Contradictions (Woodfalls Girls 3)

“What kind of help did she need?”

“Computer issues. Hackers had gotten into her personal and business accounts. I set her up with firewalls and made sure she had virus protection,” he said as a waitress approached the table carrying a tray with two plates loaded with burgers and fries and two glasses of water.

I looked slightly confused at the plates after she plunked them on our table. She smiled at Trent and shot me a territorial look before walking away.

“The kitchen only serves burgers and fries. Shirley always says that’s what she likes to eat, so that’s all she’ll serve. I can get you something other than water if you want.” He picked up his burger and took a big bite.

I eyed the food warily. I was as hungry as a rhino, but it was a little unsettling not knowing where it came from.

“You don’t like burgers?”

“Is it safe?”

“Really? You eat Wendy’s.”

He had a point. I lifted the bun of my burger to get a better look. It looked good. I sniffed it before I took a tentative bite. It tasted as good as it looked. I hadn’t eaten all day, so I scarfed the food down quicker than normal. I would have liked the water to be a beer, but I didn’t want to ask if he wasn’t having one.

“Told you it was good,” Trent teased once our plates were carried away. The conversation during our meal was surprisingly smooth. Maybe it was because we’d been together so much during tutoring. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t as awkward as I’d imagined it would be. First dates were usually so hit-or-miss. Most times, the guy was a total freak show or an egomaniac. I could already tell Trent was different. He was smart, but didn’t make me feel like an idiot. And the stuff he was into was harmless. It didn’t make him a freak. I couldn’t believe I was sitting here defending Trent to myself.

“So, you’re telling me what you did for this Shirley woman was worth getting an all-access pass to all of this?” I asked, leaning back in my chair. The live music throughout our meal had changed genres multiple times. The sax player was replaced by a country singer whose guitar twanged as he sang about beer, horses, and no-good, cheating women. My favorite performer of the evening was an a cappella singer. I’d never heard anyone hit a high note like this guy. His performance had all the diners pausing midbite.

Trent shrugged modestly at my words. “A computer nerd who likes live music. I guess that makes you more cultured than me,” I teased.

He retaliated by gently squeezing my knee between his. He leaned in close. “Face it, Tressa, you’re beginning to find me pretty irresistible. You’re kicking yourself for not giving me a chance before.”

“Oh, I’m going to kick something. It just won’t be me,” I said, hitting him on the side of the leg with my free foot.

“Come on, why fight it? Can you honestly say tonight hasn’t been fun?”

“It’s been okay.”

“Bullshit, you’ve had fun.”

“Fine, I had fun. It’s probably a fluke.”

“Go out with me again and I’ll prove it to you,” he persisted.

I weighed his words before answering. It would be so easy to shoot him down and keep insi

sting we were too different for each other, but hell, my denial was even beginning to get on my nerves. What harm would it do to cave? If it didn’t work, we could walk away. No harm, no foul. It’s not like I was looking for some permanent thing.

“Fine,” I finally answered. I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing as he did a fist pump. You could dress up the geek, but you couldn’t take the dork out of him.

“Halloween festival next week?” he asked, not missing a beat.

Holy hell. I’d decided to go out with him, but I wasn’t ready to go all balls-to-the-wall, batshit crazy and show up in Woodfalls like we were a couple.

“Come on, you know we’ll have fun. I’ll go as Han Solo.” His words brought a mental image to mind that took fantasy to a whole new level.

“What makes you think I’d like you to dress up as Han Solo? He was pretty buff and all,” I teased.

“Trust me, I think you’ll like the uniform.”

“Are you telling me you already have the costume?” I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or be horrified.

His look said it all. Oh lord. Was I really agreeing to go out with someone who liked to play dress-up? I couldn’t even imagine what Cameo would say if she heard this little tidbit considering we’d totally mocked the loser who wanted to role-play with her in the bedroom. The funny thing was my disgust alarm wasn’t going off. Truthfully, I found it a little cute. Not that I’d ever admit it to anyone. Least of all to Trent.

“Fine.” I couldn’t believe I had agreed, but it would satisfy my curiosity to see if he could really fill out the costume. Besides, agreeing to a second date would quiet my friends for good. They would never get to say that I didn’t at least give Trent plenty of chances.