Zach: I’m sure I can find a way.
* * *
Zach: Are you allergic to anything?
* * *
Me: Human souls.
* * *
Zach: Oh good. You’re in great company then.
* * *
Zach: Pick you up at seven tomorrow?
* * *
Me: I’ll text you the address.
* * *
Zach: You know, I should ask…you are eighteen, right?
* * *
Me: Only by 3 years.
* * *
Zach: At least we’re in the clear in that regard. Sweet dreams, Delia.
* * *
Me: Good night, Zachary.
The first thought that runs through my head when I switch off my screen is, He gets me.
I’ve always had friendships where I was understood on a basic level. Apart from Zoe, I’ve never found someone I clicked with all the way, who accepted me for all my strange quirks, not even with Caleb, though it was close…until we ruined it.
But Zach? He understands me on a level I wasn’t expecting, understands my sarcasm and doesn’t get annoyed when that’s the mode I’m in. He appreciates the darkness behind it, and even better, he fires back with his own. Our conversations are seamless, flirty, and I like it way more than I should—not to mention my body tingles with anticipation every time he sends a text because I know it’ll spark an endless string of fun.
Zach makes me laugh, makes me feel light and airy. With him, I don’t have the weight of the real world hanging over my head, don’t have the anticipation of what graduating will bring.
I know I haven’t known him all that long—and hell, I haven’t even actually met him—but I like the way he makes me feel, and it’s not something I’m ready to let go.
I just hope I’m not making a huge mistake by meeting him.
Nine
“He’ll be here in ten minutes, Zoe, and I still haven’t finished my hair! It’s not even dry!”
“First, breathe. You need to calm down before you do anything else, especially operate a hot hair dryer you can swing at my head at any moment.” She reaches for the item in question and carefully extracts it from my hands, sets it on the counter, and faces me again. “Second…” Zoe shakes me hard. “CALM THE FUCK DOWN, DELIA!”
She’s not one to raise her voice, so Zoe’s shouting shocks me so hard I jerk back out of her grasp.
“You good now?” she asks, brow raised.
I take a calming breath…then another, and two more for good measure. “I’m fine.”
“Okay, now let’s tame your hair.”
Zoe takes over and dries my hair for me as I finish up my makeup. Before I know it, she has my dark brown hair swept up in a low messy bun with a little teasing on my crown to give it lift. Partnered with my natural makeup, I don’t look too shabby.
“There. Gorgeous!”
I pinch at my plain navy t-shirt. “You don’t think I’m underdressed?”
“Nah, your outfit is perfect, trust me. Besides, the heel on your booties dresses it up.”
“Okay, you’re—”
The doorbell rings and the apartment falls silent. Even the background music we had on ends at the perfect moment.
All at once, we rush around like morons and the music fires up again.
I race to answer the door but Zoe elbows me out of the way. Just before we reach it, she spins my way and halts my movements.
“Stop,” she whispers. “Let me get it. Take a second to collect yourself, okay?”
Nodding, I stand there stunned as she calmly makes her way to the door.
I hold my breath as she opens it and then bursts into laughter at Zach’s greeting: “Do you want to touch my butt now, or later?”
My best friend crosses her arms over her chest. “Oh, honey. Now will do.”
“Wait—you’re Zoe, not Delia.” He sighs. “Oh hell, you can touch my butt too.”
Zoe being Zoe, she motions for him to turn around. Zach complies and before I know it, she’s reaching out and grabbing his ass.
She peeks back over at me. “It’s firm, girl. Could bounce a quarter off it.”
“Can I have my ass back, please?”
I manage to detach myself from the spot I’ve been glued to and smack Zoe’s hand away.
“Your girl here is handsy, Delia. She really had a strong grip going.”
I lift a shoulder. “Hey, you said she could.”
“I said touch it, not caress it.”
“It’s all the same to her.”
“Hi,” Zoe says, waving. “Standing right here.”
“Bye. Leaving now.” I shoo her away and turn to my date, taking in his appearance for the first time.
Zach’s almost exactly how I pictured him: tall, lean but muscular, a light scruff with dark mussed up hair. What I was not expecting is the black frames resting on his face over piercing green eyes, and damn is it a pleasant surprise. The Zach I had conjured up in my head? Hot. The Zach standing in front of me with glasses? Scorching.
I take note of his simple t-shirt, jeans, and leather jacket combo, glad I’m not underdressed for our evening.
When I bring my eyes back to his face, he’s smirking.
“I’m a stud, I know.” He grins. “It’s great to finally meet you, Delia.”
A blush creeps up my face as his words wash over me. It was a simple greeting, but he said it in a way that made me want to strip out of my clothes for him.
He’s going to be trouble, and I plan to enjoy every second of it.
“Likewise, Zachary.”
His grin makes my body hum with anticipation, making me wonder why I didn’t want to meet him at first. That would have been a massive mistake.
“You ready?”
“As ever.”
“You nervous?”
I could lie, pretend like my stomach isn’t trying to push my lunch back up, but I don’t want to. It doesn’t feel right. Playing the “tough girl” won’t cut it with Zach.
