Better If He Goes (Always You #1) - Allie Everhart Page 0,11
someone until I've figured out what I'm doing with my life. Right now I'm in this dead-end job, living with my mom, driving a truck that's not even mine. This wasn't how my life was supposed to go, but I haven't figured out how to change it, and until I do, I don't want to get involved with someone."
"But maybe that someone would lead to a new life. One you'd actually like, maybe even love."
I look at him funny. "What are we talking about here? I feel like you're trying to tell me something."
"I'm telling you not to close any doors just because you think you have to wait until you have everything figured out."
"Close doors? I don't get it. What are you trying to say?"
"Forget it." He gets up from the bed. "Let's go to a movie. Or we could get a drink. I never got that beer at lunch. You want to go to the brewery?"
Hopping off the bed, I go up to Nate as he grabs his phone from the charger. "What just happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"What were you trying to tell me just now?"
"Nothing. Just forget it." He goes around me to his closet.
"Nate, tell me what you meant."
He grabs a sweatshirt and walks over to me. "It was just a general statement about being open to new things. Graduating from college has got me thinking about that stuff."
"What stuff?"
"Life, and what to do with it. Now that I'm done with school, I have a lot of decisions to make. Decisions that could affect the rest of my life."
"Yeah? So? That's true for everyone."
"Which is why I told you not to close any doors. You never know what's going to happen. You have to be open to what's right in front of you. See new possibilities where you didn't see them before." He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door. "Let's go."
"I still have no clue what you're talking about."
"Just think about it," he says.
When I'm home later, I do think about it and it still makes no sense. What's right in front of me? What possibilities am I not seeing? Does he mean with my job? I have thought of asking Renee if she'd give me more responsibilities, along with a bump in pay. I've also thought of getting a job somewhere else. I've worked at the salon since high school and only got the job because my mom is a stylist there. Maybe it's time to find something new, a job I would actually like.
It's something to consider, but I don't think it's what Nate meant when he said all that today. Why didn't he just come out and say whatever he was trying to tell me? He's usually so direct. So why wasn't he today?
Chapter Four
Riley
"Okay, don't be mad," April says as she races up to me in the salon. It's noon, and she just got here for her afternoon shift.
"You can't go tonight," I say, sweeping up hair from the last customer. The salon is really busy today, which is typical for a Friday when everyone wants their hair done for the weekend.
"I'm really sorry," April says, pulling her pink hair up in a ponytail and securing it in place. "It's just that Wayne's buddies cancelled at the last minute and he's taking me out to dinner."
"So you cancelled your plans for him even though he'd never do the same for you," I say, continuing to sweep.
"It's not like that. If you had a guy, you'd understand."
I stop sweeping and look at her. "Really?"
She cringes. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said it that way." She perks up. "Wait! You do have a guy. You have Nate. What was I thinking? Just go out with him tonight. You'll have more fun with him anyway."
"Nate and I aren't a couple," I say, going over to get the dustpan. "But if we were, I wouldn't cancel on a friend just because he told me to."
"Riley, I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to you. How about we go to lunch tomorrow? My treat."
"I can't. I start at the pool tomorrow. There's a staff meeting."
"That's right. I forgot. Well, I'll make it up to you some other way."
"Don't worry about it. I'm not mad at you. I understand you want to be with your boyfriend. I'm just annoyed whenever this happens because it's what my mom used to do, and still does."
April frowns. "Sorry. I wasn't even thinking about that."