Page 23 of Nerdy or Nice
"Youforget that crack about bringing me candy."
It was an easy request, and I let out a long, relieved breath. Still, I couldn't stop thinking about the flowers – not the ones fromme, the ones from that other girl, whoever she was.
For all kinds of reasons, I was pretty sure I hated her.
Still, I summoned up a smile. "Oh, so youdon'twant candy? I guess it's bread foryou, then."
When he smiledthistime, his eyes crinkled with real warmth as he said, "Forgetthat." His voice softened. "The plant was perfect."
My heart did a funny little flop even as I looked down toward the mess on the floor. "If you really like it," I said, "I'll get you a new one."
"Nah. You watch. This'll be good as new." As he spoke, he crouched down beside the fallen plant. He placed the pot upright on the wooden floor and started scooping up the scattered dirt and depositing it back where it belonged.
I moved closer to help. But by the time I got there, Drake was already done, which made me feel slightly foolish for coming so close. When he stood with the reassembled poinsettia, we were only inches apart – definitely within kissing distance.
Again, I was struck by the blue of his eyes and the slight upward curve of his mouth, as if given the choice, he'd choose a smile over a frown regardless of whatever else was going on.
I tried to be the same way. Sure, I didn't always succeed, but I always gave it my best, which probably explained why I spent so much time mediating squabbles between other people.
My pulse was jumping now, and I felt myself swallow as my gaze drifted downward, presumably to look at the plant, but in reality to ogle Drake.
He was wearing jeans and a basic long-sleeve shirt – creamy white with only a few small buttons near the neck. The shirt wasn't thinortight. And yet, it only accentuated Drake's broad shoulders and muscular pecs.
As for myself, I was wearing the same formless gray dress I'd worn to my tutoring gig. The outfit included sensible gray shoes, black tights, and no makeup whatsoever.I probably looked like a freaking schoolmarm.And yet, if I were being totally honest, thatwasthe look I generally went for.
Sure, I had my reasons. But right now, the look was chafing like shoes that weren't meant for walking, and I shifted with growing tension as I looked up to meet Drake's eyes.
Our gazed locked and held, and I almost forgot to breathe. As the moment stretched out, I thought of Drake getting flowers from that other girl.
Didshewear sensible shoes?
Not likely.
With an effort, I forced myself to look away, glancing in the general direction of the front door. "Well, I guess I should get going, huh?"
"You can't," Drake said. "Notyet. I still need to give you something."
I returned my gaze to his. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry, I forgot." This wasn't even my fault. It was the fault of Drake's eyes. They were so compelling, I'd almost forgotten where I was.
"Hang on," he said, turning to leave the room. "I've just got to grab it."
When he returned less than a minute later, the thing he grabbed turned out be the stroller wheel I'd lost exactly a week ago – exceptthisone was brand new, still in its factory packaging.
As Drake handed it over, he said, "There's just one catch."
"What's that?"
He grinned. "Iget to put it on."
Chapter 14
Gwen
Harper asked, "So whereisit?"
We were sitting in the front room of my aunt's house, and I'd just returned from Drake's place. Spotting Harper on the sofa, I'd sat down across from her to tell her about Drake surprising me with the new wheel for the pet-stroller.
I was planning to tell her some other things, too. But first, I'd wanted to soften her up to boost the odds of her seeing things my way.
