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“She can.” I bob my head, wanting to believe that. I don’t actually know what happens to people after they pass, but I like the heaven theory. It sits well with me, the idea that there doesn’t have to be an end, that those we love can still watch over us from afar.
Ethan’s smile stretches across his face, and I’m caught by the beauty of it, softened by the knowledge that we both know what it’s like to be raised by a single parent. My dad may not be dead, but I lost him. I understand this pain, and it makes me want to reach out and grab Ethan’s hand.
My skin tingles with the idea of touching him, but I resist the urge and instead whisper, “I’m sorry you lost her.”
“Thanks.” Ethan’s smile turns sad as he shuffles in his seat, and then Train Awkward pulls into the station.
I clear my throat, setting my coffee down and glancing across the shop to see Teah and Bella at the table by the window. Bella’s looking over Teah’s shoulder, obviously checking out how my coffee date is going.
Are they shitting me? They followed us in here?
Ugh!
When I saw them out the window, that was irritating enough, but I was too caught up listening to Ethan to notice them enter the coffee shop, and now my tingles have turned to prickles of irritation.
This is a nightmare. How am I supposed to be myself when they’re monitoring me this way?
You’re not supposed to be yourself. You’re supposed to be the girl who can woo guys like Ethan Galloway.
Crappity-crap!
Fisting my hands, I force myself to take a breath, then angle my body so I’m even closer to him. With my breath on hold, I stare at his hand, lightly resting on his knee, then run my finger between his knuckles.
He stiffens and I nearly draw my hand away, but I’ve got a mission to accomplish here, so I force my finger to start tracing the bones of his long fingers.
“So… now that you’ve had a coffee date with a mouse… do you think you’d be up for a meal sometime?”
His eyebrows dip while his eyes dart from my finger to my face, to my mouth, then down to the floor.
“Uh…” He lets out an awkward chuckle and pulls his hand away. “You trying to score more free food off me?”
“Why else would I ask you out?” I wink at him.
His smile flashes with genuine amusement before he sits forward in his chair like he’s ready to get up and go.
“Maybe.” He nods. “Things are kind of busy for me right now, and hockey is gonna be heating up real soon, so I’ll…” He winces, rubbing a hand over the back of his head. “I’ll check my schedule and let you know.”
And ouch.
I glance at the girls by the window, relieved they’re too far away to hear what he just said or feel the icy burn of his rejection.
I told them I wasn’t up for this. Didn’t I make it blatantly clear that guys like Ethan don’t fall for girls like me?
My insides flame as I stand, snatching my bag and hiking it up onto my shoulder. “Well, thanks for the freebie. We’re all square now, so I won’t bother you again.”
His expression buckles. I turn my back on it, making a beeline for the door. I’m already outside when he catches up to me. He falls into stride beside me, and I turn to him with an irritated scowl. “What are you doing?”
“Walking you to your next class. I’m assuming you’ve got more than one class today.”
I jerk to a stop. “I don’t need you to walk me to class.”
He turns to face me, smiling like he didn’t just totally turn me down in the coffee shop.
Frustration courses through me, a nice healthy dose that will hopefully be strong enough to kill off the embarrassment I’m wrestling with.
“I’ve already told you, I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Are you sure, lil’ mouse?”
