Page 53 of Just Another Meet Cute
It took a few moments for me to remember what he was talking about. Which was weird, because I used to replay that conversation on the hike in my head, at least a dozen times since we met. “Oh right. Did they dress up Ryan, too?”
“Both of us. I guess technically that’s his secret, too.” He gave me a small wink that sent my heart beating into overdrive. “Don’t tell him that I told you.”
I mimicked zipping my lips. “My lips are sealed.”
“Thanks.”
Ian turned another corner, and I was surprised to see that we were on my street already. Now that our car ride was about to end, a pang of sadness hit—surprising me. I didn’t want to go home yet. For more reasons than one.
If only his GPS took him the long way. But I guess that wasn’t the point of a GPS. They didn’t have an option to take the long route to your destination just so you could continue flirting.
Even though I wasn’t flirting.
Ian was pretty quiet, too. Especially when he finally parked. To my surprise, he jumped out of the car before I could say or do anything.
Where was he going?
Turning in my seat, I watched him walk around the car to my side and open the door for me like we were a normal couple coming home from a date or something.
I jumped out and stumbled on the curb like a klutz. Or like the main character would in a movie. Ian reached out to steady me under my elbow. I gave him a small smile that he didn’t return. Maybe now that we were out of the car, reality was starting to hit him. Hit both of us.
Ian continued walking with me up the pathway. Not directly next to me, but a step or two behind, so I couldn’t see him without turning around. I could still hear each of his footsteps and I could feel that he was there.
I reached the front of the house.
He was still there.
I walked up the steps onto the front porch.
And he wasstillthere.
When I reached the front door and had no more steps to take, I turned around to face Ian. He wasn’t behind me anymore. Now he was across the porch by the railing. His back pressed against the wooden post with his hands in his pockets. He looked comfortable.
And handsome. Too handsome.
“So, Linh had this crazy idea …” I suddenly blurt out.
“What idea?”
My breath got caught in my throat.Why did I bring this up?“Never mind. Don’t worry about it.”
Even though the porch light cast his face partly in the shadows, I could see the glint in his eyes. He leaned against the porch banister and crossed his arms. “Oh, well, now Ihaveto know.”
“You really don’t.”
“Come on, how bad can it be?”
Bad. Really bad. Ridiculous. Absurd.
I didn’t have to tell him. I could say good night and go inside. I mean, what was he going to do? Follow me into the house and bug me all night until I did? Even Ian wouldn’t dare.
But a part of me wanted to see what he would say. How he would react.
So I let out a deep breath for courage and looked away, focusing on the peeling pale blue paint on our doorframe. “She thinks that you like me.”
And he didn’t say anything.
The quieter it was, the more my courage deserted me.
