didn’t hear that. “He’s a real charmer.” She smiles, but her eyes are filled to the brim with tears.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
“Hey,” I say, closing the distance between us. I don’t care how awkward this may be or that she hates it when I touch her. “Don’t listen to him, all right? He’s a jacka… he’s just a jerk.”
She nods, attempts another smile and shrugs. “No biggie. I stopped listening after the nagging balls comment.”
She’s lyin’, but how do I make her feel better without makin’ this worse? I go to wrap her in a hug, but she coughs and takes a step back.
“Do you mind if I use your phone?” she asks. “I wanna check and see if mine is ready yet.”
“Sure.” I tug my phone outta my pocket and slide it into her open palm, ignoring how moronic I feel for tryin’ to comfort her and failing.
“Thanks dawg. I’ll just be a sec.” Another fake smile.
I nod as she presses the phone to her ear and turns around. Better give her privacy, even though I want to wrap her in my arms and apologize over and over for my dick of a brother. Stalking to the kitchen, I grab my backpack I dropped by the door and start puttin’ away the mess Gabe made. Dad’s going to kill me for lettin’ him take his favorite beer, but nothin’ I can do about it now.
After putting the bread loaf douchebag brother took half of away, I glance at the clock on the microwave.
Where is Mom? She’s usually home by now. Actually, she should’ve been home an hour ago.
Maybe she saw Gabe and took off runnin’ while she could. Mom is one smart lady.
A long sigh escapes Hayles mouth as she walks in the kitchen.
“Favor?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
She slides my phone across the bar. “My phone’s all fixed. Mind taking me to Verizon to pick it up?”
I smirk. “Only if you tell me how it got waterlogged in the first place.”
A giggle and an eye roll is the only answer I get.
“All right.” Stubborn girl. “Let me leave a note for my ma.”
I jot down real quick where I’ll be—with her car—and also why there’s an open beer on the counter.
“You really don’t mind, do you?” she asks as I lock the house up, an unopened can of Coke in her hand.
“Hayles, it’s fine.” I’m probably more psyched than she is about gettin’ her phone back.
“You are freaking wonderistic, Brody. Why the heck did I not befriend you before now?” She laughs and nudges me with her elbow. My stomach knots up and all the pissed off crap I had from the brief conversation with Gabe just disappears.
She turns, but I grab her hand and whirl her toward me.
Do not bail out this time, Brody.
“Hey, uh…” Brain dead. Going brain dead. Just get it out. “W-what are ya doin’… I mean…” Ugh. Find the words, dude! “I was wondering if, uh, you had any plans yet for your birthday.”
Her eyes widen, and she shakes loose from my hold. “Nothing yet. Why?” Her face is pink. It’s so cute like that.
“Can I…” Do it fast, Brody. Like a band-aid. “Can I take you out?”
It’s out there now. I’m pretty sure it’s obvious I’m askin’ her on a date for real this time. I’m tryin’ to read her expression but it’s hard. What is she thinking? At first her mouth pops open, and her eyes light up like I told her she won the lottery—not sayin’ I’m the lottery, but you get what I mean. Next second her green eyes brim over with those tears, and I’m not sure what to think.
So I stand here.
Like an idiot.
Waiting…
Waiting…
Stomach twisting.
Ready to hurl all over the porch.
Still waiting.
How long has it been? Feels like hours.
“A-are you serious?”
Whew. I haven’t lost my hearing. “Yeah. I want to take you out.”
“Like on a date?” Her voice pitches on the word.
“Uh, yeah.”
Again, I can’t read her expression. But it sort-of looks like she thinks I’m makin’ some kind of joke.
“Knock it off, Brody.”
Ugh. “I’m serious, Hayles.”
Her forehead crinkles, right there between her eyebrows. Does she have any idea how crazy that drives me?
“What? Why?”
Okay, here we go. Can’t tell her just how much I’m obsessing over her. She’d bolt from the porch, and I’d never see her again. But I can’t be too ‘whatever’ about it either, ‘cause she’d never believe me.
I clear my throat. “You deserve to be taken out for your birthday. And… and I want to be