Page 11 of Bewitched By the Siren
After we pay, I look at the bags before turning to Hali. “Should I order an Uber? I didn’t expect to have this many grocery bags to carry.”
“We don’t have that here,” she says with a laugh, then starts gathering up half the bags. “We have one taxi, but old George will charge you twenty bucks to drive you four blocks.”
I reach in and pick up the heaviest bags before she can attempt to grab them. If we’re carrying these all the way home, I’m doing most of the work. Besides it being the gentlemanlything to do, Hali didn’t sign up for this when she agreed to show me around.
“Thanks for the help,” I say as we leave the store.
She shrugs. “You’re cooking dinner for me. We can call it even.”
“Even, it is,” I say with a grin, and she smiles back at me, making my stomach flutter in a way it hasn’t since…I don’t know when.
It’s happening. We’re getting to know each other, and soon, she’ll see that I’m on the up-and-up. That I only want to help her. That she can trust me.
This little tour was the start, and tonight’s dinner will get the wheels rolling even faster. Hali Weston will sign with me by the end of the week, and she’ll let me film her for Julius this weekend.
Things are changing. I canfeelit.
And I’m so freaking stoked.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Hali
God,why did I say yes to Brendan when he asked to make dinner for us? Stupid decision. I’m supposed to be keeping my distance, and the little tour I gave him today was supposed to get him off my back.
Surprisingly, though, I actually had a nice time with him today. And he didn’t once mention contracts or possible record deals. Of course, that doesn’t really matter, does it?
I know what he’s doing.
He’s trying to butter me up. He wants to play the whole getting-to-know-you game to try to show me I can trust him. That he’s on my side. But it doesn’t matter how nice or sincere Brendan is. It could be history’s greatest record deal, and I still couldn’t take it. It’s just not going to happen.
So why waste his time? And mine?
I sigh as I continue to search my closet for something to wear. I know why I said yes. Because despite my initial annoyance, I’m starting to like him. He showed the proper amount of respect and affection for my hometown, he nearly lost his shit with excitement at the thought of touring the Sea Turtle Center––which melted my heart, of course––and he’s actually pretty easy to talk to. And in addition to all that, he’s cooking for me, making something I’ve always wanted to try but never had the chance to.
There’s no harm in going, right? For the tacos, of course. Nothing else.
I decide on a pair of dark jeans with a white flowy top. Casual, but not too casual. And it doesn’t look like I’m trying too hard. God, why is this so complicated? Brendan is a friend. No, that’s not right. Acquaintance? Hell, I don’t know exactly what he is to me at this point.
Maybe I should just make up some excuse to stay home.
“Hali? Are you going out?”
Mom’s voice rings out from her bedroom, and I take one last look in the mirror before sighing, grabbing my sandals, and shuffling toward her room to let her know what the plan is for tonight. I can’t actually cancel at this point, anyway. Brendan’s probably almost done making the food. It would be extremely rude to bow out. And I really want to try those tacos.
“Oh, wow. You look incredible,” Mom says as soon as I enter her line of sight.
“It’s just jeans and a top, Mom,” I grumble, upset that maybe Idolook like I tried too hard.
Ignoring my words, she cocks her head. “You have plans tonight?”
I blow out along breath and plop into the chair beside her bed so I can strap on my sandals while I explain. “The guy I told you about, the one renting the house next door?”
“Yeah,” she says slowly, her eyes searching mine. “You had a good time with him today, right?”
“Sure,” I say in a tone much more nonchalant than I’m actually feeling. “Well, he’s actually a talent agent. He wants to sign me. I told him I’m not interested in any contracts, but he wooed me with fish tacos, so I agreed to have dinner with him.”
“He’s cooking?”
