Page 61 of Spicy Ever After
I don’t say anything because I can’t. And Ms. Alicia doesn’t even look at Beck before she turns and hurries back to her friends.
This isn’t over. She’s going to blab. I’m lucky if it’ll just be to Margaret. If she doesn’t call my mom as soon as she’s out of earshot.
Fuck.
Do my parents know I’m on a date?
Hell, no.
Was I planning on telling them?
Yes.
Maybe.
Under the right conditions.
Like after this Hell-Yes-It’s-A-Real-Date-Coffee-Date led to an A Priori-Dinner-Date-the-First and an A Priori-Dinner-Date-the-Second—or its equivalent—and then we maybe entered the idyllic land of We-Don’t-Have-to-Go-Anywhere-I-Just-Want-to-Be-With-You.
My heart squeezes at the thought of We-Don’t-Have-to-Go-Anywhere-I-Just-Want-to-Be-With-You. Because, honestly, what under heaven could be better than that?
Especially with someone like Beck?
But after what just happened, I think I’ll be relegated to That-One-Coffee-Date-I-Had-With-A Neurospicy-Girl.
And now I just want to lie down.
I close my eyes and dig the heels of my hands into my eye sockets.
God, I’m exhausted.
How am I going to make it home? Maybe I can take a nap in the Jeep.
But I have to get back to the Jeep first.
Shit. It’s so far away.
I turn in the direction of the parking lot, not even ready to open my eyes, but I know I have to start somewhere.
“Hattie?” Beck’s voice sounds far away, but I feel his shadow fall over me, so he must be right there.
My heart squeezes again. He’s so nice. And I’m such a mess.
“Are you okay?” The question is a rough whisper. I’m pretty sure no one in the whole world heard it but me.
I really don’t want to start crying again. I suck in a shaky breath.
“I have to go,” I croak.
“Go? W-wait. Why?”
The sigh that leaves me weighs a ton.
I am so tired.
“You’re tired?” he asks, moving closer.
“Did I say that out loud?”
