you’d
be willing to go on a date with me and see if you might feel the same way?”
Okay, liking me is one
thing, I’m working on that one, but the in love part is crazy.
“I’m
sorry you’re not gay too, Searle, because it would make things a lot easier.”
“Easy
is boring,” he says as he steps even closer to me and reaches for my hand, “and
life is supposed to be exciting.”
“Yeah,
well, I have to admit, this was a twist to the story I wasn’t expecting.” I
finally smile.
“You
up for this?” He presses his forehead to mine and closes his eyes.
“I
might be.”
“Well,
let’s get you home and you can think about it.”
He
reaches for my hand as if it’s any other day, but it’s not. We walk back to his
car, and when he opens the door for me there’s a different meaning to the
action. I glide onto the seat, and as we make the drive back to my house, the
silence is deafening.
“Did
you think about it yet?” he teases when he pulls into my driveway.
My
pulse races and butterflies swarm in my stomach at the question. I haven’t
thought of Haden like this since eighth grade when he didn’t show any interest
in me. Yet sitting here with him now, it’s all I can think of.
“I’m
working on it,” I say quietly.
We
get out of the car and make our way up to the front door, but I pause before
entering. When I turn to face him, he’s so close that I can smell his cologne.
“You’re
killing me,” he whispers.
He
timidly wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close to his body. My hands
snake around his neck and we stand there together—familiar, yet strangers
in this way.
Nervousness
courses through my veins when he drops his chin and his lips meet mine. It’s a
brief kiss that holds so much potential and I want him to do it again.
It’s
as if the wind has been sucked from my lungs when he drops his hands from my
waist. Neither of us says a word as he takes a couple of steps back before
turning to walk down to his car. He leans his arm on the top of his car and
glances back at me, and it’s clear that simple kiss had an effect on both of
us.
I’ve
dated guys before and I’ve been kissed, but something about that kiss leaves me
feeling like I’ve been missing out all this time.
I
ultimately wave and start to turn to my front door but pause when I see him run
over to me.
“I
wanna do that again,” he says breathlessly before crushing his lips to mine,
and I all but melt.
When
we finally part, he kisses me once more, heads out to his car, and flashes the
lights at me before I walk inside the house. I watch him pull out of the
driveway before closing the door and rushing to my room to replay everything
and hopefully get some answers from the one person I know has them.
Chapter 6 ~ Finding Support
“Hey,” I rush out as soon as Joey answers
his phone.
“You
okay?” he asks.
“Haden
isn’t gay,” I inform him, because I’m still shocked by the revelation.
“No,”
he drags, “he’s not, but thanks for the confirmation.”
“Stop
it, Joey. I’m serious.”
“What’s
wrong with you?”
“I
went with Haden to his gallery opening tonight,” I reveal.
“Yeah,
and?”
“Why
don’t you sound surprised by that?” I ask, knowing there is something he isn’t
telling me.
“I
knew about the opening tonight,” he admits.
“But
he told me not to tell anyone.”
“He
came to me the other day and asked what I thought,” he admits easily.
“Wait
a minute.” I sit on the edge of my bed and try to understand what he’s telling
me. “From the beginning.”
“What
do you want to know?”
“I
want to know how much you know,” I whine. “Did you know about his artwork? Did
you know he was going to ask me out?”
“The
art, no. Yes to the date part.”
“Joey
Parker the third,” I shout his full name for emphasis, “what are you telling
me?”
“Um,
I think I’m telling you what you already know. But to recap: Haden isn’t gay, I
have
be willing to go on a date with me and see if you might feel the same way?”
Okay, liking me is one
thing, I’m working on that one, but the in love part is crazy.
“I’m
sorry you’re not gay too, Searle, because it would make things a lot easier.”
“Easy
is boring,” he says as he steps even closer to me and reaches for my hand, “and
life is supposed to be exciting.”
“Yeah,
well, I have to admit, this was a twist to the story I wasn’t expecting.” I
finally smile.
“You
up for this?” He presses his forehead to mine and closes his eyes.
“I
might be.”
“Well,
let’s get you home and you can think about it.”
He
reaches for my hand as if it’s any other day, but it’s not. We walk back to his
car, and when he opens the door for me there’s a different meaning to the
action. I glide onto the seat, and as we make the drive back to my house, the
silence is deafening.
“Did
you think about it yet?” he teases when he pulls into my driveway.
My
pulse races and butterflies swarm in my stomach at the question. I haven’t
thought of Haden like this since eighth grade when he didn’t show any interest
in me. Yet sitting here with him now, it’s all I can think of.
“I’m
working on it,” I say quietly.
We
get out of the car and make our way up to the front door, but I pause before
entering. When I turn to face him, he’s so close that I can smell his cologne.
“You’re
killing me,” he whispers.
He
timidly wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close to his body. My hands
snake around his neck and we stand there together—familiar, yet strangers
in this way.
Nervousness
courses through my veins when he drops his chin and his lips meet mine. It’s a
brief kiss that holds so much potential and I want him to do it again.
It’s
as if the wind has been sucked from my lungs when he drops his hands from my
waist. Neither of us says a word as he takes a couple of steps back before
turning to walk down to his car. He leans his arm on the top of his car and
glances back at me, and it’s clear that simple kiss had an effect on both of
us.
I’ve
dated guys before and I’ve been kissed, but something about that kiss leaves me
feeling like I’ve been missing out all this time.
I
ultimately wave and start to turn to my front door but pause when I see him run
over to me.
“I
wanna do that again,” he says breathlessly before crushing his lips to mine,
and I all but melt.
When
we finally part, he kisses me once more, heads out to his car, and flashes the
lights at me before I walk inside the house. I watch him pull out of the
driveway before closing the door and rushing to my room to replay everything
and hopefully get some answers from the one person I know has them.
Chapter 6 ~ Finding Support
“Hey,” I rush out as soon as Joey answers
his phone.
“You
okay?” he asks.
“Haden
isn’t gay,” I inform him, because I’m still shocked by the revelation.
“No,”
he drags, “he’s not, but thanks for the confirmation.”
“Stop
it, Joey. I’m serious.”
“What’s
wrong with you?”
“I
went with Haden to his gallery opening tonight,” I reveal.
“Yeah,
and?”
“Why
don’t you sound surprised by that?” I ask, knowing there is something he isn’t
telling me.
“I
knew about the opening tonight,” he admits.
“But
he told me not to tell anyone.”
“He
came to me the other day and asked what I thought,” he admits easily.
“Wait
a minute.” I sit on the edge of my bed and try to understand what he’s telling
me. “From the beginning.”
“What
do you want to know?”
“I
want to know how much you know,” I whine. “Did you know about his artwork? Did
you know he was going to ask me out?”
“The
art, no. Yes to the date part.”
“Joey
Parker the third,” I shout his full name for emphasis, “what are you telling
me?”
“Um,
I think I’m telling you what you already know. But to recap: Haden isn’t gay, I
have
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