“You thought what?” Joey reared his head back and then seeing my expression pursed his lips. “You’re kidding.”
“Yes, I’m kidding. You should have seen your face though.”
“Funny, ha ha.” He let me down, sliding me gently to my feet.
I let go, and grabbing the doorframe, hopped inside. Spinning on my good foot I went to close the door. Joey leaned up against the wall opposite the bathroom to wait for me. He took his phone from his pocket and one hand casually scrolled the screen, the other shoved into his jeans pocket. His dark blond hair was curling over his ears and the collar of his white shirt, teasing his forehead and looking artfully messy.
Oh shit buckets. I had it bad. So, so bad.
I quickly closed the door before he looked up.
AFTER MY CLASS, Joey gave me an arm rather than carrying me to the truck.
I tried to squash the disappointment. “What did you do while you waited?”
“Not much, went for a coffee, caught up on the news, and all my friends’ Facebook posts. So how did it go?”
My phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out with my free hand.
Chase: Plans tonight?
I put it back without answering. “Good,” I answered Joey. “I passed.”
“Congrats,” he said. “You’re coming to school here in Beaufort, right? Let’s ride around and check it out.”
I glanced up to see if he’d read my text, but he was looking ahead to the truck.
“Sure,” I said, surprised at Joseph being so friendly to me. This was us hanging out again. “That’d be good.”
We rode down Boundary Street, heading toward the water and taking the curve to the right. The buildings got older and more beautiful. Old clapboard houses with double porches and moss swaying in the trees. Little alleyways strewn with crushed oyster shells ran between them. Boundary Street took us right past the University on the left. “You gonna find a place in town? These old houses are awesome. I bet you could find tons of them that have been converted to student apartments.”
I sighed. “I wish. I have to live at home and commute. Maybe sophomore year. Anyway, I haven’t been told yet whether I’m assigned to this campus or the Hilton Head gateway campus in Bluffton.”
“That would sure be closer to Butler Cove if you’re driving.”
We passed a few cool looking little cafes and restaurants and a shop called the Chocolate Tree. There was a gathering of people outside. “Stop!” I yelped as I saw the sign.
“What?”
“Farmer’s strawberries are in. I’ve heard about this. Turn around!” I added when he didn’t seem to be obeying my command.
“I’m just looking for a safe place to turn.” He chuckled. “Hold your hormones.”
I stuck my fingers under my bare thighs and bounced in my seat as he turned the truck around and found a parking spot next to a law building across the street. He got out and came round to my side, but I’d already opened the door.
“Okay, spill. What are we doing here?” he asked as he helped me down. “You look like a kid on Christmas morning.”
“So they get a delivery of fresh strawberries from a local farm and dip them in fresh chocolate.” He looked unimpressed. I went on, “And when they’ve run out, they’re out.”
“Chocolate covered strawberries? That’s it?”
I smacked Joey’s bicep. “Trust me. They’re not just chocolate covered strawberries.” I made quote marks with my fingers in the air. “Do you think there’d be such a fuss if they were just chocolate covered strawberries?”
He exhaled patiently, his lips curved up, and waved his hand out. “Lead on, then.”
We waited in line, but it moved quickly. “So are you excited about next year?” Joey asked as we shuffled forward closer to the prize.
“Of course,” I said. “I’m excited to learn something again. We’ve been going over and over stuff at school for the exit exams. It’s been mindless.”
“Most people are excited for college life, not learning.” He laughed.
“Well, I’m looking forward to that too obviously. Making new friends and stuff. But it’ll be different for me not living near campus.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He frowned.
“So you’re done, right? Your undergrad?”
He nodded. “I start the med program in September.”
“I can’t believe you did undergrad in three years. I’m planning on doing that too.”
“Really?” He looked impressed. “I had a bunch of credits from senior year. I didn’t realize you did too.”
I folded my arms. “I’ll try not to be offended at your surprise. I probably don’t have as many as you, but enough that if I work hard I can probably get it done.”
“So you know your major already?”
We shuffled forward again. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the lady behind the counter bring another tray of strawberries through from the kitchen. “I do. Hospitality. I mean I’d like to do photojournalism too. And I really want to travel. But for my major, for sure hospitality.”
“So Keri Ann wasn’t kidding when she said you wanted to work in the hotel industry.”
“I want to own an inn or small boutique hotel one day.”