AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Food? That is the full description?”
Jessica put the donut down and looked into Beth’s eyes. “He stood up for me and said nice things about me tonight.”
“You mean nice things like you should be kept in your place, kind of nice things?”
“No, nice things like he knew I was really smart. We spoke and it was like he knew me.”
“Oh no, not the nice knight in shining armor routine. This is so your Achilles heel,” Beth moaned.
“It’s not!” Jessica said as she sat back in the chair. “I didn’t fall for him just because he stood up for me. I mean he was really nice. When Matheson asked about me he jumped in,” Jessica said first with a smile and then she felt the smile fall away. Jessica started to nibble on her lip.
“Jess, you are worrying your lip.”
“I’m not worrying about anything. I’m keeping me together.”
Jessica had to believe that was what was going on. She didn’t fall for a guy because he came to her rescue, right? The heat that was building up in the pit of her stomach had nothing to do with Brian. Besides, Brian would have done this for any other person. Certainly, if she would have asked him, there were tons of women in his past who were just as smart as she was. Okay, maybe they weren't as smart as she was.
Jessica was sure those other women would have had more social interactions and more personality than she did. Brian saw her as being special because there were no other women around right now. There would come a time when they got around other people and he would see that she was sorely lacking in personality, although she may be very gifted in other things. Matter of fact, anything concerning a number.
It would be so horrible to see Brian, who had been so sweet, turn and look at her as if she had been some alien creature and ostracize her.
He claimed he had feelings for her, but did he? She was so confused and there was no numerical data to put to this. Every time she thought she had this man figured out; he did something else that just messed up the whole equation.
She knew that Beth was looking at her and waiting for her to give an answer, and the problem was she didn't have one. Well, she didn't have one that she wanted to share.
Brian had taken the step and said that he felt something for her, and the problem was Jessica felt it, too. What would this even mean if the both of them stayed with each other?
“You know, I never like it when you decide to have a whole full-blown conversation with yourself without me. And I'm standing right here,” Beth complained.
“He's going to find out that something is not quite right about me and then he’ll put me in the same class as everyone else and call me the girl who got passed over, too.”
Beth grabbed Jessica’s hand.
“You’re running but does Brian ask you to change?”
Jessica looked at Beth and gave a small smile. “No, he seems to be okay with me the way I am, but maybe it’s a trick. You know, squeak squeak?”
“Jess, I’m here for you no matter what but he’s not always a rat. It’s possible he has a redeeming quality.”
“What?” Jessica asked.
“He can identify premium cheese!”
Jessica looked at Beth for a moment and then they both fell out laughing.
“Let’s go to the Straw Hat. I hear its dance night. We can dance for two hours, get exhausted and then come back and sleep it off.”
Jessica looked at Beth who was wiggling her eyebrows.
“Let’s go burn some calories and cut a rug!” Jessica said. She just wanted to forget everything, especially Brian, at least for a little while.
* * *
Brian couldn’t sleep. He was going to go to the Straw Hat and have some catch up conversations and then go to bed. He was until he walked into the establishment and saw the woman who had kept him from sleeping dancing like a child in the rain on the floor.
Her face was flushed, and she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
When people said hello she stopped and gave them a hug. A couple of people asked her questions, and she stopped dancing to answer them. Lars and a couple of the more seasoned men challenged the girls.
