Not Yet

He puts his arm around me as we walk and I don’t know if it’s meant to be casual or like we’re a couple.

“You’re overthinking it.”

I hear the laughter in his voice and with it some of the worry that was quickly building fades away. I lick my lips, trying to see if I can taste him, but I need to focus on something else.

When we reach the front of the restaurant he opens the door for me. “I’ll get you to kiss me back,” he says next to my ear when I slide past him.

His arm drops from my shoulder and I have no time to respond because Mom and Dad are there waving at us from their table.

Drake puts his hand on my back as he guides me over and pulls the chair out for me. Mom and Dad look so happy as their eyes bounce between us. I can tell they’re enjoying that we’re hanging out because I saw both their faces light up when Drake picked me up in celebration. If they only knew how well we were getting along they wouldn’t be so happy about it.

“It’s like old times.” Mom smiles as I sit in my seat.

“Are you going to split the ribs with me?” Drake nudges me from the side before lifting his arm and putting it causally on the back of my chair. Then I feel him hook his foot under my chair as he pulls me closer to him. Mom snorts and Dad laughs a “Yeah, right.”

“I don’t share food.” The only time I share is when there’s something I don’t want to eat and Drake likes it.

I nudge him back and wonder how is he being so playful right now. I can’t help but do it myself because it’s like old times. But after that kiss I don’t want old times.

I want something new.

Chapter Twelve

Drake

When we finish eating dinner Mom and Dad say they’re going to a movie so I offer to give Ali a ride home. On the way I reach over and lay my hand on her bare thigh and it feels so natural and good.

They already gave Ali her birthday presents this morning and begged her to go to the movies with them. I told her I’d go too, but she said she was tired after a long day and needed to rest up for tomorrow. When Mom and Dad said they’d just come home so they could spend the rest of the night with her, she insisted they go and have fun. It took some coaxing but they went and Ali got in the car with me.

“I think you broke the record on ribs tonight.” I smile over at her and she flushes.

“They should have given me a T-shirt or something.” She pats her belly that’s still soft and cute. “I won’t be able to fit in my dress tomorrow.”

“I’m sure you’ll look amazing.” I hold her gaze for a second while we sit at the red light and my thumb traces the silk of her thigh.

She clears her throat and looks away. “Thanks for making my day special, even though it was kind of your day too.”

“Well it’s not over yet.” She turns back to look at me and raises an eyebrow.

“What?” She begins to smile and I shake my head.

“It’s a surprise.”

When we get home we walk inside and I toss my keys on the kitchen counter and take Ali by the hand.

“Come with me,” I say, pulling her with me to my room.

“It’s cleaner in here than in my room,” she jokes as she sits on the edge of the bed.

“I know,” I tease her and go over to my desk and pick up the little box. “I wasn’t sure when to give you this, but this seemed like the right time. Happy birthday, Ali.”

She beams up at me as she takes it in her hand and then opens it. “Drake.” She looks up at me with wide eyes and then stares down at the box. “Are these real?”

“Yeah. Do you like them?” Suddenly I’m unsure, but it felt right when I saw them. The princess cut pink diamonds reminded me of her and how we used to play Barbies for hours. She loved dressing them up and then getting them naked and rubbing their plastic bodies together.

“Of course I do. I love them. Oh God, what if I lose them?” Panic strikes her eyes and I have to hold in a laugh.

“I got insurance on them.” I take the box from her and lift them out. “Let’s see what they look like on you.”

She takes out her hoops and places them on my nightstand, and I lean forward to put in the diamonds for her. They’re almost as big as her lobes but I wanted people to notice them. She deserves all the attention and it’s not that I want guys to see her, but I’m tired of people dismissing her. She’s too damn good for them anyway, but she’s not invisible.