Page 15 of Between Then and Now
“Yep. Welcome to the Bonbon experience.” I extend my hand for him to shake. “No backsies.”
Ryan shakes his head with a frown and moves my hand away. “Is this going to be your entire approach? Mocking me into social grace?”
“Partly,” I admit with a grin. “But seriously, confidence is key. You’ve got to show her you’re interested, not just in admiring from afar.”
“That’s her,” Ryan says, as a flock of people joins us in the boarding area. Alexa is beautiful; he’s right about that. She has long black hair that dances with the wind. She’s tall, like a supermodel. Which doesn’t matter because Ryan is a giant too. I honestly never noticed how tall and shredded he’s become until today. He’s wearing a linen button-down white shirt and some khaki pants. Even through the fabric, you can tell he’s been working out. His light brown hair is almost blonde in the sunlight reflecting from the airport ceiling. At least he already looks the part; he just needs to amp up his charisma a bit.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ryan asks.
“Because, Miller, you already look perfect for someone like Alexa. You just have to learn to talk to her,” I say.
“Thanks for casually calling me hot,” he says.
I look at him with exaggerated disgust. “You see, what I don’t get is how you’re unreasonably cocky around me but melt into stammering goop around her.” I roll my eyes.
“What can I say? You bring out the best in me. Or the worst. Depends on how you look at it,” he says with a shrug.
I cross my arms, raising an eyebrow. “So, you’re saying I’m the best? That’s cute.”
“Or the worst,” he shoots back.
“Or the best,” I say.
“You really do have pretty selective hearing, don’t you?” he chuckles.
“Sorry? What was that? I’m pretty?”
Ryan shakes his head in annoyance as a few people join us on the seats.
“Hey, Ryan. Introduce us to your friend,” one of the guys—now I notice is John—says.
“My friend can introduce herself,” Ryan says, avoiding any chance to speak further, and motions for me to continue. So, I do.
“Hey, everyone,” I say. “I’m Bonita, but you can call me Bon.” Then I proceed to tell them what I’m going to do and why I’m on their medical mission. The others introduce themselves as well. Once we’re well-acquainted, Mia, one of the girls, says, “That’s so cool.”
“Yeah, I guess. I have you guys to thank for giving me a story,” I acknowledge gratefully. The exchange eases any lingering tension, and soon we’re chatting animatedly about our expectations for the mission and exchanging stories about our backgrounds and interests.
Mia, for example, decided to become a doctor because her parents are doctors. Typical overachieving family. John chose the field of medicine because he took a chance to take the exam, and he passed. I laughed at that because it’s something I would have done on a whim.
Alexa is within the group, but like Ryan, she’s keeping to herself. She’s holding a book–and not even one of those fun fiction books–and reading intently while we chat endlessly.
Eventually, Ryan and I excuse ourselves to get our in-flight coffee because, of course, we need it. While walking toward one of the airport cafes, I ask, “Have you tried to make a move? At all?”
“Nope,” Ryan says. “Couldn’t bring myself to do it. She’s just too… perfect, you know?”
“Ryan. Yeah, she’s drop-dead gorgeous, but I think you’re forgetting that you are too,” I say, and I immediately regret it. The last thing I need on this trip is for Ryan to misread my intentions and get the wrong impression that I’m attracted to him.
“No, I know.” He grins, thankfully not reading into what I said. “But there’s good looking, then there’s Alexa. Unattainable. The other doctors tried asking her out and she turned them down. I can’t have that happen to me.”
“Why?” I ask. “I mean, being turned down means you actually asked her. And that’s a lot better than this creepy stalker thing you’re doing. Even high schoolers have better game, Ry.”
“You don’t think I know that? I just never know what to say to girls,” he says.
We’re approaching the cafe now, and Ryan orders for us both. This time I go with a caramel cold brew, and he goes with, again, boring coffee.
“Try it out, then,” I say. “Pretend I’m a stranger. Ask me out.” I point to the empty table. “I’m gonna walk over to that seat there.”
Ryan hesitates for a moment, eyeing me skeptically as I sit down at the table, pretending to be a stranger. He’s clearly skeptical so I ease into the role and lean back casually in my seat, playing the part of a detached stranger.
