Better If He Goes (Always You #1) - Allie Everhart Page 0,33
you two going, anyway?" She glances back at me. "You sure seem dressed up for a night out. You two aren't running off and getting married, are you?"
"Mom, of course not." Riley rolls her eyes. "And Nate's not my boyfriend."
But I could be by the end of tonight. Or maybe not, given the way Riley said that just now, like the very idea of it is absurd. Now I'm getting worried. What if she rejects me? What if she says I'm crazy for even suggesting we become more than friends?
I'm telling her anyway. I can't keep this a secret any longer. I have to tell her how I feel and I have to tell her tonight.
"We're going to the Italian place downtown," I say to Charlene.
"That place is expensive." She looks at Riley. "You got money for that?"
"I'm paying for it," I say. "Riley, we should get going. I have a reservation."
She walks over to me, looking beautiful in a short, light blue dress and black heels, her hair down and straight.
"Have fun, you two!" Charlene says as we leave.
We get to the car and I hold the door open for Riley.
"Thanks," she says, seeming surprised since it's not something I normally do.
I get in on the other side and start up the car.
"I told her to put clothes on but she wouldn't do it," Riley says, referring to her mom.
"She was wearing more than she usually does."
"Dave's going to be there in a few minutes, so good timing for picking me up." She adjusts her seatbelt. "You really think the salon will close?"
"I have no idea. I've just heard people saying it might be sold. If it's sold, I'm sure the new owner will let you keep your job."
"It's not me I'm worried about. It's my mom. Hairstyling is the only job she's good at. It's all she's ever done. And she makes decent money. If she loses that job, I'm going to be stuck supporting her."
"You kind of already do."
"I help her with expenses. I don't pay for everything."
"I doubt she'd lose her job. She has people who've been going to her for years. The salon would lose customers if they let her go."
"Yeah, I guess."
Turning out of the trailer park, I imagine Riley no longer living there and instead, living with me. I'd let her pick the place. Whatever she wanted. If I get this job in Denver, I could afford a really nice place, something twice the size of that trailer.
"You ever think of trying the stylist thing again?" I ask.
"No. Even if I was good at it, I didn't like it."
"Have you thought of anything else you might want to do?"
"Not really. I kinda just want to keep trying different jobs, and if I don't like one, I'll find a different one. I don't want to commit to something I may not like."
"After what I paid for college, I'm committed to graphic design, whether I like it or not."
"You don't think you'll like it?"
"I'm not sure. But it's what I'm going to do. I've never thought of doing anything different."
She nods and looks out the window. We ride in silence the rest of the way. I'm too nervous to make small talk. How am I going to make it through dinner? I'm too nervous to eat.
I just want this to be over. I want to tell her how much I love her, hear her say it back, and spend the rest of the night dreaming of our life together.
Chapter Nine
Riley
"Nate, is something wrong?" I ask as we wait for the check.
"No. Why?" He fumbles with his cloth napkin, wadding it in a ball before setting it on the table.
"You barely talked during dinner." I point to his plate. "And you only took a few bites of your pasta."
"Guess I wasn't that hungry. You want to take it with?"
"Well, yeah. That's like two lunches, maybe three."
"Miss," he says, calling the waitress over. "Could we please have a box for this?"
She walks off to get one.
"You want dessert?" He rests his arm on the table, which causes his napkin to fall on the floor.
"I'll get it," I tell him.
"No, I've got it." He picks the napkin up and drops it on the table. "So dessert. Yes or no?"
"I don't need dessert."
"We could go to that coffee shop you like. You could get one of those pastries. The flaky ones with the chocolate?"
"They don't sell those at night. Only in the mornings."