The Summer I Became a Nerd - By Leah Rae Miller Page 0,45

good punch, and he fakes a huge amount of pain, clutching his shoulder and almost falling out of his chair. When he finally finds the missing CD, he runs to the swinging door and tosses it to Ben.

He makes it back to his seat just in time to go on-air. “Here’s another very important question for you, listeners. What awesome activity should Wonderful Wendy and I do on our date? Natchitoches isn’t known for its social entertainment, so is there anything you can suggest? Give us a call, and we’ll debate the possibilities.”

My eyes go wide at the practically public announcement we’re “a thing.” He raises his brows at me in a question, like “Did I just royally screw up?”

Into the mic, I say, “Yeah, the most popular place to be in town is Wal-Mart, and that’s not exactly the most romantic destination.”

Throughout the rest of the show, people commend me for owning up to my mistake and apologizing. Callers make suggestions for our date, the most promising being the Alligator Park.

The show ends, and Logan walks me to my car, leaving Ben to lock up the studio. It’s nice outside tonight, only a little muggy.

“So, I’ll see you Saturday? Around lunchtime?” I lock my hands behind my back as I lean against my car. The urge to put a hand on his arm or run my fingers through his messy brown hair is overwhelming, but I don’t want to seem needy or possessive.

He shoves his own hands in his pockets, and I wonder if he wants to keep them under control for the same reason I do. “Saturday it is. Prepare yourself for the best date of your life.”

“I’m sure it’ll be great.”

He moves toward me, and I freeze. He’s going to do it, I think. Then he grabs the handle of my car door.

I go to scoot out of the way, but he lays his other hand flat against the window on my side. There’s no way I can move now that he’s trapped me between him and the car.

He closes the distance between us to just a few inches. His gaze flicks from my eyes to my lips. My fingers disobey me and do what they wanted to do back at The Phoenix. I hook one into each of his jeans pockets, which brings him a tad bit closer.

He lets out a shuddering breath and moves to whisper in my ear, “Thanks for coming tonight, Mad.” He presses his lips against my cheek. It’s not a quick peck, but a long, soft kiss.

I seal this perfect moment away in my memory as one of those few seconds that I was blissfully happy. He opens my car door for me and tells me to be careful.

On the way home, I realize he could take me Dumpster diving and I’d still consider it the best date ever.

#16

Eric and I are done, but by the time Saturday rolls around, I’ve realized it’s not exactly official until Eric acknowledges it, too. Which is why I want to cuss my phone from here to eternity and back.

Since I was at the radio station the other night, I’ve kept my phone at arm’s length at all times just in case he takes a break from whatever super important stuff he’s doing to call me back. But he hasn’t.

And now it’s Saturday and Logan will be here any second.

Maybe I should call one more time.

It rings once, twice, three times. After the fifth ring, voice mail clicks on, and I just want to scream. “Eric, please, please, please call me back,” I say. “Please, please, please. It’s about our ree-lay-shun-ship. Like the fact we don’t have one anymore. Important, right? Call meee.”

I’m hanging up when Mom steps into my room with a basket of laundry.

“So, how did Eric take the breakup?” she asks, adding another cherry to the cupcake of suck. “I take it you talked to him since you’re going out with this new guy today.”

“Logan is the new guy’s name, and Eric seems to be taking the whole thing fine.” Which is not a lie, since my breaking up with him is obviously not important enough to warrant a call back. “I think being on a beach in Florida is making it easier to handle.”

When she leaves, I glare at my phone, willing it to ring.

Nothing happens.

The neighbor’s dogs bark, signaling Logan’s arrival. I make it downstairs just in time to watch Dad walk up to the door. My irritation over Eric’s