Page 99 of Make Me Swoon

“Get back to work,” Zeke says, turning to head back to the office. “Good luck with your girl, Harvey!” he calls over his shoulder and I sigh, turning back to the guys.

They wait until Zeke has left before they turn their attention back to me.

“In all seriousness, what are you going to do?” Gray asks me curiously.

“Yeah, do we need to take you out to a club or something? You can get drunk and forget all about Coraline,” Ames suggests.

“Max’s club?” Ender asks, sounding interested and I wonder why he cares if we go to my uncle Max’s club.

“Sure,” Rooney says with a shrug, looking at Ender curiously and I can see the wheels turning in his head.

“I’m in,” Ender says and even though I don’t really want to go to a club, get drunk, or forget about Coraline, as if I ever could, I still feel like I have to say yes.

“I don’t want to forget about Coraline but I’m up for a guy’s night,” I tell them and they nod and start to make plans for tonight.

We still have a few hours until the shop closes and they all have at least one client left to do today so they head back to their rooms soon after. Ames stays back a beat and closes my door slightly.

“If you really like her, then you should wait for her. Ask her out again and if she still tells you that she’s too busy right now, then tell her that you’re willing to wait for her. She’ll either say okay and then maybe you really do have a chance with her, or she’ll let you down easy again and you’ll know that it’s not meant to be.”

His advice is surprisingly romantic but it makes sense. I nod, giving him a grateful smile.

“Thanks, Ames,” I tell him honestly.

He just smiles and nods before he heads back to his own room.

I turn back to my desk, picking up my pencil and getting back to work on my design. I already know that I’ll be stopping by The Culinerdy Cruiser tonight to see Coraline and I’ll ask her out again, just like Ames suggested.

And if she says no again, then maybe I really will be getting drunk tonight.

EIGHT

Coraline

I’ve been buzzingall day thinking about my upcoming interview. I swear that I haven’t stopped smiling since I read the email. Sayler is here tonight at the food truck running the counter for me.

We’ve been trying to brainstorm ideas for me to cook for my interview but I think that she’s really here tonight because she knew that I was making my truffle mac and cheese. She’s already had two bowls and I know that she’ll be grabbing a slice of the cinnamon cheesecake that I made for dessert soon.

I’d never admit it, but I’ve been looking out for Harvey all night. For some reason, I can’t wait to tell him my news about the interview. I’m not used to wanting to share things with other people, besides Sayler of course. I know that if I told Sayler about wanting to see Harvey, that she would only push me to go out with him.

I’ve been mulling over her words for a while and I know in my heart that I want to go out with him. It’s my head that I’m having a problem with.

“Hi, what can I get you?” Sayler asks and I look up to see two older couples standing outside the window.

“We’ll all take the special,” one of the women says, her eyes locked on me and I give a small smile.

I get to work on their order, trying not to be obvious as I sneak glances across the street to Eye Candy Ink to see if I can spot Harvey.

As if my thoughts have conjured him, I look up and see him headed across the street. A few of the other guys who work at the shop are locking up the front door and I wonder if they’ll be stopping by to grab something to eat too.

“Mom? Dad?!?” Harvey asks, sounding shocked and a little embarrassed to see his parents crowded around the food truck.

“Dude, this must be so embarrassing for you,” Rooney says with an evil chuckle as he rounds the side of the food truck and I see Harvey nudge him, nodding over to where Sayler is standing inside the truck taking orders.

“That’s your parents right there,” Harvey points out and he flushes beet red.

“Mom and dad! What are you doing here?” He asks, hurrying over to their side.

“We were just in the neighborhood and we’re hungry,” the woman who ordered says innocently but no one seems to be buying that.

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