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“Can I show you more?” I ask, directing my mind away from anything I shouldn’t be doing.
He nods and I pull out the paper with the list of the most popular majors at the community college, going over them with him. Then there are the financial aid options that are best for him as a non-traditional student since he’s not fresh out of high school. After that are some good test prep sites I found online that will help him with placement tests.
An hour later when we’re going through sample classes he’d likely have his first semester, he finally calls for a break.
“I don’t think I can take much more tonight.”
I gather all the papers I printed out at the campus computer lab and stuff them back in the folder, placing it on his coffee table. “How are you feeling about the idea now?”
He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together. “It seems more real. Like it’s something I could actually do. Although, once I take a look at those test prep sites… Well, that’ll be the real test, won’t it? I wasn’t the best student in high school.”
“Did you apply yourself?”
“No,” he admits with a sheepish grin. “But this time around it’d be different. I’m only worried—”
He cuts himself off abruptly, looking down at his shoes.
I scoot nearer to him. “What is it?”
“What if… What if I try and I’m still not any good?”
I reach out, the tips of my fingers barely making contact with the dusting of dark blond hair on his forearm. After the last hour of him patiently listening to me babble about school, silently absorbing all the facts and figures I threw his way, we’re a little closer than we were before. “That’s a chance we all take any time we try something new. I mean, look at me and this self-defense stuff. I’m a huge failure so far. But I’m going to keep working on it.”
“You’re not a failure.”
I raise my brows. “What would you call my freak out earlier, then?”
“You’re a beginner. You’re learning. You’re—” He swallows hard. “Yeah, okay. I see the similarities.”
“Do you think you could help me out some more? With self-defense? I know it’s asking a lot—”
“Of course I’ll help. I said I would.”
“Because you like hanging out with me?” I tease.
His eyes widen slightly, mouth unsmiling, and my stomach drops. Is it too soon for teasing?
“You said it earlier,” I remind him, and his expression softens.
He runs a hand through his hair, scraping it back. “Right. I forgot I said that. I don’t… Well, I don’t usually talk this much. But there’s something about you that makes me want to, I don’t know… open up.”
The lead ball in my stomach from earlier disappears as a warm, fuzzy lightness spreads throughout me. He likes hanging outandtalking to me? Today’s been some kind of breakthrough.
“Well, I seem to talk too much around you, so it only makes sense.”
The corner of his mouth lifts in acknowledgment. “So, you want to get together sometime this week? Practice your stuff some more?”
“Yeah. I need to work on not freezing up. How about Tuesday night? I’m free after the study.”
“Sounds good.”
I stand, sensing the night has come to an end, and he stands too, walking me over to the door. I glance around for Boots, but she’s nowhere to be found, probably back in Austin’s bedroom. That’d be too weird if I invited myself into his private space to look for the cat.
“Thanks for everything,” I tell him. “I mean, putting up with my ridiculousness and all.”
“There’s nothing about you that’s ridiculous,” he murmurs, kindness in his voice.
That warm fuzziness permeates me again, lifting me enough to impulsively hug him, his body heat warming me in the chilliness of the early February air. He’s so tall, it’s all I can do to wrap my arms over his broad shoulders, muscles like granite under my hands.
