“Uh, huh.” Lisa raised an eyebrow.
Zoe’s body temperature rose. Why did she feel like a teenager getting caught making out? “I’ll be heading home.”
“Don’t leave on my account.” Lisa took off her sweater. “I’m heading to bed.”
Alex cleared his throat. “I’ll walk you out, Zoe.”
Zoe packed her school bag with her laptop, along with her purse and phone. She said goodnight to Lisa and walked out the door. She rubbed at her arms.
“You okay?” Alex asked.
Zoe stopped in her tracks. “It’s been a long time since I made out and got caught.”
Alex chuckled, and it only made Zoe laugh along with him. Yet, she shoved at his shoulder.
“Go ahead. Laugh.”
He walked her backwards again, bracketing her body with his arms on either side of her car. Zoe pressed her fingers into his chest.
“Six or seven for tomorrow?” he asked.
Zoe tilted her head to the side, looking upward to the sky. She loved rattling him, so she waited.
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Teasing me again?”
She leaned in closer, pecking his lips with hers. “Maybe.”
“Zoe...”
She smiled against his lips. “Six works for me.”
“Good.”
***
The date arrived. Alex settled for his green collared shirt with his dark blue jeans. He checked his cell again for the time. He wouldn’t be late picking up Zoe. Alex had been on dates before, but why did this one have his skin sensitive? He blew out his cheeks. Tonight would be perfect. It had to be.
Once inside his car, his hands gripped the wheel as his radio played Trip Lee’s “Heart Problem” in the background. Alex’s mind only played out tonight’s date all the more, though he tried to distract himself. What would they talk about? Would it be awkward now that the date was official?
He wished time would speed up. Not that the date could be over, but he could get past the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. He pulled into Zoe’s apartment complex and parked in front of her building. Alex pulled out his phone, but met her at the door. He could do this.
Ringing the doorbell, he tapped his foot on the concrete. Zoe answered and his breath caught. Her sundress fit her curves perfectly, and the curls in her hair bounced when she flipped them to one side.
Alex grinned. “You look amazing.”
She smiled. “Thank you.” She then looked down at her outfit. “Is this okay? You didn’t tell me where we’re going.”
“You’re perfect.” Was that corny? Alex hadn’t felt this awkward since middle school, but in this case, he liked it. Zoe kept him guessing.
She looked him up and down. “You look pretty good too.” She adjusted her purse on her shoulder. “Ready?”
Alex extended his hand to her. He was ready. He was ready for more with her and tonight was only the beginning. Alex laced his fingers with hers and led her to his car. He walked them over to the passenger side and opened the door for her. Then he slid into the driver’s seat, only to spot Zoe holding a CD case in her hands.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Me.”
She turned to face him. “You have a CD of you? Are you singing?”