“We’ll leave you two alone now.” Kira squeezed Jameson’s arm in support.
I waited for them to leave before leaning against the wall beside him. It was clear Jameson didn’t know what to say. I could see the tenseness in his body that looked like he was trying not to fidget. At first I wanted to give him a moment, but then I worried my silence would stress him out more, so I said, “Thanks for bidding on me.”
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want… We can say we did it. Kira and Ali, this was their plan. We have this stupid pact and—” He whipped his head in my direction, covering his mouth as if he’d been about to say something he shouldn’t.
“Pact, huh? That sounds interesting.”
He groaned, dropped his head back against the wall, and closed his eyes. “I’m hopeless. Why am I so bad at this?”
“You’re not bad at anything. Cut yourself some slack. Also, no way I’m letting you out of this date. We’re going, and we’re going to enjoy ourselves, damn it.” Really, I couldn’t figure out why I was so interested in this date. I would have made sure we went regardless, because that had been the point of the evening, but while before I wasn’t stoked about the idea of going out with a random guy I didn’t choose, now I was…curious. There was something intriguing as hell about him. “Your friends seem nice.”
“Friends? What friends?” he joked, and I chuckled.
“I hear ya. My buddy Shaw, his boyfriend is Elijah, the guy who put this on. That’s how I ended up doing it in the first place. Our friends can get us in some crazy-ass situations, but we can make the best of it, Jameson. If you’re interested, at least. I’ll remind you that you bought me, and if you’re not interested in going out on the date with me, I won’t force you. I’m in if you are.”
Jameson turned his head, his eyes popping open, and I realized there was a lighter, almost whiskey color to them around the edges. He had thick, dark lashes he fluttered at me, but I was pretty sure he didn’t know he was doing it. Like, if it were anyone else, I would think they were trying to get their way or at least flirt, but not him. Jameson looked at me like he was…well, shocked? Interested? Maybe a little woozy? But I figured that was due to nerves and not me specifically.
“I’m a mess…and awkward…and a nerd.”
“Well, I’m a bit of a mess too, and maybe awkward in different ways, but I’m cool as fuck too.”
Like I hoped, he snickered, not taking it seriously.
Jameson glanced away, looked down, bit his lip, and damned if that wasn’t sexy as hell. “I’m in,” he said softly.
“There we go. That’s what I want to hear. Let’s get this planned. This will be the best auction date in the history of the world.”
Jameson’s eyes darted my way, and he gave me a shy grin, making my pulse speed up a little. Weird.
CHAPTER FIVE
Jameson
With each passing day, I got more and more nervous. It was ridiculous, really. I understood that. I’d basically paid two thousand dollars to go out with a guy, but I tried to ignore that and focus on the fact that we met doing something for an organization that meant a lot to me. And the thing was, I didn’t have a real reason to be freaking the hell out. Even though I’d made that dumb pact with Kira and Ali, it had nothing to do with spending an evening with Will, where we would go out to dinner and then likely say goodbye. It wasn’t as if he was going to say, Hey, you’re a little awkward and jumpy, but I want to see you again. Or, I was wondering if you wanted to have this sexy fling with me this summer? That was what I wanted, but I sure as shit wasn’t saying it.
So we’d have a date. I’d get a little dreamy over how hot he was. He’d make polite conversation. I’d be weird. The end.
Story of my life.
For now, it was a Wednesday and I was on my way to my parents’ house for dinner.
When the car service pulled up in front of the monstrosity my family called home, I got out. The white, modern-style house had a manicured lawn and a small pride flag in the garden. That had been Mom’s doing.
Before going inside, I pulled my phone out and sent a text to Kira. I wish you were coming.
Her family spent a lot of time with ours, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. It was ridiculous that I liked to have a buffer when I was at home with my own family. We were close, and I was lucky as hell and all that. I understood that, but it was strange always feeling like an outsider in your own world. I was supposed to want to work with Dad, and while they never pushed me or anything like that, there were times when I felt like a disappointment. You know, like that one time I knocked a candle over at an event and the tablecloth caught fire, making the sprinklers turn on and soak the celebrity guests. That was a great time.