I need to get moving if I’m going to be ready for dinner by seven.
It’s nearly fifteen minutes after seven by the time my buzzer sounds and when it finally does, I practically run to the intercom.
“Hello.”
“Dylan?” comes Tessa’s voice and I can hear the confusion. I can tell this is not what she was expecting.
“Yeah,” I say, grinning. “I’ll buzz you in.”
I hit the button before she can question me further, hearing the tell-tale buzz and the sound of the door at the bottom of the stairs opening. I open my front door, standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame as I watch Tess walk up from the street to the huge loft style apartment I live in above the gourmet food store on Main Street.
“Hey, you made it,” I say with a smile, my arms crossed over my chest. “I thought for a minute you might have gotten lost?” I actually thought she might have changed her mind and stood me up, ghosted me again even, but I’m not about to admit that.
“Ah, well I was looking for a restaurant,” she says, stopping in front of me. “What is this?”
Grinning, I uncross my arms, sweeping one of them inside. “This,” I start, “is where I live, you want to come in?”
Tess doesn’t move, her eyes fixed onme asshe gives me a slow once over, moving from my face, down over my chest and the plain black t-shirt I pulled on, the worn jeans and my bare feet. “I thought we said just—”