“Tremendously.”
His already bright eyes spark with appreciation at my honest answer. “Guess we’re in the same boat then.”
“Who’s rowing?”
“What?”
“This boat, who’s rowing?”
Zach extends his hand my way. “I’ve got you, Delia.”
I don’t know if it’s the sincerity in his voice or his crooked grin, but I place my hand in his with the utmost confidence that this was the best decision I have ever made.
I was wrong.
This was a horrible decision.
The chill in the air is unusual for this time of year, and I can’t stop shivering. I knew I should have grabbed a jacket.
“Uh, hey Zach?”
He’s a few steps ahead of me and turns at the sound of my voice. “Yeah?”
“Can we, uh, can we not be outside right now?”
“Shit.” His eyes roam over me and he takes note of the goose bumps on my arms. “Oh hell. I’ll be right back!”
Zach sprints off toward the car and I’m left standing on my own. I fold my arms over myself and try to generate warmth. Watching as the sun kisses the horizon good night, I can hear the hum of a crowd off in the distance in an otherwise empty park.
What in the hell are we doing here?
“I almost forgot about these.” I turn to find Zach holding a blanket and cooler in one hand and a balled up sweatshirt in the other. “Here, take this.”
He might be somewhat of a stranger, but I don’t hesitate for a second before reaching for the layer of warmth he’s providing.
Sliding my arms through the sleeves and pulling the top carefully over my head, I moan as the fabric encases me in comfort.
“Better?”
“Much. Thank you. I should have grabbed a jacket—I was kicking myself in the ass for not doing so the moment we stepped outside.”
“Well now that you’re cozy, come on. I don’t want it to start without us.”
/>
“Don’t want what to start?”
He bumps my shoulder. “Don’t try to ruin the magic of the surprise. Wait and see.”
“Fun sucker.”
“Me? That would be you, trying to figure out where we’re headed before we make it there.”
“But—”
“No buts.”
“Except yours, right?”
His eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles, and it’s such a genuine smile. I like those. I haven’t seen one in a while.
Zach has been everything I’d hoped he’d be…so far.
“Right.”
The low murmur from before grows louder as we trek across the park. Before I know it, we’re breaching the edge of the crowd. There are maybe a hundred people spread out on blankets and talking animatedly amongst themselves, and a massive blowup screen fills the front of the area.
“A movie in the park?” The last word comes out as more of a squeal than an actual word. I’ve wanted to watch a movie outside for ages but haven’t had the chance to do so. I even asked Caleb to go with me a time or two, but we never made it happen. He either didn’t want to see what was playing or was too busy with baseball.
How Zach knew I’d love this, I have no idea.
“A movie in the park.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “This is a good thing, right?”
“Very much so.”
“You ever been to one before?”
“No, never. My mom used to tell me about the drive-in all the time, and I figured nowadays the closest I’d ever be is this. I’ve always wanted to go, but it’s never worked out.”
His lips tilt up at the corners. “So you’re saying I’m the perfect date?”
“I’m saying this is the perfect date. Jury’s still out on you.”
“It’ll turn out in my favor, I just know it. Now come on, let’s grab a spot before the flick starts.”
He leads me over to a spot off center from the screen where a few other couples are scattered around. We spread out the blanket he brought along and I’m surprised when I find two airplane pillows rolled inside.
“Pillows?”
“In case the ground is uncomfortable for you.”
“You thought of everything, huh?”
He holds up a finger. “But wait, there’s more!”
Zach pulls us down onto the blanket, the cooler sitting between us. I watch as he closes his eyes and holds his hand over the top, wiggling his fingers. “Bip! Bop! Presto magic man, baby!” Once everyone sitting close to us has turned their attention our way, he shouts, “And Zach said: let there be food!”
There are cutesy giggles from the girls and eye rolls from a few guys, but Zach doesn’t notice any of it. He’s too busy pulling our “magic food” from the cooler, and I’m too busy staring at him in awe. He doesn’t care that he made a fool of himself, doesn’t care that he’s made two girls fall in love with him. He’s oblivious to it all, and I kind of adore that about him.
“I brought PB&Js—one with strawberry jam and the other with grape—Nacho Cheese Doritos, and…” He reaches into the cooler again but pauses. “Wait, how old are you really?”
“Really, Zach?”
“Really, Delia. This is age-sensitive stuff we’re dealing with. I can’t believe we didn’t discuss this before. I could have been texting a fourteen-year-old girl for all I knew, and hell, I could have been a seventy-year-old creeper!”
“I’m twenty-one, about to be twenty-two in a few months.”
“Excellent. Carry on then.” He grabs the last item from the bin, holding it out with a grin. “Orange soda.”
“Orange soda is age sensitive?”
“Certainly. Though you probably wouldn’t understand how an old fart like me could love it like I do, it’s the drink of a generation.”
Knowing exactly what he’s referring to, I take the bottle from his hand and twist open the top. Before I take a drink, I grin at him and say, “Who loves orange soda?”
