Page 91 of The Broken Heart Playlist
“One date,” he confirms. “No expectations. No pressure. Anytime you’re uncomfortable, we call it quits.”
“I’m a little uncomfortable right now.”
His lips twitch. “Let me reframe. Anytime you have alegitimatereason for feeling uncomfortable, we stop.”
“All right,” I say.
“All right, what?”
“One date.”
The tension leaves his shoulders and the grin breaking across his face dips its charm all the way to my toes.
I keep my tone business-like. “We’ll make it a lunch date.”
He shakes his head. “Dinner. Non-negotiable.”
“Fine. I’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
“Uh-uh. This is a real date. I’m picking you up.”
I bite my lip. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“That’s okay, because I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Lisset returns with Uno and Gideon takes the leash from her, turning to leave. “I’ll let you know the rest of the details later,” he says over his shoulder.
He’s only taken two steps before I blurt out, “Gideon.”
He stops and faces me.
The words tumble out. “I did miss you.”
He nods, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. And when he walks away, I swear he mumbles something that sounds weirdly like, “My trip achieved its purpose then.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
We arrange the date for the following Saturday. Gideon simply smiles when I ask him where we’re going, saying he wants to surprise me. I was a little nervous for Lisset’s reaction, but she was super chill, more interested in where Gideon was taking me than anything else.
I brace myself to call Tess. Once she stops shrieking with excitement, the first question she asks me is, “What are you going to wear?”
“I have no idea.”
She starts offering suggestions, but I cut her short. “I’ll figure it out closer to the time.”
“But—”
“I just need to know if you’ll babysit Lisset for me?”
Tess doesn’t hesitate. “Of course.”
“Thanks. That was my biggest concern.”
“Um, not what you’re going to wear?”
“No.”
I’ll probably wear jeans, dress them up with a fancy top. Maybe even throw in a necklace.
