take on walks. Maybe this could be my chance? Not only for a dog, but for a boyfriend of my own.
But as Joe walked downstairs with a plate full of chocolate and cream eclairs, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Joe would never let me date his best friend. Not that Nick would be interested in his roommate’s kid sister. Nothing said unattractive to someone fresh out of high school like two and a half more years before graduation.
“Those look incredible,” Nick said, staring at the plate Joe set on the coffee table.
“Dig in, dude,” Joe said, grabbing four for himself. He jerked his finger at Sarah and Carson. “Do they ever stop doing that?”
“Sometimes. When they need to come up for air.” I glanced at them for as long as my heart could take it, lamenting the fact that I’d wanted that same obliviousness for Carson and myself.
Joe said, “Good for him. Thought he was going to hang out in your friend zone forever.”
Well, that stopped the kissing. Sarah pulled back from Carson, her lips red and her cheeks redder. “Friend zone?”
Joe chuckled. “Yeah, we all thought Carson had it bad for Cal. Apparently we were wrong.”
“You’re one to talk,” Carson said. “Gemma ever call you back?” He reached for just as many eclairs as Joe had taken. Now that each of the guys had their fill, there was only one left on the plate.
“Take it,” I told Sarah. “It’s yours.” He’s yours.
Nick and Joe went back to their dorm that night, leaving just Mom, Dad, and me at breakfast the next morning. I had convinced Mom to let me take her car to the poetry reading. She said it would be good for Joe to see family there.
“What about adopting a dog?” I asked. “Maybe I’ll find the dream dog. Hypoallergenic, low shedding. It could be good for me, you know, give me a reason to get out and exercise again.”
She pressed her lips together in that way that told me I’d made a good point but she didn’t want to admit it. “You know a dog’s average life span is somewhere between eight and sixteen years.”
“And?”
“You have two and half years before you go to college. It might feel like a lifetime now, but it will fly by. And it’s not like you’ll be able to sneak a dog into the dorms at Stanford.”
I loaded my fork with a bite of biscuits and gravy and eggs as I thought over my next angle. “You and Dad wouldn’t want to have a dog? What about empty nest syndrome?”
Dad laughed. “We’ve had kids in our house for nearly twenty years. We’re ready for a break!”
Mom nodded. “So unless you can find a dog that’ll be around for two years, the dog days are over.”
“Ouch,” I said, pushing back from the table. “I thought you loved me.”
Dad extended his arm and rubbed my shoulder. “We do. Your furry friends? Not so much.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “Have a good day at the convention.”
Mom patted my other shoulder on my way to the kitchen. “Have a good time at the poetry reading. It sounds so fun. And get your doggy pets in while you’re there.”
I went upstairs to pick out my outfit, even though I had a good six hours until I needed to be there. Nerves were starting to fill my stomach, and for the first time, they weren’t about Ryde Alexander or Carson Cook. No, they were about possibility.
A knock sounded on my door, and I looked up to see Carson, a sad smile on his face. “What are you getting ready for?”
“Hey,” I said. “I’m thinking about going to a poetry reading with Joe and Nick...” I held up two shirts. “Which one is better?”
He shrugged and sat on my bed. “The red one?”
I looked toward the ceiling. “This one isn’t even red; it’s coral.”
Rolling his eyes, he said, “I’m bad at this.”
Putting the black shirt back in my closet, I teased, “How does Sarah deal with you?”
He flexed his biceps, making the muscles bulge and my stomach swoop. “These bad boys help.” He stuck out his tongue.
“You’re crazy,” I said, because my mouth had gone dry and my mind was numb and I couldn’t think of any other words.
“You’re not going to ask what I’m doing tonight?” he questioned.
With a sigh, I sat on my desk chair and gave in. “What are you going to do tonight?” He glanced at the door, and getting his message, I shut