Page 16 of Bad Crush
“I will,” I say, keeping it vague. The one time in my life I don’t want a date, turns out, I need one.
5
Reagan
Today is the day! Seize it. Grab it by the balls! You know all those cliché sayings? OWN them. The world is your oyster! Scared to start a new job? DO IT ANYWAY. Letting fear stop you from asking out your crush? PUH-LEEZE. Who could say no to you? Whatever has been weighing on your heart, go for it!
Today is the day!!!I tossed and turned all night trying to decide how to tell Adam, or if I should tell him, but this morning’s horoscope couldn’t be any clearer. There will always be a reason not to tell him. Lots of really good reasons. Like, he might not feel the same and break my heart. They are called crushes for a reason after all.
We’re all going out tonight to The Hideout and I’m going to do it. I am! Probably. Hopefully. No, definitely! I pack tissues and wear waterproof mascara in case it goes badly and wear my favorite panties in case it goes very, very well.
“Are you almost ready?” Dakota calls from the living room. She’s always ready before me. Fifteen minutes tops. She’s so confident in her choices, so unlike me, who changed five times before deciding on my favorite jeans and a cropped sweater.
“Two minutes,” I yell back. “Is Ginny riding with us?”
“No, she went ahead with the guys.”
I shove my lipstick and mascara into my giant purse and take one last look in the mirror. “Seize the day,” I mumble under my breath.
The Hideout is a local restaurant and bar. It’s the guys’ hangout on nights they want to get out without worrying about kicking people out of their place at a decent time.
Get in, have a drink, talk to Adam, and then… we’ll see.
It’s loud and packed as we push through the bar area. The hockey team is at their usual table. Ginny stands from her seat next to Heath and throws her arms around my neck.
“You made it.” She hugs me and then Dakota. “I saved you both a seat.”
Maverick moves his legs off the two chairs. “Kota, Rea, looking great as always.”
Dakota slides in beside him and then I take the other chair. The pitcher is passed our way and the waitress brings extra glasses. I glance around, looking for Adam.
“What’s wrong?” Ginny asks.
I’m still sitting here, the pitcher and an empty glass in front of me.
“Do you want something besides beer? I can grab the server.”
I stop her. “No. Beer is fine. I was just wondering where Adam is.”
“Sulking,” Ginny says at the same time Rhett says, “Hiding from girls.”
“That too,” Ginny agrees. “He’s at the bar.”
“Sulking about what?” I pour a drink and try not to sound too interested. Ginny and Dakota know about my crush, obviously, but the rest of the group gives me a pass and at least pretends not to know.
“There’s this scholarship. He thought it was a sure thing…” She waves her hand around. “He’s fine. I think it’s just everything with our parents, plus the breakup, and now this. He’s had a lot going on and you know how broody he can get.”
I do know. Although I’ve never known him to sulk and hide at the bar. My stomach sinks. Here I am ready to dump more on his lap when all he seems to need is a friend.
“I think I’ll go check on him and buy another pitcher for the table.”
I fiddle with my hair and calm my nerves as I weave through tables and groups of people standing around to get to the bar. I follow it around all the way to the far-right corner before I spot Adam. He’s positioned behind a pole and the cash register stand where all the servers work. The perfect cover for a guy of his size. Even so, he has two girls standing nearby sneaking glances. They’re angled toward him, smiling, completely oblivious to his body language. It’s easy for me to tell that he isn’t happy to have been found. Elbows on the bar, his eyes are downcast into his beer.
I second-guess adding to his harem, but he glances over and spots me. A slow smile spreads across his face and he sits tall. “Reagan.”
I step between him and the girls. “Hiding out over here?”
“Just didn’t feel like chatting.”
