Easier said than done… especially since I’ll be seeing him tomorrow.
Chapter Two
Alice
The next morning I wake up too late, and then I’m in a frenzy, trying to get ready in time and choosing an outfit that is not too optimistic for early June. I love this time of year. The days are long and rain is rare, though the pesky fog takes hold of the coast too often for my taste, especially in the morning. Still, a contagious energy fills the entire city. Tourists pour in, festivals abound. I slip into a bright yellow dress, pairing it with tights and a warm coat.
Small secret: dresses usually make me look as if I’ve put effort into my appearance when I actually haven’t. Low-maintenance is my middle name, so I own a stack of dresses. Before leaving my room, I put on earrings too. They’re brightly colored, shaped like tiny fruits. Colorful and oddly shaped earrings are my guilty pleasure, along with high-heeled shoes.
To be honest, my love for them started by accident. What I lack in height, I make up for in personality and high heels. I realized early on that if I wanted to be heard in a family of eleven, I had to be loud and clear. Honing the skill turned out to be invaluable, especially when I ventured out into the business world. But being loud isn’t always good, and everyone tends to overlook small people. Hence why high heels come in handy. Nude-colored pumps are a staple in my wardrobe. I can’t help a smile as I remember when I wore my very first pair: to prom in senior year, thirteen years ago.
It was one of the worst, but also one of the best nights. Midway through the event, I ran into my date making out with another girl. For an eighteen-year-old, that ranked up high next to natural catastrophes, possibly even the end of the world. Slapping the crap out of my cheating date didn’t help with the pain, even though it did calm me a bit. Then I realized I didn’t want to stay there for the rest of the event and headed home. But when I arrived, I didn’t want to go inside the house. I was torn between wanting to curl in my mother’s lap and sob, and hearing everyone’s pity. I ended up lying in a hammock outside which was hidden enough to not be viewed from the house.
“What are you doing here?”
Nate’s voice startled me, and I wiped away my tears as best as I could. I hadn’t known he was visiting.
“I live here,” I replied with sass, scrambling out of the hammock. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see the baseball game with your dad. Aren’t you supposed to be at the prom?”
“Found my date kissing another girl in a dark hallway. Pretty sure his hand was under her skirt too.”
“Show me a picture and I’ll make sure he has a black eye tomorrow.”
I grinned. It was something my brothers would have said, but hearing it from him, it felt different.
“He already does. My knuckles will be bruised too.”
Nate eyed my tear-streaked cheeks. I was wearing waterproof mascara, so I hoped at least I didn’t look like a raccoon.
“When are you supposed to be home?”
“In three hours.”
He nodded in the direction of the gate. “Let’s go. My car’s outside.”
Excitement coursed through me. “Where are you taking me?”
“Out. You need good memories from tonight. We’re going to make some.”
That was the first time I swooned in his presence. My crush had already been going strong for a few years, but this was different. It felt grown-up, and I thought it was incredibly sweet of him.
He took me to a hip, vibrant restaurant, where they had good food and even better music. After we finished eating, he took my hand and pulled me on the dance floor, and those were the hottest minutes of my life up until then.
Nate wasn’t dancing like the guys at my school. There were no sloppy attempts to grab my ass or trying to grind against me. I realized it was because those guys were boys, but Nate was a man. I was eighteen, and he was twenty-three. He effortlessly led me across the dance floor, pulling me just close enough until our chests touched. His hands were on my hips when they needed to be, and only the firmness of his grip and the way his lips occasionally lingered on my cheek betrayed how much he’d love to touch me more.
That night was the first time I understood the meaning of a hot look. And I nearly melted at his feet. But he was a gentleman the entire evening. On the way out, we noticed the restaurant had a photo booth, which was cheesy, but I loved every minute we spent inside it. I’ve kept every single picture we took to this day.
When he brought me home, I was grinning ear to ear. He’d made me feel like I was on top of the world, and I adored him for it.
***
Half an hour later, I step inside Blue Moon and find Blake and Nate already seated at the small round table next to the bar. The bar area is the only complete part; the rest is still missing most of the furniture. But this place will be a knockout when it’s ready.
“Hello, boys.” I shrug out of my coat, leaving it on the back of the nearest chair, and then I stalk toward them with my chin held high, squaring my shoulders. They stop midsentence, rising to their feet.
“Alice, we were waiting for you before giving Nate the official tour. This is for you. Double espresso. When you texted to say you’d be late, I figured you wouldn’t have time for coffee.” He points to a Starbucks cup on the table. I hadn’t noticed it before.