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“Brady doesn’t need much to make him laugh,” I replied.
Brady laughed some more, and I once again shoved his knee with mine. She didn’t need to get curious. No one did.
“When do you and Willa head back?” Brady asked, directing the attention toward them and away from me. I relaxed as Gunner started to talk and Bex was now focused on them. Taking one last peek at the other table, I realized it was now empty. I had missed them leave. Not that I cared. Or that I should care. I jerked my attention back to the group. It had been a long time since all of us had been together like this. A first time for some. I wasn’t staying here. Getting interested in a girl was pointless. I was leaving soon, and nothing was holding me back. Not even a girl as special as she appeared to be. Besides, she knew something about me no one else did. I wasn’t sure I could face that kind of vulnerability with a girl or anyone.
I moved my gaze to Bexley. She was gorgeous, fun, and easygoing, and leaving her behind didn’t bother me at all. That was what I needed. No strings.
Bexley’s eyes met mine, and a smile tugged on her lips. I wouldn’t make a habit out of doing things with her. No reason to let her get attached. I smiled back, then pretended to listen to the story Gunner was telling about his landlord, who had been arrested for driving his motorcycle naked through the college campus at twelve in the morning on a drunken dare.
After taking Bexley home, I headed back to Lawton. Not exactly in the direction of Nash’s house, though. I was taking a detour. One I had no business taking. It wasn’t like I was going to get out of the truck and go knock on her door. I was terrified of her tiny mother. I’d admit to myself I was curious about her, but that was it. No other reason.
Tonight had been nice. Bexley was an excellent kisser, and she’d probably had a lot of practice. I hadn’t been tempted to stay, though, when she’d invited me to watch a movie. I knew she was offering up more than a movie, and I wasn’t feeling it. Which was concerning if I thought about that too much.
The Quick Stop was dark. I had expected it to be. It was close to midnight. I don’t know why I thought driving by it was going to make me stop thinking about her. I waited at the stoplight, which I never did this late. I was the only vehicle on the road, and waiting for a green light was stupid. But I waited anyway.
Just when it turned green, I saw a light inside flick on and I didn’t go. I watched as a person came into view. It was her. I couldn’t tell what she was doing, but she was inside and she was alone. It was late, and I would guess she had a curfew. I wondered what that curfew was as I sat at the green light, not moving.
Headlights lit up the cab of my truck, and I glanced back to see Ryker coming up behind me. He honked and I rolled down the window to give him my middle finger before putting my foot on the gas just as the light turned yellow. It wasn’t until I was almost at Nash’s that I realized the honk would have gotten her attention and if I’d stayed, she might have come outside.
But then what? Again, it was pointless… wasn’t it? I was struggling with the reasons why I shouldn’t pursue Ezmita. I sure spent enough time thinking about her lately.
JUNE 22, 2020 I Needed to Speak Words
CHAPTER 12
EZMITA
I hated Mondays. Mostly because I had to open up on Mondays. Which meant I had to be dressed and getting things ready at four in the morning. No one should be awake at four in the morning. No other eighteen-year-olds were up at four on a summer morning. Just me.
Momma had the store smelling of cinnamon rolls already, and I had the first pot of coffee brewing. My siblings would get to sleep comfortably in their cozy beds for two more hours. Why my parents thought it was good for my “character” to get up three out of four days a week before the dawn, I didn’t know. It was part of their insanity.
My mother called out to me to get the creamer from the cooler and put it on ice. I had already done that, but she was still in the kitchen and didn’t know that. Why she would assume I hadn’t done that specific task when I had been doing it for years was beyond me.
“Yes, Momma,” I called back instead of pointing out it was already done. I had a feeling she knew it was done but wanted to give me orders regardless.
