On His Face - Tabatha Kiss Page 0,7
kneecaps. I open his door and peek inside, easily picking out the red button on his dash right where he said it’d be. I put my foot on the brake and push it, bringing the engine to life.
I stand up and close the door behind me. “Okay—”
One step back and I bump into... him.
“Whoa...” He reaches out and takes my elbows as I stumble backward. “You okay?”
“I’m fine...” I nod, repeatedly. “Just... didn’t see you there.”
He sidles to my left, resuming his casual lean against the car door. “We’ll let that run for a few minutes and see what happens,” he says.
I realize I’m still nodding. I stop.
We’ll see what happens. Yes.
And at the top of that list: my freaking funeral.
“My name is Drew, by the way,” he says, extending his hand.
“Oh, right...” I chuckle awkwardly as I shake his hand. “Heidi,” I greet. “My name is Heidi.”
He smiles, showing off a mouth of beautiful, perfect teeth. “It’s nice to meet you, Heidi.”
“You, too, Drew,” I say with instant regret. “Hey, that rhymes.”
If he’s still smiling, I wouldn’t know, because my eyes fall right to my red sneakers. My palms sweat. My entire body feels like a radiator despite it officially being hoodie weather in Chicago right now. God, I need this to end. Charge faster, battery. I’m begging you. Hurry and release me from this terrible silence.
“So, about last night...”
No!
Please no.
I’ll take the silence, please.
I slowly look up. “You know, we don’t have to talk about that...”
“I think we should,” Drew says, amused.
“I think we shouldn’t.”
“You know that point when you look back on something embarrassing that happened to you, but enough time has passed so you just laugh about it like it wasn’t a big deal?” he asks.
I sigh. “In theory, yes. I’ve heard of it.”
“Well, I like to get there as fast as possible,” he says. “And I think the two of us should work on that.”
“We should?”
“Yeah! I mean...” He cants his head. “Okay, cards on the table, last night was weird.”
“Very weird,” I agree.
“One of the weirdest nights I’ve had in a while, but it was nothing that can’t be explained by a little bit of awkwardness between two people who just met. You invited me into your home. We had a pleasant chat. There was a spark or two, but then...”
“I sneezed on your face,” I say flatly.
“And then you sneezed on my face.” He smothers his grin. “But it was funny! If my roommate had come home and told me that happened to him, I’d be in stitches. It’s objectively hilarious.”
I look down as I fight the urge to wither and die. “Not feeling the funny just yet...”
“Then, let’s do something about that,” he says. “What are you up to tonight?”
I glance up. “Tonight?”
“My housemates are throwing a party and I’d be honored if you’d come and be my guest for the night.”
“You’re... asking me to a party?”
“Yes,” he says.
“Tonight?”
“Tonight,” he repeats.
“I sneezed on your face and now you’re asking me to a party?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“I feel like we’ve seen that sign before,” he quips.
I deflate all the air from my lungs. “Sorry, I’m just confused, and surprised... but mostly just confused. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of germs being a big turn-on.”
Drew smiles, flashing those damned dimples again. “It wasn’t the germs so much as the cute girl they came out of,” he says.
I nearly choke. “Huh?”
“And the little awkward chuckle she does when she’s nervous or the wrinkle she gets between her brows when she doesn’t understand something.”
I furrow my brow and he points excitedly at the bridge of my nose.
“There!” he says, grinning. “That one right there.”
I breathe a laugh.
“And there’s the chuckle,” he says. “You’re killing me, Heidi.”
“I’m sorry,” I squeak.
“It’s okay. You can make it up to me by coming to the party tonight.”
Is this really happening?
He stares at me, patiently waiting for my answer while my heart pounds against my ribs.
I guess it is.
“Uh…” I nod. “Sure. I...”
Shit.
Jenna.
“Can’t,” I say, exhaling hard. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” Drew says. “I believe in you!”
“No,” I say, smothering a laugh, “I really can’t. I promised my roommate I’d hang out with her tonight.”
He pauses. “Like, all night?”
I nod. “Hanging out with her is usually an all-night affair, unfortunately. I’m sorry…”
“No, it’s cool. I get it,” he says. “It sucks, but I get it.”
My gut churns, but I find the courage. “Maybe we can do something next week?” I ask.
Drew smiles. “Sure,” he says. “I can wait a few days.”
Oh, dear lord,