And I have little question about her intentions. But today’s the start of my new chapter, and this girl isn’t the girl I want in it. “I’m actually here with some friends,” I tell her.
Her smile slides. “We could exchange numbers?”
“I actually left my phone in the car,” I lie.
“That’s okay.” She rummages in her purse, pulling out a crinkled receipt and a pen. She scribbles her name and number and hands it to me. “Call me.” She waves before slowly drifting away with her friend to place their order.
They look back twice before I’m called to a window to place our order for fries and burgers and three pops.
“I’m sorry. Our fryer is having some issues. It might take a few minutes,” the lady behind the counter tells me.
I shrug. “That’s okay.”
I step to the side, watching Rose and Liv laugh about something. Warmth floods my chest as the two sit closer, and then Liv’s eyes swerve to mine, and that warmth travels through me.
Several people place their orders, receiving their food in bags, and leaving as I continue waiting. The scents of freshly grilled burgers have my stomach protesting the long wait, and my patience starting to wane. It’s been nearly twenty minutes. They never take this long.
Liv appears beside me. “Rose sent me to see if you ordered everything they have or if you couldn’t decide?”
“I ordered. It’s just taking forever.”
The lady I’d placed my order with appears, setting a tray of food beside a large bag. “Sorry that took so long. I threw in some extra food and some shakes.”
My gaze sweeps to Liv as I point at everything. “Good. Luck. Charm,” I tell her.
Liv ignores me, thanking the woman. “Maybe let’s have this conversation a little less publicly,” she says, taking the tray filled with drinks and grabbing a handful of napkins.
I’m not about to let this drop, though. For the past two months, it’s felt like my world has been radically changing. “I know this sounds crazy,” I tell her, setting the bag of food down next to the drinks. “But, you have to admit, it’s weird. Everywhere I go, shit happens unless I’m with you, and then I get floor seats at a Blazer’s game, and a free meal to one of the most expensive restaurants in Seattle, and now I got free food and shakes the second you appear.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not a good luck charm. Those things that you’re talking about are completely random, and they would’ve happened whether I was there or not. Besides, you got some girl’s number while you were in line. Can you really consider that bad luck?”
Liv eyes the receipt lying on the table. I grab it and wad it into a ball that I toss into the nearest trash can. “I wasn’t trying to get anyone’s number.”
“I wasn’t saying anything.” Liv shrugs, but she avoids meeting my gaze.
“Spring break is in just over a week, and you’ve still barely seen Seattle. We need to remedy that this week so you have some epic stories to tell when you get back to Texas, aside from you have this really awesome friend from Jersey, that is.”
“She tells them how awesome I am,” Rose chirps. “But, I concur.”
“Concur about what?” Liv asks.
Rose shrugs, reaching for the bag of food and opening it. “He does seem to be experiencing an awful lot of bad situations, and you do seem to be curbing them. Plus, you need to get out more. This is a win-win.”
Liv looks at me. “So, if something bad happens while I’m around, are you going to realize I’m not impacting anything?”
I consider her question and her desperation to prove I don’t have bad luck. “Absolutely.”
She releases a quiet laugh, her gaze set somewhere in the distance like she’s not sure what to say. “For the record, if you win the lottery with me nearby, I get half of it.”
“Deal,” I say, extending my hand to her.
She unwinds her arms and slowly takes my hand. Her skin is cold, her grip firm.
“I one-hundred-percent support this,” Rose adds as she tears the bag of food open. “French fries!” she exclaims like a battle cry. She looks at Liv. “They have the best fries. I can’t believe you’ve never been here. How is that possible?”
Liv shakes her head. “I’ve never even heard about it.”
“This is why you need Arlo. I forget that you don’t know everything here. You’re both outsiders, so he’ll remember what’s