Page 47 of Let's Get Textual

“It would appear so.”

“Are they right? I mean, should we…meet?”

I worry my fingers together, a nervous habit of mine. Dinner with Zach? I…well, shit, I don’t know if I want to. I like him—a lot. We’ve been texting non-stop, have even joked about meeting, but actually going through with it? I don’t know if I can. What if he’s not what I’m expecting? What if I’m doing exactly what I did with Caleb—taking a friendship and making it into more when that special spark isn’t there? I’m not sure if I can face him, ruin the image of him I have in my mind, ruin the blossoming friendship we have.

But the curiosity is killing me and my gut is screaming at me.

I think Ihaveto meet him.

“Or coffee, or drinks…or we could forget I said anything at all and tell our friends to butt out of whatever it is we have going on here. Did I ruin everything?”

“Huh? What?”

“Are you distracted by Zoe again? Please tell me it involves naked pillow fighting.”

“Creeper.”

“Guilty…this time. But Delia?”

“Yes, Zach?” I’m out of breath, but my ass has been planted on this couch since the phone call began. There’s no reason I should sound like I just ran a 5K.

Zoe notices and is up on her knees on the edge of the sofa, perched and waiting for what’s to come. She presses close to me, her ear against the phone so she can hear what he says.

“Will you please go on a date with me? I’d really like to take you out sometime. I’ve been suggesting we meet up for weeks. Please.”

Zoe squeals and falls back with a huge grin stretched across her face like she’s the one who was asked out.

“Why?” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zoe’s head whip my way in surprise.

“What do you mean?”

“I said what I meant.”

“Delia…” Zach begins, the charm so thick in just that one word.

“I want one reason why I should say yes.”

“Because I’ll let you touch my butt?”

My body quakes with laughter the moment the words leave his mouth.

“What? I’ll have you know I have a fantastic ass, Delia. You’ll want to touch it, and you’ll want to touch it often.”

Zoe’s staring at me with disbelief, because I’m laughing so hard no words are coming out as Zach continues to wax poetic about his ass.

“I work out and make sure to do my squats so my ass is perky as hell. If you say yes, you won’t be sorry, and if you say yes and ask nicely, I’ll even let youseeit.”

“You had me at ass, Zachary.”

“Hey, Delia?”

“Yeah?”

“Bring my penis potholders.”

Zach: How do you feel about sushi?

Me: I feel it slide down my throat and quickly come back up. Does that count?