His green gaze lights with amazement and I almost spit out the soda. “You know Kenan & Kel? You’re my dream girl.”
I wipe my mouth. “You sure you’re not too old for me?”
“I’m only eighty-six and a half, thank you very much,” he deadpans.
“In dog years?”
“No. I’m one hundred and eighty-one and a quarter in dog years.”
“You know how old you are in dog years?”
His lips twitch as he tries to hold in a shy smile. “Uh, yeah. I was bored and used Google. Google is a dangerous weapon, by the way. Anyway, if I was a Golden Retriever, I’d be one hundred and eighty-one.”
“And in human years?”
“Twenty-five.”
I can’t take my eyes off him. The smile stretched across his face is so…warm. It reels you in, making you feel like you’re the only person in the room…or at the park. I love it, and I especially love the dimples it creates. They’re cute, boyish even.
“You’re not that much older than me.”
“Nah, not really. My younger brother is your age, so it’s not that creepy. He knows the significance of orange soda too. I’ve taught him well.”
“You have a brother?”
“I do. He goes to the university here in town.”
“No way! I do too.”
He tilts his head, studying me. “You’re still in college? You never mentioned it.”
My shoulders are rigid with fright. Did I just ruin our date by admitting I’m still in school? “I’m a senior,” I mutter, wanting to be honest but also not wanting to all at the same time.
“You know what I just realized? We didn’t once talk about all that normal ‘get to know you’ shit you’re supposed to talk about with people. We jumped right in, Zach and Delia style.” He holds his bottle of soda up. “Cheers. I like us.”
I clink my glass bottle with his and take another drink.
“So, you ready?” He waves his hand around. “For the real world, I mean. It’s a scary place.”
My brows crush together. “You don’t care that I’m still in school?”
“Should I?”
“Well…no, I guess not. I suppose I assumed it would be a big deal or something since you asked.”
“Nah. I’m not real hung up on age and all that crap. I mean, I’d have an issue if you were underage…” He trails off, raising his brows like I’ll confess to lying about my age.
“I promise I’m twenty-one and old enough to know all about orange soda.”
Zach grins and his dimples appear once more. “But you’re not, so we’re good,” he continues like I never spoke. “I can’t believe we’ve never talked about it. I feel like I know you, but I don’t know you—not the basics anyway.”
“All in good time, I suppose.”
“Fair enough.” He takes another drink. “What’s your major?”
“Journalism.”
He tilts his head, sizing me up. “I can see that. Do you know where you want to work when you graduate?”
“Did you?”
“Not a damn clue.”
“What do you do now?”
His lips lift again as he reaches into his back pocket. Pulling out a worn leather wallet, he slides out a business card and hands it over.
I laugh as soon as I read it.
“Zach Hastings, Nerd Wrangler.”
“Check us out, learning things about each other.” He pauses and his face scrunches up in concentration. Then he shakes his head and mutters something.
“What?”
“I was going to say wink but then I thought maybe I should just wink. Then I deemed it all stupid. It’s taking me a little while to grow accustomed to not having to text everything. Like, I want to pull my phone out right now and send you a text of my next thoughts.”
“Don’t do that. It’s creepy.
“I know. Woe is me.”
I chuckle and scan the rest of his card. “You design apps?”
“I do, and wrangle the
other nerds together and make sure they’re getting their work done, hence the awesome title.”
“What kind of apps do you work on?”
“Lots of kinds. Fashion, coupons, games—you name it, we do it.”
“How’d you become an app developer?”
“I was kind of a nerd in high school.”
I squint, trying to see it. “You’re lying.”
“What? Nerds can’t be devilishly handsome with pert asses and chiseled features?”
“You are unbelievably modest too.”
“I know.” This time he does wink and I roll my eyes.
“It’s surprising, is all. You don’t, ya know, seem the type.”
“Well, guilty as charged. I began studying computers early on in life and the apps thing was a result of that.”
“What was the first app you created?”
Zach grimaces. “I’ll sound like a tool.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“I created this…well, in its basic form, it was a dating app for assholes. You could rate people on their looks and how dateable they were.” He shakes his head, and I can tell he’s still upset with himself after all these years. “It was such a shitty thing to do and I regretted it the moment it was live. I’m not even sure why I did it. I wasn’t the hottest guy around, had no business making that app. I had self-esteem issues out the ass, so why I believed it would be okay to make it easy for kids to put each other down is beyond me.”
He takes a drink and shrugs. “Anyway, it took a week before word reached the principal. I was in serious trouble, suspended for a week, but I deserved worse. I can’t even count the number of times I witnessed a student crying over their ratings, the number of people who stopped eating in the cafeteria, or the dirty looks I received. The app haunted me for months and I felt so shitty about it.” He hangs his head. “It was a stupid, juvenile thing to do.”
“Did you learn from your mistake?”
“And then some. I created a club that’s still thriving today once I returned to school. It took weeks for people to see I was serious about it, that it wasn’t a gimmick. I truly felt horrible about the animosity I created in the school.”
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