Trust in Me

“Nope.”


Shortcake laughed, and I couldn’t stop the smile from forming on my lips. I liked the sound of her laugh, when she really laughed. “I’m sure there are plenty of girls who want to go out on a date with you.”

“There are.”

“Wow. Modest aren’t you?”

“Why should I be? And I want to go out on a date with you. Not them.”

She shook her head slightly. “I don’t understand why.”

And I didn’t understand why she didn’t get it. “I can think of a few reasons. You’re not like most girls.” True. “That interests me.” And it really did. “You’re awkward in this really . . . adorable way. You’re smart. Want me to list more?”

“No. Not at all,” she replied. “I don’t want to go out on a date with you.”

I didn’t believe it. Call it intuition, experience, or plain old cockiness, I didn’t believe her at all. “I figured you’d say that.”

“Then why did you ask?”

I leaned back, grabbing the side of the door. “Because I wanted to.”

“Oh. Well. Okay. Glad you got it out of your system.”

What did she think this was? Hell, I didn’t even know what this was. “I haven’t gotten it out of my system.”

Her shoulders slumped. “You haven’t?”

“Nope.” I smiled. “There’s always tomorrow.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“I’ll ask you again.”

She shook her head. “The answer will be the same.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” I tapped the tip of her nose, grinning as she narrowed her eyes at me. “And maybe you’ll say yes. I’m a patient guy, and hey, like you said, I don’t give up easily.”

“Great,” she muttered, but there was a glimmer in her eyes, the same sheen that had been there when she was checking me out.

“Knew you’d see it that way.” I tweaked the tip of her nose, and she smacked my hand away. “Don’t worry. I know the truth.”

“The truth about what?”

I moved back in case she swung again. “You want to say yes, but you’re just not ready.”

Shortcake looked like she actually did see a ghost.

“It’s okay. I’m a lot to handle, but I can assure you, you’ll have fun handling me.” Before she could respond, I tapped her nose and then closed the door, grinning to myself as I loped around the front of the truck.

I watched Avery head into her apartment. She stopped halfway in, tucked the glossy copper strands behind her ear as she peeked over her shoulder at me.

A small, shy smile pulled at her lips as she waved good-bye and then slipped inside, quietly closing the door behind her.

Standing there a few more moments, like a creeper, I finally turned toward my door. As I reached for the knob, the door swung open.

Jase appeared, blocking the door. A curious look crossed his expression. “What are you doing standing in the hallway of your apartment building like a loser?”

“What are you doing in my apartment like a freak?”

He shrugged. “I was hanging out with Ollie, but he ran to Sheetz to get some nachos.”

“Ah, a nachos night.” Which meant Ollie would be up all night. I shifted my weight. “Are you going to let me in?”

“Well, since it is your place.” He cocked his head to the side, casting half of his swarthy face into a shadow. “I guess so.”

Jase stepped aside, allowing me to squeeze past him. I went straight to the fridge, grabbed a beer and then dropped onto the couch. “You’re not at the farm?”

He shook his head as he joined me, picking up a bottle from the coffee table. “No. Jack is with the grandparents.”

“Ah . . .” That explained it. Jase was usually at his family farm on the weekends.

Jase glanced at me. “Sooo, you were out with the redhead?”

“Shortcake?”

His dark brows slipped out of the wave of hair and knitted. “Huh?”

“Avery’s the redhead. And no. We were doing an astronomy assignment. We’re partners.”

“Oh.” He took a swig of his beer and made a face. “Sooo,” he said again, and I rolled my eyes. “Why were you staring at her apartment door?”

“How do you know?”

“I watched you through the peephole.”

“Nice.” I laughed, taking a drink. A couple of minutes passed and then I said, “I asked her out.”

Jase didn’t look that interested. “Okay.”

“She turned me down.”

His head swung toward me, his dove-gray eyes sparkling with interest. “What?”

“Yep.” I fell back into the couch, grinning. “Turned me down flat.”

Leaning onto the arm of the couch, Jase laughed so hard I think he hurt his stomach. “I like this girl.”

“So do I,” I said, sighing. “So do I.”





Seven

Fresh banana-nut bread cooled on the counter, filling the apartment with its savory scent.